Was pushing baby out easier the second time?

[TheSubtleKnifeAndFork]

Sorry for the bizarre question!

I've seen lots of general threads on here about "how did you second labour compare to your first?" but I'm interested more in the specifics of pushing the baby out.

My first baby was really quite difficult to push out. I don't know if my pushing was in effective (I wasn't told this at the time) or if there wasn't quite enough stretch at the exit, or what, but I rather struggled to get him out. I had an episiotomy in the end (narrowly avoiding forceps) and then he came out really easily!

I hear stories of babies being born in a couple of pushes, and that sounds utterly blissful.

I know there's absolutely zero way to predict how my next birth will be, based on other experiences (or any other method), but I'm still interested to hear how pushing a baby out compared between first and second labour.

Also wondering if position actually makes a difference? I'd intended to push in a position where gravity would help, but the midwife got me on my back eventually and I do wonder if that possibly slowed things down, as it's not meant to be the best position to give birth in (although I know so many women do).

1st - 1hr
2nd - 45mins
3rd - 1.5hours

1+3 we're b2b. All felt impossibly difficult.

Dc2 just fell out - I stood up for H to put bubble wrap (plastic sheeting) onto the bed, thought "I'd better just check", reached down and delivered his head.
Dc1 had been an hour.

It definitely was for me, but I think that’s because I had a frame of reference to what Labour was like and how much I had to push. For baby #1 I expected it to be like the movies and her come out quite quick. I was pushing for two hours, worried about pooing myself etc. for baby #2 I just wanted that baby out out out and was very focused!

Not for me. DC1 was over 8lbs, maybe an hour or so pushing. DC2 was over 2lbs heavier and took far longer, And I had a massive tear because the hospital had failed to notice that the extra weight was all baby, not just fluid like they'd been telling me.

No. I hated the pushing stage both times. First time had forceps and episiotomy in the end and second time managed to push on my own but the pushing stage was almost 2 hours and I was very very tired by the end. Also tore very badly when dd finally came out. I found second time a lot more satisfying though as felt like I did it all myself.

@Lou0219 I had my mum and H there for my first as I had obviously never done it before and I felt I needed her there for me. H wasn't overly happy but while it was actually happening I think he was secretly appreciative of her mothering him a bit too. 😉 I didn't take her with us for subsequent 3 and felt I didn't need to.

I found each time was quicker and as you've done it before you're much better at knowing what's going on. I will say though that I felt each time was more painful but that might be just me. MW said muscles are obviously not as tight and so have to work harder so maybe that's it? 🤷🏼‍♀️

It was for me. I pushed for 2 hours the first time and while I didn't have any intervention it didn't feel particularly effective!

Second time 2 pushes and she was out. I just felt like I actually knew how to push this time. I did pregnancy yoga that also covered hypnobirthing and in thus we covered the pushing stage a lot and I dont known if that helped.

One thing though is that it my mind I was expecting it to be the same as last time so I was in denial slightly that it was actually time to push as it had come round so much quicker than my first time!

Definitely. My first was the longest labour (24 hours start to finish) and ended with shoulder dystocia and emergency forceps delivery. DC2 literally flew out of me, six hour labour and I did the majority of it at home (went to hospital when I was 9cm and she was born half an hour later). DC3 labour was 12 hours though so didn’t reduce in time from DC2 but it was as easy to push her out.

Lots of different experiences, thank you all for sharing.

I've been doing my pelvic floors with gusto for a while now (I sorely neglected this during my first pregnancy and in the recovery period afterwards, which in hindsight wasn't wise at all) as I seem to recall that strong pelvic floor is meant to help with pushing too.

I was disappointed last time that I did perineal massage for weeks and still ended up not stretchy enough to get the baby out without a cut!

I had DC3 yesterday and only had to do 4 pushes. I think when you know you are close to the end it becomes more manageable and you don't have as much panic in trying to expel the baby! DC1 I pushed for about 25 mins in the birthing pool and ended up with second degree tear,DC2 I pushed for about 10 mins tops and had a first degree with small stitches and obviously yesterday's was the quickest. I found hypnobirthing really helped me to do the cliched 'breathing the baby down', it was very painful but over quickly. Being on all fours each time but slightly upright also helped to get them moving down naturally. Good luck!!

It’s not a figure of speech when I say it was 10 time easier, and 10 times less painful too.

Yes the pushing was easier for me and I didn't tear despite it being faster. It was the lead up to pushing I found really hard. But agree with others it was just as impossibly painful when he came out. Plus my second had much bigger shoulders.

Im so optimistic after reading this post fingers crossed!

Im so optimistic after reading this post fingers crossed!

Me too, but also trying not to get my hopes up at the same time.

I both love and hate the unknown about how it's all going to go.

30 weeks pregnant now, so really not THAT much longer to wait.