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Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Original poster

Those of who who extremely long first labours...

38 replies

Shazafied · 01/02/2019 11:43

How long was your second?

I’m 27 weeks preggers and have a 13 mo so her birth still feels very recent !

It was 73 hours in labour , she was back to back and it just took ages for me to dilate. Laboured at home for about 55/60 hours (most of this having around 3 strong contractions every 10-12 mins) , was sent home from birthing centre 3 times (very stressful) ... finally then reached magic 4cm , had an epidural for the last 12 hours or so (was vomiting / delirious with exhaustion by this point). Managed to doze thanks to epi and pushed baby out butnutw as 2.5 hours pushing. Had some 2nd degree tearing plus do have issues with pelvic prolapse/emptying bowels, but these seem to have improved slightly in last 3 months or so.

At one point I Considered a c-section but have decided against due to recovery and having a 17mo at home too. Have decided to Go for VB again.

I’m keen to hear from other mums of 2 plus, that had v long first labours l, how long their 2nd labour was ....

I might be nuts here but a friend of mine had a home birth recently and there’s a definite appeal to not traipsing to and from hospital / not having to get someone to come to my house to look after DD1 potentially during the night / not having to stay on postnatal ward .... I’ve very lightly considered it as an option but am really totally clueless. I’d hate to have to be rushed to hospital half way through. Realistically I’ll probably go to birthing centre again.

Thanks ladies xx

OP posts:
Ribbonsonabox · 01/02/2019 11:46

3 days with my first, only 4 hours with my second... both induced

Original poster
Shazafied · 01/02/2019 13:01

Well that sounds positive !! You must have been relieved the second time Ribbons x

OP posts:
Ribbonsonabox · 01/02/2019 14:02

Yes very! I was terrified going in because I had such a traumatic time the first time! Actually had a home birth booked for the second time (for pretty much the same reasons you've outlined) but sadly had to be induced due to concerns over babies growth... but the labour was so fast that the only pain relief I had time for was gas and air... and it was totally manageable (there was one point during transition where I thought I couldn't do it, but the pushing and crowning stage were absolutely fine!)
The first labour was so long that I had all the pain relief available and ended up with an episiotomy.

The second I did not even tear. I had a slight graze and was home that evening walking around fine. I was absolutely amazed!

So theres reason to be positive! The midwife told me second labours are often quicker! X

genome · 01/02/2019 14:12

My first was not as long as yours at 28 hours, also back to back and ending in multiple interventions etc. With my second I was induced for other reasons, but it was around 4 hours from the onset of contractions with 1 hour of that pushing. My third was at home and I started with mild twinges after a sweep late afternoon. I had regular contractions by 8pm and she was born just after 1am.

TulipsInbloom1 · 01/02/2019 14:13

Dc1 24 hrs.
Dc2 4 hours (20 mins in "active labour")

Endofrelationship · 01/02/2019 14:13

Nowhere near as long as you, but latent (stop start mild contractions and back ache) for a week then 21hours from waters breaking to forceps delivery. 19 of which were with very painful, frequent contractions.

Second labour was 3 days latent labour and 5.5 hours from waters breaking to 10cm dilated (was section due to breech but I was 10cm by the time I got to theatre). I was only having painful frequent contractions for 2.5hours.

Aprilshowersarecomingsoon · 01/02/2019 14:15

Dc 1=17 hours.
Dc 2= 3 hours.
Dc 3= 3 hours.
Dc 4= 3 hours.

NeedSleepNow · 01/02/2019 14:29

From first mild contraction to giving birth it was 44 hours with my first, 15 with my second and 5 with my third

CoodleMoodle · 01/02/2019 14:30

DD was a long long labour, well over 15 hours at least, plus I had preeclampsia for a few days beforehand. I'd say eight hours of contractions, seven hours of pushing. I had an epidural which didn't help, and in the end she was an episiotomy/ventouse delivery as we were both in distress. Placenta came out quickly though!

DS, I woke at 7:30am with contractions, we got to the hospital at 12:45, he was born at 13:05. If we'd been much longer (we had to wait for DM to get to us for her to look after DD), he would've been born in the car, definitely. I tore slightly and had problems with the placenta, though. No epidural, only gas and air.

I'd say DS was the same amount pain, but more intense because it all happened so fast. The MW said if we had another (no way!) they'd probably be born in five minutes flat Wink He's always in a hurry even at 7 months, whereas DD is more of a careful slowcoach...

Good luck OP!

frazzledasarock · 01/02/2019 14:37

DC1 17 hours ended in forceps assisted delivery and pretty bad tear.

DC2 6 hours

DC3 5hrs 15 mins

DC4 3 hrs 25mins went from three CMS dilated to pushing in three hours. The midwives wanted me to go home as they didn’t think anything would happen for at least six hours 😆 I just wanted gas and air, so they let me stay, then my midwife went on her break and we had no other midwife come in (as they thought I wasn’t in labour), DP ended up pressing the alarm when he saw the waters coming out (baby was born in partial waters they broke as she was born), I gave birth before midwives had gloves on. They were going ‘don’t push don’t push’. Like I had any choice at that point.

Ignoremeiaminvisible · 01/02/2019 14:47

Sorry, you probably don't want to hear this but both mine were 30+ hours and both back to back. BUT having been there before I was much more prepared and much more relaxed with the second. Even though it was long and I was very tired I recovered very quickly. My advice would be to relax, you know you can deal with a long and difficult labour and this time it could be so much easier. Good Luck OP.

SaveFerris1 · 01/02/2019 14:51

With DS1, 36 hours and DS2, 4 hours. Know which one I preferred! 😂😂

Lymphy · 01/02/2019 15:46

My first was the exactly the same OP back to back and the same length of time,
Second was three hours start to finish

Spargle · 01/02/2019 15:58

Not an answer to your question, but in relation to what Ignoremeiaminvisible said, you might find that hypnobirthing is helpful in helping you to get “in the zone”, and relax, etc. That’s what I’m hoping, anyway! Not had my first yet, but I’m going to pursue the hypnobirthing thing - hoping to go on a course, but I understand there is a company which does online courses for £35, and many people say that this helped them a lot.

frazzledasarock · 01/02/2019 17:56

Forgot to mention actually, this last birth was back to back. Midwife suggested I lie on my left side as baby wasn’t in a position to be born when I got to hospital (3 hours before I gave birth). Had to stay put as I was strapped to monitors due to other complications.

So the lying on my left side happily with the gas and air it was the easiest birth I had out of all four of mine!

Original poster
Shazafied · 01/02/2019 19:32

Thanks all this is very cheering reading . It sounds like the majority of you had MUCH shorter deliveries the second time . Still torn on the home birth thing but will do some more research. I’d really like to have the active , non medicalised labour that I originally hoped for this time x

OP posts:
Original poster
Shazafied · 01/02/2019 19:33

Just out of interest ... what did you all do with DC1 during your short second labours ?! We have no family nearby so will be relying on neighbours / nearby friends / DD childminder (if it’s day time).

OP posts:
DramaAlpaca · 01/02/2019 19:34

DC1 21 hours
DC2 12 hours
DC3 5 hours

happytoday73 · 01/02/2019 19:36

30 ish to about 4. hospital as high risk but active calm labour... I only went in to check if waters had broken... they had told me not to bother with bags!
it'll be great for you in sure!

poundoflard · 01/02/2019 19:38

1st 36 hrs back to back ended in GA and emergency c'section. (nearly 10lb)

2nd 24 hrs same back to back again em c'section again almost 10lb

3 rd elec c/section ,

4th em c/section

Sorry no help what so ever .
good luck tho :)

Bonkersblond · 01/02/2019 19:40

DS approx 36 hrs, DD within 2 hours of arriving at the maternity unit, 2nd time round I practised a bit of hypobirthng and managed to stay at home far longer getting DS organised, DD was also born in the pool with gas and air whereas DS, gas & air, pethidine and an epidural.

louise987 · 01/02/2019 19:47

23hrs first labour
About 6hrs 2nd labour but only really full blown for last 2hrs

I feel a lot of it was psychological, a combo of fear/anxiety first time round didn't help. I trusted my body and kept calm (hypnobirth techniques - although only what I learnt from YouTube!) for the second and I'm sure that's why it was shorter. My first stage in particular was much more manageable

Best of luck OP!

hallamoo · 01/02/2019 19:51

DC1 - 60 hour labour, epidural, normal delivery
DC2 - 2 hour labour, gas & air, normal hospital delivery
DC3 - 4 hour labour, home birth
DC4 - 3 hour labour, (group b strep ab's in midwife led unit)

froufroufoxes · 01/02/2019 19:51

38 hours with first and 8 with second.
Both with intervention and various complications.

Bumblebeesmum · 01/02/2019 19:53

My first was a horrible back to back 4 days

My second was about 8 hours from first contractions but I didn’t realise I was ready to go in so she was born about 30 minutes after I arrived at hospital