Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Pregnancy

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

Original poster

Second time birth stories! Kind words of encouragement please!

49 replies

Secondtimemama31 · 02/12/2021 20:26

My due date was a week ago and I'm soon to give birth to my second baby. I'm really, REALLY nervous.

I've done all the hypnobirthing, reading, positive affirmations but I'm absolutely panicking now.

Can anyone please share some positive second birth stories?

My first was a total mess.

Help 🙏🏼

OP posts:
JustFrigginNameChange · 02/12/2021 20:38

It is all rather nerve-wracking isn’t it! I found my second a much better experience than my first as it was much quicker. It hasn’t put me off as I’m not long pregnant with my third. Wishing you all the best! I think the build up to the birth is the worst thing, once it’s all happening it goes so fast and you’ll have baby in your arms in no time

BertieBotts · 02/12/2021 20:39

Ok I won't because my second wasn't great, but my third was much much better, so I do have a positive story of a birth following a messy one being good!

What was messy about the last one, would you like help reflecting? I found that was very helpful as I knew how to handle my third one differently and it did really help.

WhatwouldRuthdo · 02/12/2021 20:43

My first was a mess. 3 day labour, back to back baby, episotomy and forceps.
With my second, I got to the hospital at midnight and was home by lunchtime the next day. Waterbirth with no stitches. I did no hypnobirthing or reading though, just luck!
Hope it all goes well for you and you have baby in your arms soon!

FrangipanFlower · 02/12/2021 20:44

I had a hideous first birth, I will spare you the details… but I gave birth to my second 5 weeks ago and it was amazing! My waters went at home at 1.30am, I went into the delivery unit (had to be monitored as 41 and had gestational diabetes) and had the most amazing, calm birth, baby was born at 7.15am the next morning. I hadn’t practised any hypnobirthing but was really focused on breathing through the contractions slowly and just had some gas and air to help when it got more intense. It was the most wonderful healing, empowering experience, I can see why some women go on to have lots of babies if they have a lovely birth like mine.

Santaischeckinglists · 02/12/2021 20:45

Pfb was 17 hours. Ended up with pethedine and in for a week as dd was so drowsy from it.
Dc 2 I woke at midnight to broken waters. Was holding a 9.3 ds at 2. 55 am!

User0ne · 02/12/2021 20:56

Ds1 was an emcs.

Ds2 was a home pool birth. It was glorious, not painful, though perhaps a little overwhelming. I went to a ceilidh, went home & fell asleep, woke up around 1am with my water's popping and had ds2 around 4.30am.

If I could guarantee a birth like that I could probably do it every week. Couldn't cope with that many babies though!

IgneousRock · 02/12/2021 20:57

First birth was long, well over 24 hours. Second was 40 minutes after arriving at the hospital!

Good luck OP!

Lemonnhoney · 02/12/2021 20:58

Second birth was lovely!! Tightenings started at 7pm.. Laboured through the night at home ... I mean i was in labour so not always comfortable.. but kinda slept until about 4/5am..

Went to hospital at 9am.. pushed her out in 3 pushes by 9.20!!

WhatsWrongWithMyUsername · 02/12/2021 21:01

11 minutes. Practically a sneeze birth.

(Vs the 48 hours of hell with ventouse and forceps with DC1)

DunderMifflinSalesRep · 02/12/2021 21:05

1st was 14 hours with pethedine, on my back on a hospital bed in a very understaffed ward.

2nd was 2 hours 50 minutes in a birth pool with just gas and air. Was home three hours later (midwife came to my house later that day to complete the post birth checks).

MojoJojo71 · 02/12/2021 21:05

My first was an induction which took days to get going then I was off like a rocket so needed an epidural, bed bound with continuous monitoring, 2 hours of pushing, 2nd degree tear and a 900ml post partum haemorrhage.

Second my waters broke at midnight, I started with mild contractions about 4am, established labour about 6am, kept on my feet with TENS and hypnobirthing breathing techniques. I was fully dilated by 9ish, stayed up on my feet for passive descent of the head. On all fours for about 10 minutes of pushing and a lovely straightforward delivery at 10.01am exactly as planned. Intact perineum and minimal blood loss, home by teatime. Perfect 👍

Avie29 · 02/12/2021 21:08

Hey 👋 my first was horrible, was induced (14 days overdue) , 15hr labour, 2 hours of pushing, ended in epidural, episiotomy and forcep delivery, second- went into labour naturally (8 days overdue) only 6 hr labour, just gas n air and pushed him out in 6 minutes, second time was definitely much quicker and easier xx

buddy79 · 02/12/2021 21:14

2nd was waaay easier!!
1st was looong (36 hours), back to back, had to have syntocinon drip half way through then ended up with emcs.
2nd was 7 hrs start to finish, vaginal birth, no meds or interventions except gas & air, I (incredibly luckily) wasn’t really aware of it hurting - it felt very natural and organic. Not even a tear - one night in hospital - I just couldn’t believe how much easier the recovery was. I finally understood when people say that your body just knows what to do. Hope it goes smoothly for you!!

nettytree · 02/12/2021 21:15

My second was better as I knew what to expect. Both were induced early due to cholestasis. But I found the delivery easier with the second.

Winecheesesleep · 02/12/2021 21:16

2nd labour was much better than my first. DS (my first) was a long 40 hour painful slog, DD came in under 3 hours from the first twinge. It was brilliant as I'd dreaded having such a long labour again!

Onceuponatimethen · 02/12/2021 21:23

Op I definitely felt exactly like you just before my second dd was born. Very long first labour, drip and tear plus minor pph.

My second labour was much much more straightforward. It was very intense ad faster and didn’t hurt less (which I would like to have been prepared for), but the pushing was SO much easier.

Heruka · 02/12/2021 21:26

Love the ‘sneeze birth’ chat! Another one here who had a lovely second birth. I was also overdue so feel your pain, but I think the lateness was part of what made the labour great. I had mild contractions all week for the last week, then she just came out so easily within 2.5hrs when she did come. I think that was all the necessary adjustments happening to get her in the perfect position.

In my first labour, it was loooong but not terrible. I was so into hypnobirthing and loved the idea of ‘surges’ and ‘powerful sensations’ rather than pain. First labour was fuck all like that in practice, but second one actually was! With a bit more experience, I was able to relax more and watch my body doing its job. I really didn’t even need to consider pain relief and naturally found a comfortable position for me (on all fours). No tearing and she was 10lb 5. You can totally do this, and may even have a wonderful time!!

Dilbertian · 02/12/2021 21:29

My second was so much better than my first that it wiped away all the negative emotions surrounding the first one. I know I had a very rough time with my first, but that memory no longer bothers me. The emotions that I feel when remembering my dcs' births are all positive.

Two things made all the births of my subsequent dcs so much better than that of dc1.

Firstly, the knowledge that I can do this. I did it before, I know what to do and so does my body.

Secondly, while I was pregnant with dc2 I had a birth debrief about dc1's birth, and the midwife gave me explicit permission to say "No". That was very empowering. Especially when I tried it within minutes of arriving at the labour ward, and my "No" was completely respected.

You can do this Secondtimemama31.

happytoday73 · 02/12/2021 21:30

1st birth long and problematic.... Second bigger baby.. But short and fab.. Brill...
I was panicking and it was So different

Bringonsummer19 · 02/12/2021 21:32

Second birthday was awesome (yes it hurt) but was amazing!

Original poster
Secondtimemama31 · 02/12/2021 22:10

@WhatwouldRuthdo

My first was a mess. 3 day labour, back to back baby, episotomy and forceps. With my second, I got to the hospital at midnight and was home by lunchtime the next day. Waterbirth with no stitches. I did no hypnobirthing or reading though, just luck! Hope it all goes well for you and you have baby in your arms soon!
Thank you! Needed to hear this 👏🏼
OP posts:
Original poster
Secondtimemama31 · 02/12/2021 22:11

@BertieBotts

Ok I won't because my second wasn't great, but my third was much much better, so I do have a positive story of a birth following a messy one being good!

What was messy about the last one, would you like help reflecting? I found that was very helpful as I knew how to handle my third one differently and it did really help.

2 weeks overdue, induced but led to syntocinon and was agony. 2-10cm in 4 hours! No pain relief and ended up not being able to communicate! 😫

Scared to go through that again

OP posts:
Original poster
Secondtimemama31 · 02/12/2021 22:14

Thank you soooo much for all these encouraging stories! Going to read these over every day until the baby comes 🤣

OP posts:
Platax · 02/12/2021 22:19

First labour was a bit of a disaster area: signs of pre-eclampsia, induced, took ages to get going, 12 hours, forceps, stitches, etc. Second labour 9 days late, started naturally at home, baby delivered an hour after arriving at hospital, no stitches.

You can do it!

BlueMoon23 · 02/12/2021 22:20

My first was very long, back to back episiotomy and forceps. I had a debrief when pregnant with my second as I was so worried. Second one was fab. Water birth using Hypno techniques. She was born 6 hours after contractions started. Even though there were a few complications post birth for me, it was amazing and so healing after the first. I was on a high for days after.