Dreading giving birth again - please tell me positive second birth stories!

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Had an awful time with dd. Back to back 46 hour labour with a bad tear. Trying for a home birth this time but am absolutely dreading it. Only a few weeks to go!

I can't say my first labour was as long as your but I was pushing for two hours and needed vacuum assistance to get him out. Second labour was so much easier and faster, I couldn't believe when they said I was 10cm and literally two pushes and he was out. So different to my first! I think your body is more able second time round, it remembers having done it before. I felt like first time my body didn't know what to do!!

I never had a second baby, but my first was a doddle - 4 hour labour, no pain relief, and I was old and not particularly fit! All labours are different and you can be fortunate. You have a good chance of having an easy birth second time round.

Awful first labour, back to back, syntocinon and ventouse.

Second labour sneeze birth. It was so different that I didn't know I was in active labour until I was fully dilated. The midwife asked me if I had a cervical abnormality as she couldn't locate it. Because I was fully effaced. DC2 arrived 25 minutes later.

Had sex at 9 pm. Dp left as we didn't live together then. I fell asleep and woke at 12 with waters everywhere!!
Got to hospital and had ds at 2. 55 am!!
Gas and air and no stitches.

Apologies. Wrong terminology. Not fully effaced, that's before active labour. Fully dilated. Essentially, ready to go. Sorry. Been a long day!

I was induced first time round, so was on the labour ward. I was having contractions for 16 hours and they broke my waters after 10 hours. I was pushing for nearly two hours. It was agony and I was knackered. I lost loads of blood, had a second degree tear and then had sepsis so it was a long recovery too. The whole thing was bloody awful. It took me four years to even consider it again!

Second time round contractions started at 6pm and DS was born at 2.40am the following morning. Labour was fine, more pressure than pain, much calmer, completely different from my first labour and DS2 was a lot bigger than DS1. A much better experience all round, even though technically I was in active labour for longer than with DS1. I had a second degree tear but it didn't hurt anywhere near as much as the first time. I didn't want a home birth but had him in a midwife-led unit attached to a hospital. I wanted a water birth but my dodgy hips meant I couldn't get up the steps to the birthing pool. No issues with recovery either.

Hope all goes well OP. Your local hospital may have a Birth Afterthoughts team who can talk you through your previous labour and try to put your mind at ease. Mine did and it really helped ease my anxiety about labour second time around.

I had a bad time first time. Second baby was bigger but loads easier. Quicker, no time really for pain relief as was manageable for a while then the bad bit went faster. Recovered quicker. Good luck.

Second baby, 3 hours from first labour twitches to baby in my arms! (He couldn't wait to try out his brand new set of lungs!!)
First baby, around 40 hours of tedious labour and a forceps delivery....

First baby 12 hours labour. Second two hours. Good luck

Horrible first birth with dd1.

Dd2 was done in 4.5 hours from when the first niggly contraction started to holding her.

I did hypnobirthing for her and I'd recommend it.

First was induced, back to back, delayed epidural, awful.
Second was also induced and nine hours from induction/waters being broken to having to do an ungainly leap back onto the bed for the surprise arrival of DC2. Active, just Tens machine, couldn’t ask for a better birth.
Good luck -I hope you’ll be fine.

First baby I was in very slow labour for 4 days, he was 8.5 weeks early and the active labour itself wasn't too bad but because I hadn't really slept for so long, I just had no energy and there was about 10 different doctors and nurses there! Second birth was so amazing. It felt a bit odd to mainly just be left to it! I got to go to my local midwife led unit. Everything was calm and quiet. The midwife left me and my husband to it until I was ready to deliver and I think it only took two pushes! My waters broke at 2 am contractions started 30 mins later and he was born at 5.30 am. It was such a great birth I would have done it again the next day!

Traumatic first birth, back to back and ventous.
Planned home birth for second baby. Amazing and wonderful experience, most physically empowering thing that I have ever done. Three hours from start to finish, only two intense/ painful hours. No stitches needed despite DD in a complex presentation. Just me, midwife and DH in our little bathroom. Tucked up my own bed an hour after the birth eating a bacon sandwich and drinking tea. I hope that your second birth is all you want it to be OP.

1st baby - total panic, 3 day labour, episiotomy, stitches, haemorrhage, pain off the scale, screaming and swearing.
2nd baby - 12 hour labour, so much calmer, no complications and don't get me wrong it still hurt, but the pain wasn't so unbearable

First birth was a planned Homebirth, OP baby, ended up transferring in, all the drugs, eventual cesarean for failure to progress.

With number two I laboured for five hours, and had a really lovely birth in the birthing centre.

First labour was long, failed to progress, cast of thousands, several room moves, epidural, forceps and finally dragged out in theatre and I still have ongoing issues due to birth injuries.

Second labour started about 4.30pm, hospital for 7pm, admitted straight to MLU, beautiful room, wonderful midwife, calm, pool, gas and air and DD swam into the world just after 9pm.

Shower, cuddles and checks and discharged to our own bed by 2am.

Heaven!!

Im in a similar position OP, awful first birth and due my second in a few weeks. Trying to thunk as positive as I can and reading these stories is really helping!

Really appreciating these positive stories. I am due DC2 in a couple of weeks. First birth wasn’t the worst but it was very fast and I tore badly so I am apprehensive about doing it again.

First baby - 36 hours, all the drugs plus forceps. Awful.
Second baby - 36 minutes. Really! Not even a graze.

I am currently 3 days over my due date with my 2nd. My first was 5 days earlier so I’ve never experienced going over the due date and having to wait before. I started with really bad backache earlier and a full wave of fear came across me. It terrified me that it could be the start of labour and I ended up laying on the bed overwhelmed & crying. I had a long and traumatic birth with DC1 and I’m terrified of it happening again. Back aches gone again now and no other signs but it’s awful no knowing that it is literally going to start at any time.

I really do think that having been through it once before helps massively, and also I think your body is better able to cope on second or subsequent labours. Best wishes to all those who are giving birth soon. You'll have lovely new babies in your arms before you know it.

Oooh my second labour was honestly wonderful, beautiful. First time was not back to back but similar length of time to yours, something made her take her time, then second was a lovely home birth that took 2.5hrs, no need at all for pain relief, intense but so straightforward. A lovely hour in bed in privacy cuddled up with baby and DH before the midwives came back in and delivered the placenta. Almost everyone I know had an easier second birth, I bet you will.

@Dogt17 there is nothing wrong with how you're feeling. It's totally natural because it's a big deal. Your first birth experience is really unlikely to happen again and I've got everything crossed you will have an easier birth this time around.

First labour was very similar to yours.

Second was exactly as I wanted. After a long induction, I stuck to my guns and had a very relaxed midwife led labour. After the first birth I wanted to avoid as much medical intervention and I wanted to be relaxed and mobile. It took some persuasion but they made sure that happened x

@Goawayangryman thank you for the reassurance. I keep telling myself it surely can’t be as bad as last time 🤞🏼 I’ve been offered a sweep twice in the last week or so but declined both times. When I had a sweep with my first it was so painful I literally felt like my soul had left my body!