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Pregnancy

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

Original poster

Long first labour, what was your experience second time round?

64 replies

CurryandSnuggle · 01/04/2022 12:56

For those who had a long first labour (mine was 36 hours), what was your experience second time round?

I know no one can predict how short the next time will be but I am just interested to hear stories as I’ve heard second time should be shorter. I’m wondering how much shorter it has been for people generally in comparison to the first time.

OP posts:
boymummys · 01/04/2022 13:28

My first was nearly 28 hours, due in 10 days so will update you, hoping it's not as long as last time. I've also heard second normally comes a lot faster then first labours so will
Be interesting to see what happens, when are you due?

Original poster
CurryandSnuggle · 01/04/2022 13:31

Oh good luck @boymummys Grin so exciting!

I’m due on 3rd June so got a while yet haha. Although time is running away with me completely!!

OP posts:
mummyh2016 · 01/04/2022 13:34

First was 20 hours from first contraction. Second was 2 hours 40 minutes from realising I was having contractions.

ICouldHaveCheckedFirst · 01/04/2022 13:34

1st - 26 long hard hours.
2nd - 6 much easier hours.
Good luck!

boymummys · 01/04/2022 13:37

Thank you, I'm so nervous now! It flys by at the end doesn't it. What I do like seeing is short labours after long first labours this makes me feel at ease a little bit, not like anyones births are going to make a difference to mine, as were all different but I can hope 🤞🏽

Nikki037297 · 01/04/2022 13:54

First labour was 4 days. Second 12 hours

VivienneDelacroix · 01/04/2022 13:57

First labour wasn't long by many people's experience- 19 hours, second labour was 35 minutes.
Third was a more average 6 ish hours.

Original poster
CurryandSnuggle · 01/04/2022 14:15

@VivienneDelacroix omg 35 minutes! I hope mines not that quick, I’m having a VBAC and I wouldn’t get to hospital in time hahaha.

OP posts:
Ellyfin · 01/04/2022 14:38

Ds1 was 30 hours
Ds2 was 1.5 hours

Now pregnant with dd1 and I really hope it isn’t any quicker than that as I’m high risk and I’m hoping I’ll have enough time to get to the hospital!

Nelliephant1 · 01/04/2022 14:42

Talking about proper established labour rather than just having regular contractions which isn't actually classed as established/proper labour.

I was 5 hours for my first. 41 minutes for my second and 28 minutes for my third.

SecondhandTable · 01/04/2022 14:43

My first labour, from the start of painful contractions to instrumental delivery was approx 30hrs. My second labour, from the start of painful contractions to instrumental delivery was approx 15 hrs. So a big difference, basically the early stages of dilation was much much faster second time around. Having said that, I was still fucking exhausted even second time round because my labour started at night just when I was about to go to bed, and I couldn't sleep with the pain. I was not able to have opiods when I was in hospital this time either, which helped me nap a bit in my first labour. So second time around I had been awake since about 6am on a Thursday and didn't give birth until about 2pm on the Friday and had been awake that whole time. It was horrendous, I've never been so tired in my whole life tbh.

FrangipanFlower · 01/04/2022 14:45

I know technically established labour is the second stage, but for me as soon as my induction started with DD1 I begun the process of labour - and it took around 21 hours. DD2 was super quick in comparison, my waters went at home at 1.30am and she was here by 7.15am the same morning. Apparently your body knows what to do second time around and that was certainly the case for me. Good luck!

Duracellbunnywannabe · 01/04/2022 14:55

First labour was 3 days and ended in emcs.
Second, I woke up at 7 knew something was different had a show, by 9 I had 3 contradictions in 10 mins and decided to have a bath and get ready for a friend’s wedding, by 10 we told friend’s we couldn’t make wedding and told PIL we would be needing childcare soon, 10.45 called PIL to come and look after child and we went to hospital, labour slowed after I saw awful consultant, an hour later I saw lovely PMA midwife, about 2 ish I got into the birthing pool, contractions lasting 3 mins and 1 min apart but it was fine, 4.40 I had rest and be thankful phase, husband nipped out and then 15 mins later I had the biggest contraction ever, my water went and it was time to push, I had to get out of the pool (I was high risk), baby arrived about 6.30 after I was cut, I started to bf, I had retained placenta and was haemorrhaging taken to theatre for D and C under GA, but this was linked to my previous section.

So 11 1/2 hours from something feels different to baby in my arms.

I didn’t rest sit on the sofa from 35 weeks and spent ages on my birthing ball getting DD2 into the correct position.

queenie2016 · 01/04/2022 15:01

36 hours from waters breaking to her coming out with my first ended up on the drip which did sod all for ages , second I was induced with the gel and my full labour was 5 hours!

Harridan1981 · 01/04/2022 15:05

Exact opposite for me. 27 hrs with #1 resulting in a spinal block and forceps, 7lb baby at 42 wks.

#2: went from first contraction to birthing a 9lb11oz boy in the back of a speeding ambulance. Again at 42 wks.

#3 was a happy medium, approx 4 hrs start to finish with gas and air, 8lb6oz at 39 wks.

Harridan1981 · 01/04/2022 15:07

Doh. Meant to say that #2 appeared in around 1.5 hours from contraction to birth. Placenta delivered a few mins later before we got to hosp.

Original poster
CurryandSnuggle · 01/04/2022 15:07

@Ellyfin was your second 1.5 hours from when contractions started or from established labour? Xx

OP posts:
Original poster
CurryandSnuggle · 01/04/2022 15:18

@Harridan1981 wow that’s crazy. Did you just wake up to baby crowning?

OP posts:
VivienneDelacroix · 01/04/2022 15:21

Yeah, definitely did not get to hospital. He appeared very quickly! Paramedics who arrived after his birth were lovely though!

mintbiscuit · 01/04/2022 15:34

4 hours. (Third was longer though!)

Ellyfin · 01/04/2022 15:56

@CurryandSnuggle I’d had on and off almost painless contractions for about 3 days. Every time I spoke to the midwives they told me it wasn’t labour as I wasn’t in pain. I went in for induction as I was overdue and they discovered I was 4cm dilated so had been in early labour. They broke my waters to start speed things up and the contractions came pretty much back to back with no break for 1.5 hours then he was born.

PulledPineapple · 01/04/2022 16:06

1st - 4 days Sad

2nd - 1.5 hours (nearly born in the car).

Goodbyetowinter · 01/04/2022 16:31

First 2 hours
Second less than 2 hours
Third almost 48 hours

That's why no fourth!

BobbleWobble1 · 01/04/2022 16:32

From first sign of labour which in my case was a show then contractions started straight away.

1st 28 hours
2nd 2 hours 40 minutes. Almost didn't make it to the hospital in time.

HiGunny · 01/04/2022 16:48

I was induced on my 1st, took 3 days before he was born, two of those days were with painful contractions.

The second I had about 2 hours of painful contractions. I thought he'd be born on the side of the road but when I got to the hospital they said I was only 3cm dilated. 10 mins later he was coming out! The labour graph on my chart afterwards was hilarious, just a straight line up from 3 to 10cm 😅

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