How long were you in labour for??

[esunny]

Hellooo,

I have 12 weeks to go and I am wondering how long you were in hospital for before pushing? And how long your labours were (the very painful part haha) I have no idea what to expect! Any tips please help haha x

You will get a lot of different responses.. all of which will be different to yours when it happens! But I used to search for these answers too when I was pregnant..
DC1- (5 days overdue) woke it feeling uncomfortable at 6:30. Hospital at 9:30. Assessed and I was 4cms. Baby born at 12:31.

DC2- (on due date) woke up at 6:30. Hospital at 10:30. Baby born at 12:36 (scary as so similar to DC1). Home to bath toddler at 6:30pm.

DC3- I was 10 days over due and had a sweep at 9am. 3pm I started crazily hoovering the whole house. Started feeling contractions around 16:30. Hospital around 18:30. Baby born 19:51.

congratulations and good luck!’

Omg this sounds like a dream! I’ve been reading horror stories of people being in labour for 30 hours + which I know does happen sometimes, I need to remain positive I think! X

DC1 was approx 11hrs total from waters breaking to being born (contractions didn't start until after waters broke). I was actually sent home from hospital at around 4cm as "1st births progress slowly." An hour later I was having the urge to push so it was a race to the hospital. Sure enough, I was 10cm dilated. 20mins of pushing and baby was out.

DC2 was an induction. It look 4 hours from waters being broke by the Dr to giving birth - I refused the medication but bounced on the ball to get things moving.

Honestly though, no two births are the same; some people take days, others barely an a hour.

DD1 - 24 hours. But not painful at all for the first ~8ish, then uncomfortable/painful for ~8 hours, and properly painful for the last 8.

DD2 - induced at 37 weeks. 12 hour labour. Similar split to DD1 (not painful for a third, then painful but nothing severe, then final four hours properly painful)

DD1 - water broke 6am on 37+6, contractions started 10pm. Born 1pm on 38w exactly. Don't remember how long i was in active labour but I think i was 9cm dilated at around 7-8am? So maybe let's say 4hrs? Very long pushing stage 🥴

DD2 - water broke at 5.30am on 39+3, contractions started straight away, born at 10am. Active labour - 1hr. She also only needed 1 push. It was actually a great birth (and totally unexpected as until I presented at triage she had been breech and I was expecting to have a c section).

DD - born on due date. 8 hr labour
DS - 3 hours start to finish

Both with no anaesthetic and I enjoyed both deliveries.

Even with long labours they aren't all awful. Baby no.1 contractions started about 1 in the morning but slow and far apart, I dozed in between until about 4am when I couldn't sleep through it. My contractions were about 5min apart from then but manageable if I was standing up or in the bath. They stayed roughly the same time apart throughout the day but increased in intensity. Was talking/ laughing/ eating in between. Got to about 7.30pm and something changed, they were much more intense and I couldn't speak through them. Went to the hospital and I was fully effaced and 7cm. Got into the pool and kept labouring til midnightish then had a long transition and pushing phase ans baby was born about 2am. This was a back to back baby, only g&a and honestly I had a really positive experience.

Baby 2. Contractions started at 10.30pm. we were having a homebirth so began to fill the pool about midnight. 1am called the midwife as things were getting saucy. 2am was only 5cm and it felt quite intense so was a little disappointed but things moved at pace and had my nearly 11lb baby at 6.30am.

Both times g&a, no tearing and I loved my experiences.

When I was pregnant I was so grateful to all the women who shared their difficult and traumatic birth stories. It takes real courage to share and it's vital to know and prepare for all outcomes but positive births are possible. Wishing you all the best!

Waters broke 6am on 39+6. Contractions never settled into a proper rhythm but became unbearable. Went to hospital at 7.30pm on due date and was 9cm dilated. Nothing changed, syntocinon drip in the early hours of 40+1 and baby born by forceps at 5.30am.

Probably not the kind of story you want to hear 😬 I'd say it was only the last 12 hours or so where it was unbearable, partly because the medication I chose did nothing for me until the spinal, which was the most amazing relief!!

Three children- start to finish 2 hours each one.

I think 8h is about average. I had 24 because the baby was in an awkward position. 0-5 was comparable to period pains but actually less bad because it wasn't continuous. Hours 9 to 15 were pretty bad both because of the pain and vomiting but also because I was tired, hungry and dehydrated. At 15, I got an epidural with IV fluid, had lunch, a cup of tea and then a nap. Everything was a lot better! Pushing only took 30 mins because I was really done and wanted to go home so made each push count! At least by that point you really feel like you're getting somewhere

3...long...days

Waters broke at midnight. Went into triage straightaway to get checked that there was no meconium and baby was okay. Got sent back home, but my contractions started coming in overnight. I couldn't sleep. At 8am called triage (birth centre unfortunately was shut due to staffing issues during covid), they reluctantly asked me to come in, said I didn't sound like i was in much pain so probably hadn't progressed much. I went in anyway. Got checked around 9am, and I was 3cm dilated. They were probably busy, I didn't get a room or any painkillers other than paracetamol. They said they wouldn't check me for another 4hrs to prevent risk of infection to baby as my waters had broken. The contractions were really coming in hard at this point and it was very painful. Around 12.30pm I begged them to check me again. The midwife checked, and had suggested pethidine for the pain. But id progressed to 8cm by then so they could only offer gas and air. But I was finally given a room and at that point gas and air felt god sent ! Dilated to 10cm very quickly, but ended up pushing for nearly 2hrs, and baby was born at 3.30pm.

It was chaotic ! But i was thankful it was done in 15hrs..could have been worse.

Had a sweep at 16.30 when one week overdue - was told there was no chance of it working. Had some cramps that night. Had some more cramps through the day, felt like bad period pain. 4pm I phoned the unit and was told to come in for a check; got there 40 mins later and the cramps were painful, regular intervals but not horrific. I was told on sight that "couldn't be in labour as you're not visibly in enough pain."

When they examined me I wasnt dilated at all so sent home and told I had days to go. 40 mins back through the traffic and it's now 6pm. Walked indoors and was by this point remarkably uncomfortable.

My dad turned up as soon as we walked in doors and told me to get back in the car as we were going back now....I argued and told him I'd been told it was days away blah blah. Got back to the unit at 18.20 and by this point there had been a shift change. Midwife told me to sit down in the birthing room and she put the bath on then examined me, I was 9cm. My waters broke as she examined me and it was all done before the bath filled up and by 19.00 with no gas and air (I would love to say this was because of my amazing earth mother prowess - it wasn't. I was begging for it haha - daughter had passed meconium and gas can slow down labour when she was already clearly in a hurry)

First words out of my mouth: is she ok
Second words out of my mouth: does she look like an alien?

The first midwife came to find me the next day and apologised 🤣

DD has remained a whirlwind and in a hurry for the entirety of the nearly 8 years that have passed since her birth lol

DC1, 8 hours start to finish
DC2, 3.5 hours
DC3 20 mins
DC4 4 bloody days

This is so dependent on the person and their reaction so difficult to judge.

DS1 I suspected I was in early labour but just went about what I was doing. Went to bed waters broke at midnight hospital at 2am born 5.45am.

DS2 no waters went regular contractions from 3am went to hospital at 6am....body stopped due to medical setting compared to midwife unit with DS1 but I was 5cm so they wouldn't let me leave. Contractions on and off etc. Midwife unit accepted me at 4.30pm DS2 born 6.30pm. My body was good when it was relaxed.

We are semi rural though so hospital is minimum 45 minutes on a good day over 1 hour average day so we had to go in before others would in closer locations.

Total labour time recorded as 3 hrs 50 mins with DC1. 20 mins pushing.
2 hours total for dc2 (induction at 42 weeks)

36 hours.
God bless the epidural.

All the very best of luck, @esunny.

DD - first born, almost 2 weeks overdue. Waters broke, 9 hours later had her at home as planned.
DS - planned induction. Had the pessary at 7pm, 3 in 10 contractions by 6am then he was born at 1pm. So about 7 hours of the main bit.
Both really positive experiences.

Went into labour on the Saturday evening. Irregular contractions through Sunday until Monday when they were about 10 mins apart all through the day. Finally admitted to hospital on Tuesday morning at about 4am (think they felt sorry for me). By 3pm I was only 5cm dilated, by 7pm they wanted to put me on the oxytocin drip to get things moving - said they would come back to check on me in 6 hours. By that point I was DONE and requested a c section. Baby finally born at 9pm. So 72 hours from start to finish but for that early bit I technically wasn’t in ‘active’ labour - bloody felt like it though.

Due my second in September and will be opting for an elective c section!

DC1, 7 hours - induced & intense straight away.
DC2, 29 hours - spontaneous & gradual build up. Arrived in hospital an hour & half before baby made an appearance.

For my long labour, I found I did lose energy. Having a plan for what might help you for each scenario could help? E.g. what worked for me for my long labour was having different stations in the house I could move between. I did a circuit of ball, yoga mat, toilet, repeat. If you do need to lie down to try sleep between contractions it hurts more in that position - having a peanut ball or large cushion you can stuff between your thighs helps. I also had a meal prepped before contractions got too bad - overnight oats with lots of honey and peanut butter for energy. No dairy or anything nasty to throw up just in case! I was starving & ate it in 3 bites before leaving the house.

DS1, 40+5, 26 hours but I'd say that the first 16 or so were very manageable and off and on....with probably only the final 4 being very painful (ending at 9cm in an emergency GA section due to finding out he was breech!)

DS2 born at 25 weeks and no real labour as such, or certainly nothing like the first time!

DC1 14 hours (with epidural so not as bad as it sounds!)
DC2 csection for placenta praevia)
DC3 2 hours 45 (time from first contraction to giving birth)
DC4 1 hour 45 (ditto)

Didn’t dare go for another cos we live 45 minutes away from the nearest hospital

Contractions started Sunday morning. Very mild the first day. Baby born Wednesday afternoon. Needed the drip to get things going and therefore epidural early hrs of Weds morning. I’ve had better times but it’s all a blur now 11m on. Good luck!!

Ds1- 2 hours
Ds2 - 45 mins
Now pregnant with Ds3 due in 6 weeks... 😬

39 hours. Ended up with Forceps