Precipitate Labour- Anyone else had one?

[Dustyblue]

My DS is turning 10 tomorrow. It's giving me flashbacks of his birth, which was very fast. Not that I'm complaining! I was 41 when I had DS, he's my one and only.

I lost 2 pregnancies before DS, so when I was pregnant with him I was aged over 40 and considered high risk. When I went into labour with him, I arrived at the hospital at about 3.30pm and he was born vaginally at 6.20pm.

I do remember sucking on the nitrous oxide mask! And seeing a little face with a wailing tounge being thrust at me briefly.

The rest of is a blur. I vaguely remember being shoved into a shower & walking down a corridor with a nurse. I feel guilty for missing out. Everyone else was so happy and I was in a freaking daze.

Next morning the family turned up and I was still shell-shocked. I hadn't slept or eaten and baby wouldn't latch.

Sorry for moaning! I had to get that out. I guess a fast labour is still better than one that drags on for days and requires instruments and surgery. Shit, I shouldn't complain!

I did. To begin with, I was not sure if waters had broken as I had had a similar scare the week before. There was nothing really for a couple of hours, and then very strong contractions (in the middle of washing up), but initially powerful rather than painful. Ended up going to hospital in an ambulance and expecting that I would be sent home with a flea in my ear and a long time before anything would be needed.
I had hired a tens machine, taken it with me in a brown envelope, and the paramedic asked me if I wanted the pads to be stuck onto my back. I agreed. After the whole experience was done, back at home I found a biro list on the back of the envelope. The paramedic had been timing contractions and they narrowed fast, over a 20 min journey, from about 5 minute to 3 minute intervals - the writing also looking quite hurried. I was lucky to make it to a ground floor delivery room.

My last birth was very fast and completely painless at home.

All six of mine were, ranging from 1 hour down to 14 minutes. Afterwards my body would be in shock and shake violently so I couldn’t hold the baby for a wee while, that was the hardest part. Also - no time for body’s natural pain relief to kick in so actually they were all agony even though people say “ooh lucky you” when they hear. I have warned my daughters there is every chance they will be as well.

DS1 was born 30 minutes after I arrived at hospital. When I was in labour with DS2 I told them my contractions were severe and every 3 minutes so they wouldn't send me away and asked for an epidural. DS2 was born before the epidural kicked in so I already had my baby with no pain relief then was numb from the waist down for ages! 😀

Ds26 arrived 3 hours after my show. Mum argued with the delivery suite that I was going in and they said no it's a first birthday it could be days yet. She then said sorry I'm not coming to the hospital with you (such maternal instincts!) But she was determined I was going in. Got to hospital at 8:30am, and was told I would be going back home after they checked me. So they hooked me up to the monitors then done an internal. Then told me I needed to go to the delivery room as the baby was coming soon, so I asked how soon and they said next couple of hours. I walked to the delivery room, got on the bed and they burst my waters, and I pushed, then they told me to pant but I pushed. I remember the midwife saying remember what you learnt in classes and I took the gas and air out of my mouth and said 'im not doing breathing until Thursday!' So I tore. Next push he came out at 9:50am. I was more shocked then that I had to deliver the placenta. I'd never thought about that! So that was a surprise. And the blood!! I thought I was bleeding out after and got dp to get a midwife to check 😂

ds21 I had a show got to hospital 40 minutes later at 3:30pm was chugging on gas and air when I leant over and hit the emergency nurse call. The midwife came running in and asked if I was ok so I shook my head, then she asked if I needed to push so I nodded, I got on the bed, pushed, and my waters went over the midwife as she was trying to get gloves on, then I pushed again and he was born at 16:06pm. .

Both time I shook like anything afterwards. I think my body was in shock that it had happened so fast. They did say if I had a third it would be best to go for a home birth lol I must admit I didn't mind labour, it was painful, but a manageable pain and the gas and air took the edge off. Worst part for me was being stitched after ds26. I broke 2 stirrups and was stitched with 2 midwife's holding my legs over their shoulders!! I felt every single stitch and screamed and cried. They kept saying you've done the hard part this is the easy part. It was anything but easy! And it was the first question I asked after ds21 was placed on my chest- do I have to have stitches? Thankfully not.

Me I guess. Nothing at all that I felt until about 6, very mild until 930, then ds was born at 11.14. I get that it’s much easier that way but I found it terrifying and never did it again. The worst bit was the linking pains - for long stretches there was no break between contractions.

I did meet a woman who had a 12 hour labour and a 2 hour labour and she said the 12 hour was more manageable for her.

1st- 18 hours active labour (1 hour pushing)

2nd- 1 hour from first contraction to birth (arrived at hospital 3cm dialated and literally 3 minutes later after 2 minutes pushing where I wasn’t aware my body was automatically pushing baby was born)

3rd- planned homebirth due to speed of previous labour.
but had to be induced at hospital by breaking my waters as I was 3cm, and a routine scan showed most of my waters had already gone without me being aware.
I warned them of my very fast previous labour, and how I had gone from 3cm to pushing immediately, they sort of rolled their eyes at me a bit.
baby was born 2 minutes after my waters broke. Midwife had taken off her gloves and turned her back to walk to the other side of the room, I screamed and caught the baby whilst she tried to put on another pair of gloves but was too late. She then apologised and said that she should have listened to me a bit more when I said I go from nothing to baby being born in minutes 🙄

the 1st was the most painful because it was so tiring and long, 2&3 were the most scary because they were beyond quick and although that sounds better it’s not always! Plus no time for any pain relief when it’s that quick, and your body takes over before your mind has a chance to catch up.

Wow, thanks everyone for all of these experiences. I'm having a little cry.

It's almost 10am here in OZ, I'll be back later to reply properly.

All three of mine were, 1hour 10 for my first. 45 mins for my second and third I woke in the night involuntarily pushing, we rushed to the hospital and he was born as soon as we got in the assesment room. I never felt one contraction pain with him.

They wouldn't let me have a home birth the consultant said that just because the first two were fast with no issues, it didn't mean the third would be the same and if there was any complications id never forgive myself.

Less than an hour labour with my second. He was born into the toilet at home, as I genuinely didn't realise he was coming. Paramedics arrived about 15 minutes later.

Did anyone find any reasons for how this can happen? I have wondered. I carried quite heavy bags and then fell forward onto my knees the day before and don't know if that would have set everything going (you'd think the knee pain would have been overridden entirely, but I can't say it was!)

In my case it's because I silently dilate and don't feel contractions until my forewaters go. With my first my hind waters went and fluid was leaking and I had no contractions. Went to hospital as I was 5 weeks early and they kept me in overnight and I was regularly being monitored but no contractions were picked up. In the morning they checked me and id dilated to 5cm, they burst the forewaters and contractions started and were full intensity and non stop.

Second, hind waters started leaking so headed to hospital as I'd been told to. As I walked in they went with a gush and the contractions started and she was born really quickly.

With my third, I was 6cm dilated the day before but they didn't keep me in as I wasn't contacting and they were so busy. I woke up that night pushing, went to hospital and he was born in his sac and so never had any contraction pain.

DD1 - waters broke just after midnight; 1.30am mild pains; 2am one single contraction; 2.22am baby

Twins: induced at 3amish, nothing happened; 8.15 felt a mild pain, consultant patronisingly told me I was ages off; Twin 1 delivered 8.33, Twin 2 8.46. Staff had fecked off for a shift change.

Ds1 was 1.5hrs from the 1st contraction. 1hr of that was pushing.

Ds2 was 15 mins from my first contraction, I didn't need to push - he just came out on a contraction when I'd thought "I better check nothing is happening" and reached down and caught him!
Home birth, but BBA due to speed. H was getting plastic covering for the bed when I delivered.

Yup, my first was 90 minutes active labour and my second was I think, officially, 14 minutes. The second time I was in hospital waiting to be induced for medical reasons when I went into labour naturally. The midwife examined me and I was 4 cm, hopped off the bed, and went to 10 cm and straight through transition to pushing in a single massive contraction half a minute later 😅 I probably could have birthed him sooner but they insisted on sprinting me down to the labour ward in a wheelchair while I basically held him in against my body pushing. He was born within a few contractions when I got into the labour room.

I completely understand where you're coming from OP and other posters who've said similar. I shook like a leaf for ages after both my births because it was so insanely fast and intensely painful. The second I knew what to expect so didn't find it so bad but the first I really freaked out when it all started happening so fast, plus it sent my baby into distress. I still have pretty mixed feelings about my first birth whereas I feel quite positive about my second because I wasn't nearly so scared and out of control.