First time birthing stories?

7262018

I'm 19 wks with my first baby and everyone keeps telling me that labor will last forever. How long did labor last for you the first time?

lovesclimbing

My water broke at 9 pm (mild Braxton hicks for several days prior). Contractions did not start right away, a couple hours later, probably. We went to the birth center at 2 am, and it took me another hour or two to be dilated enough to be considered in active labor. She was born at 7 am. 

I've been told heredity plays a role in it. If your mother had short labors, you are more likely to have that as well. 

lilylover27

You really can't go off what people say. My mother had a long labor with my brother and I was a c-section. My son, also my first, came within 5 hours of my water breaking spontaneously at home. You never really know, just try to stay relaxed and go with the flow.

loveallthings

My first labor lasted about 12 hours. Everyone is different, and there’s so many factors that need to be considered. In my experience, the more naturally and spontaneously you do things, the more efficient your body is, and it’s a pretty quick process for the most part. With that, sometimes labor  drags on for awhile. My 4th baby was my longest labor, and it lasted 24 hours. So you just never know.

JNCPro3130

My first was born 2hrs 45 minutes after they broke my water.

SweetSweetTooth

Average labor for a first time mom from the first contraction to baby out can be about 24 hours.

PolarBear517

Just over 12 hours. My water broke around 3PM, my daughter was born at 3:30 in the morning. I hadn't noticed contractions before my water broke because they were very mild at that point. Everyone is different. I worried it would be a long, several day affair. When I texted my best friend to say that my water had broken & I thought my daughter would be here the next day, she said "I don't know, it might not be until the day after that, don't get your hopes up". I remember being super annoyed by that at the time lol

knottie16571d16de08f77d

3 hrs x

stardustdreams

Honestly everyone’s different. I was induced at 41 weeks with my first. I went in at night and they started in process with a tablet at about midnight. At 7 or 7.30 in the morning my waters were bulging and they were able to break them. By around 1.30 in the afternoon my baby was born. So active labor was 6 hours. Contractions weren’t regular before that.

coastalmomma2

I had my first contractions at around 7 AM. My son was born close to 10 o'clock that night. I had a med-free labor, and my water did not break until I pushed. Pushing took close to 2.5 hours. 

kingdommom

Pretty fast for my first-about 9 hours.  I was pushing within about 2 hours after getting to the birth center. However that lasted abput 5.5 hours and I had to be transferred to a hosipital where they used a vacuum. My Mom and sister both had really quick labors though. I've heard you're likely to take after your Mom. So if she had longer labors you are more likely to.