If you have more than one kiddo (not twins)...

KittyFX

Was your 2nd birth experience pretty similar to the first or radically different? Seems like just as with pregnancy the two experiences may be completely different. So I don't know if it makes sense for me to take into account my first experience when looking at my 2nd. It may be just entirely different like going through a first experience again.

 

ok I'm done posting now...

MrsAJL

Ben's birth was a planned induction at 38w1d (due to medical reasons).  I labored for 20 hours and then delivered via a c/s for failure to progress. Recovery was a piece of cake. I healed very well with no surgical complications and I have a barely-there scar.

Molly's birth was an urgent c/s at 35w5d due to severe pre-e. It was smooth sailing, no exhaustion from being in labor for so long, no groggy baby due to epidural, etc. The major downside was magnesium sulfate which I had to be on for 24 hours post delivery. That sh!t sucks big time.  Recovery was also easy. No surgical complications and still a barely-there scar.

ali-1411

No, they weren't that different. They both went relatively quickly and I only had to push a few times to get them out.  I needed pitocin both times to get labor going. My water broke at 38 weeks the first time and I labored about 10 hours.  Second time, I was induced at 40 weeks and labored 4 hours.

KittyFX

MrsAJL:

Ben's birth was a planned induction at 38w1d (due to medical reasons).  I labored for 20 hours and then delivered via a c/s for failure to progress. Recovery was a piece of cake. I healed very well with no surgical complications and I have a barely-there scar.

Molly's birth was an urgent c/s at 35w5d due to severe pre-e. It was smooth sailing, no exhaustion from being in labor for so long, no groggy baby due to epidural, etc. The major downside was magnesium sulfate which I had to be on for 24 hours post delivery. That sh!t sucks big time.  Recovery was also easy. No surgical complications and still a barely-there scar.

My Dr has said that he has several patients that tell him their c-sections were really easy overall compared to their vaginal experiences.

KittyFX

ali-1411:

No, they weren't that different. They both went relatively quickly and I only had to push a few times to get them out.  I needed pitocin both times to get labor going. My water broke at 38 weeks the first time and I labored about 10 hours.  Second time, I was induced at 40 weeks and labored 4 hours.

My Dr was saying 2nd births are usually twice as fast, sounds like that definitely was the case here. Maybe that is what inspires people to have more than 2, it just keeps getting easier.

PrincessBrideSarah

Well, both times my water broke and then contractions didn't start for a while afterwards. With #1, I wasn't sure my water had broken--it was a very tiny leak. With #2, I gushed and gushed and gushed.

Contractions started about three hours later both times.

With #1, I was in active labor for about 20 hours and took forever to dilate. It took me 5 hours to go from 6 to 8 cm and then another 8 hours to go from 8 to 10 cm. I pushed for 2 1/2 hours after that. I ended up on a bit of pitocin and was on oxygen. 

With #2, I went from not quite 4 cm to baby in arms in about 90 minutes. No pitocin, no oxygen, and the epidural I planned on did not have time to take effect as I was involuntarily pushing the baby out while the epidural was being placed. No one--including me or my doctor--had any idea that I would go that fast. 

I'm a little scared to have a 3rd baby because I worry that I would have the baby in the car.

 

KittyFX

PrincessBrideSarah:

Well, both times my water broke and then contractions didn't start for a while afterwards. With #1, I wasn't sure my water had broken--it was a very tiny leak. With #2, I gushed and gushed and gushed.

Contractions started about three hours later both times.

With #1, I was in active labor for about 20 hours and took forever to dilate. It took me 5 hours to go from 6 to 8 cm and then another 8 hours to go from 8 to 10 cm. I pushed for 2 1/2 hours after that. I ended up on a bit of pitocin and was on oxygen. 

With #2, I went from not quite 4 cm to baby in arms in about 90 minutes. No pitocin, no oxygen, and the epidural I planned on did not have time to take effect as I was involuntarily pushing the baby out while the epidural was being placed. No one--including me or my doctor--had any idea that I would go that fast. 

I'm a little scared to have a 3rd baby because I worry that I would have the baby in the car.

 

Wow!!!

BoxerMomma

birth #1 was totally spontaneous labor at 41w1d, stayed at home until the contractions were 2 minutes apart for an hour. went to the hospital, labored for several more hours, pushed for three hours, baby born vaginally without an epidural. nasty tear and an episiotomy. physical healing was rough but i was one of the lucky ones who lost a ton of weight while breastfeeding, emotional healing went well too

birth #2 was not spontaneous. i went in for pitocin at 41w2d b/c i was at 5cm and still had not had a single contraction. i had pitocin, no epidural, baby born vaginally after only a few hours of labor and only seven freaking glorious minutes of pushing. one small tear, no episiotomy. emotional healing has been harder this time, as i'm just more tired and being pulled in lots of directions with two kids to care for all day and night. physically i healed very quickly, but i have yet to lose a single pound. blah.

rssnlvr

First time was emergent c/s after 24 hours of labor. Second time was amazing VBAC after only 18ish hours of labor. For me, physical and emotional healing were MUCH easier after the second than the first.

mcurban

1st was induction to c/s (about 18 hours)

2nd was  VBAC that was under 5 hours from first (detectible) contraction to baby in arms

I was 100x more emotional w/ 1st. Physical healing was easy peasy for #2. So, I guess 2 birth was easier all around for this gal.

2H2L

Definitely different, but mine probably aren't helpful since they are both induction stories. First time, at 36 weeks, took 30 hours and 45 minutes pushing? Second time, 37 weeks, I was dilated to 4 on my own already, labor for a couple of hours, pushed three times, voil?! Another big difference--epi worked first time, didn't the second time. So I've labored and delivered on pitocin once with pain meds, once without. Each had it's benefits.

AustinAggie01

Different.

#1 - Water broke at 40w1d, went the birthing center route with no drugs, baby in arms in 8 hours.  Had some complications after the birth that made it necessary for all subsequent births to be had at a hospital, although the birthing center handled everything perfectly/they were prepared and knowledgeable/we felt we were very well taken care of.

#2 - Induced at 39w for medical reasons, so yes, had pitocin.  Opted for epi because of induction/pitocin.  We THOUGHT the 2nd baby would come a lot faster.  DH and I checked in thinking we'd have a baby by lunchtime, piece of cake.  DD took her time and passed the lunch hour, then the dinner hour and finally came at 10:52pm.  So, about 17 hours in all.

I have no expectations for any future births.  2 hours? 20 hours?  Who knows.

mcgee

See my response in your other post.

Meredith: induced at 37 weeks for medical reasons, not remotely effaced or dilated. Lots of drugs. Labor was 25 hours from start to finish. 

Alex: planned homebirth, no drugs, no nothing. Went into labor on my own two days before my due date, labor was just under 3 hours. It was MUCH easier delivering him - and he was 11.5 pounds!

jml5q

mine were pretty similar:

#1 - water broke spontaneously at 40w3d. left for the hospital about an hour later, contractions started on their own as we were checking in. labored for about 2 hours to about 6cm, got the epidural, ready to push about 1.5 hours later, pushed for 20 minutes, small tear. total time about 4.5 hours. pretty easy recovery.

#2 - induced at 41w. water broken and pitocin started. labored for about 2 hours until about 5.5 cm, got epidural, 15 minutes after placed, ready to push. pushed once, baby born. no tearing so recovery was much easier. total time a little under 4 hours.

overall the second was easier because i knew what to expect. i knew what  contraction felt like and was a little more prepared mentally for the pain.

mlf625

I had a c/s each time, but as far as my progress (or entire lack of) and recovery, my births were pretty much identical.

My mom had three very different births.  Natural birth at 42 weeks with me, c/s after going into labor with breech baby at 39 weeks with my sister, VBAC at 42 weeks with my brother.

KittyFX

jml5q:

mine were pretty similar:

#1 - water broke spontaneously at 40w3d. left for the hospital about an hour later, contractions started on their own as we were checking in. labored for about 2 hours to about 6cm, got the epidural, ready to push about 1.5 hours later, pushed for 20 minutes, small tear. total time about 4.5 hours. pretty easy recovery.

#2 - induced at 41w. water broken and pitocin started. labored for about 2 hours until about 5.5 cm, got epidural, 15 minutes after placed, ready to push. pushed once, baby born. no tearing so recovery was much easier. total time a little under 4 hours.

overall the second was easier because i knew what to expect. i knew what  contraction felt like and was a little more prepared mentally for the pain.

Wow, nice.