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Natural Birth
2+ moms experiences
My second baby should be arriving soon and I'm very curious about how second, third, labor/deliveries have differed for you ladies compared to your first (and I'm curious about similarities, too). So far my pregnancies have been pretty different from each other. Also, by this point with my first baby I was having way more braxton hicks contractions than I'm having this time around. I keep expecting things to happen exactly the same as they did the first time, even though I know that's not necessarily going to be the case!
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Re: 2+ moms experiences
Prenancies the same: easy.
This is what was different:
DS1: GD DS2: no GD
DS1: no braxton hicks DS2: braxton hicks
DS1: water broke first sign of labour DS2: water broke 1 minute before pushing
DS1: labour 9 hrs from first sign DS2: labour 2.5 hours from first sign
DS1: pushed 2 hours DS2: pushed 3 times
Babes born weighing 8lbs8oz (both of them)
DS1: pretty easy/smooth pregnancy. A lot of nausea in first tri though.
DS2: harder. Sick, sick, sick for 18 weeks (lost 18 lbs). A ton of pain in my back/hips/pelvis in 3rd tri.
Contractions began early in both pregnancies (never enough to be concerned). At last check before labor (both times), I was only 2 cm. Water broke to start labor both times. Baby still very high both times... even when I started pushing. Both boys were OP until I pushed them into position and out.
DS1: 19 hour labor, put on pitocin 5 hours after waters broke, got an epidural 12 hours after waters broke, pushed for 2.5 hours, second degree tears & stitches
DS2: 7.5 hour labor, arrived to birth center at 4 cm (2.5 hours after water broke), No pit, no epi. Pushed for 1 hour, 15ish minutes. No tearing. No interventions.
My pregnancies were very similar except for the fact that DD #2 was breech most of the time and I ended up having to have a version done to get her to turn.
My labors were similar in the fact that both babies were posterior, that I experienced back labor with both and both were water births, but otherwise they were totally different.
With my first I didn't have a single contraction until my water broke at 42 weeks 5 day, but then I went straight into active labor. I was in labor for 40 hours and dilated very slowly (I was at 6 for 10 hours and 9 for 10 hours). DD eventually turned and then I pushed for 3.5 hours. It was hard, but I never felt out of control the whole time I was pushing. DD was born in the water and DH lifted her to my chest. She didn't cry at all and was just looking at me. It was all very sweet. I did tear with my first pretty bad (3rd degree) and my recovery was pretty rough. She was born at exactly 43 weeks.
With my second I experience braxton hicks from 28 weeks on. A few days before I went into labor at 40 weeks 6 days, I started experiencing real contractions in the evenings and would loose a bit of my plug each night. When I did go into labor I saw bloody show and contractions started at about 2 minutes apart, but were short- about 30-45 seconds in length. That continued all night (everything started around 10:30 pm) and as of 8 am I was still about 2 cm. One of my MWs actually left to go home and shower and then everything went crazy. In the next half hour everything got incredibly intense and from then on I felt pretty much out of control. I was pushing and screaming. I didn't know it, but I had dilated from 2 to 10 in less than a hour. I was pushing involuntarily and was terrified that I was going to tear because I didn't think I was dilated enough for pushing. My second MW made it back about 5 minutes before I delivered my second DD. I pushed her head out and then my contractions stopped. After about 4-5 minutes my MW got nervous and suggested that I get out of the tub (yeah right) and she and the other MW and my DH sort of dragged me out (LOL) and with one push I delivered her on the floor of my bedroom. My MW put her on my chest, but because of the position I couldn't see her at all...she was screaming bloody murder so I knew she was fine. LOL Despite the fact that she was 10 lbs 10 oz and that my MWs entire hand had been in there assisting with the delivery of her shoulders, I didn't tear a bit and my recover was amazing this time around. My MW said she didn't come out posterior, so we figured she pretty much cork screwed her way out. She was born around 10:30 am (12 hours after labor started) at exactly 41 weeks.
I really thought when my MW left that morning that my labor was going to be the same and I almost cried because of it...little did I know that a hour and a half later I would be holding my baby.
It really is amazing how different they can be.
My pregnancies were almost exactly the same with ds and dd.
I was induced at 42 weeks with ds, and went into labor on my own with dd at 42 weeks. Both were born at 42 weeks 1 day.
My labors were both 11 hours, my second labor was much more painful. I pushed around 45 minutes with both. No tears with either.
Both pregnancies were very easy with zero nausea with #1 and very, very mild with #2. Mild Braxton hicks near the end with #1 but started earlier and more intense with #2. Both labors started with water breaking (on the toilet no less for both). Contractions waited an hour to an hour and a half after water breaking to start with both but once they started they were very intense in both labors. At 7 cm both times within 2.5-3 hours but I opted for the epidural with #1 around that point. Pushed only a couple of minutes with each kid. 2nd degree tear with #1 and only a teeny tear with #2. 1st labor ~6 hours and 2nd ~4.5 hours.
So, basically they were about the same with just a little difference in length of time.
ETA: #1: DS born 39w6d 8 lb 7 oz
#2 DD born 37w6d 7 lb 5 oz
DS (#1): Pregnancy was good/easy. Only nausea and exhaustion until 2nd trimester. No early signs of labor (BH contractions, mucous plug, etc). Had first internal check at 40w 6d, was 2 cms dilated and my MW stripped my membranes and stretched me to 4 cms. I started cramping and losing my MP/bloody show right away. Woke up the next morning with contractions and DS was born 30 hours later. Labor: lots of early labor/inconsistent contractions. Things picked up at the birth center at 6 cms, stuck at 8 cms for 8 hours, had water broken, and was ready to push an hour later. Also was a water birth. Pushed for an hour. Total: 30 hours.
DD (#2): Pregnancy was again good/easy. Nausea lasted into 2nd trimester. Again no signs of labor early on.No BHs. Had internals at 38 and 39 weeks, and a membrane sweep at 39 weeks. It did nothing. Experienced first real contraction the evening before her EDD, and they were right away consistent and building and much more painful than earlier contractions with DS had been. Arrived at hospital 3 hours into it at 6 cms, stalled there for 4 hours, asked to have water broken. Dilated from 6-10 and pushed her out in 30 minutes. Total: 8 hours.
Her labor was much more painful than I remember DSs being. Perhaps a difference in slow and steady versus fast(er) and more intense...?
My first pregnancy involved IUGR, but other than that they were both very similar and easy. My labors didn't differ much either and I would call them both fast and easy. Both were spontaneous, right around my due date, with no signs beforehand (no contractions, dilation, etc.). They started with strong, regular contractions and I never felt any of it in my back. I went med-free with both and the recoveries were quick and relatively pain-free.
Labor #1: A little over 6 hours (1 hour of that in the hospital) and pushed with just 2-3 contractions. They had to break my water to apply an internal monitor because of severe decels. My delivery was also vacuum assisted for this reason but I really don't think it had much of an effect. My body seemed to be moving him down and out really quickly without any help. I had gone from less than 1cm to baby being born in just over an hour. Small tear (no stitches) and what they called a skid mark. DS was 5 lbs. 13 oz, 19 1/2", with a 13 1/4" head.
Labor #2: A little over 2 hours (30 minutes of that in the hospital) and didn't really push. My water broke right when I started feeling "pushy" and the nurses had me blowing out to try and slow things down so the MW could get there. She pretty much came out on her own after about 2 contractions. I had gone from 3cm to baby being born in 30 minutes. No tears, just one skid mark. DD was 6 lbs. 13 oz, 19 1/2", with a 12 1/4" head.
Best of luck with your delivery!
med-free birth x2, breastfeeding, baby wearing SAHM
My BFP Chart
Mine were all so different. My babies all came naturally at different times (37w, 40w6d, due date). Length of labors was all different (16 hours, 7 hours, 20 hours). #1 and #3 were posterior and #2 wasn't, so #2 was a piece of cake. Their sizes weren't consistent (7lb.11oz., 8lb.10oz., 7lb.10oz.).
The only thing consistent about all of my experiences is that my water didn't break with any, they were all vaginal and I didn't tear with any of them. That's about it.