1) Did you find your labor or delivery was significantly shorter than the first time around? If I happen to go into labor in the evening our one contact person for DD in town will likely be at work and the next closest is SIL who lives half hour away. That thread on 3rd tri about 2-4 hour labors freaked me right out.
2) How was recovery with a toddler? The MW was giving suggestions for making DD more independent when it comes to climbing in and out of the car and reaching to wash her hands, etc and stressed I wouldn't be able to lift her a lot in the beginning postpartum. I didn't even think about that! I drive a truck that's considerably high off the ground, I can't imagine DD being able to climb that even 4 months from now. Was that kind of stuff an issue for you?
Re: Questions for those with 2 already
(1) Yes! L&D was 24 hours with #1, 3 of which was hard pushing. With #2, L&D was 4 hours, 2 pushes. I got to the hospital 40 minutes before he was born--if traffic had been bad, he would've been a car baby!
(2) Fine! I never slowed down. I had vaginal births with both, and was fine picking DD up as soon as I got home from the hospital. Unless you have some kind of complication or your DD is super heavy, I don't know why it would be a concern...
1) Yes. My first labor and delivery was 16 1/2 hours, my second was induced because I was so late and it was only 5 start to finish. Loved it...
2)I was fine right away, but I had two vaginal births. I did have some help for about a week from my DH, but I think you should be just fine.
Konstantino
Maximo
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1) Labor with #1 was 13 1/2 hours, labor with #2 was 9 1/2 hours, so yes...shorter. I was also induced with #2 so I imagine if I had gone on my own it would have been even shorter. I doubt it would have been 2-4 hours. This time though, I'm a bit freaked out about having a very quick labor.
2) Honestly it wasn't that bad, but I had a very easy delivery. No tearing at all, I went out to dinner the night I got home from the hospital and I only stayed 24 hours after I gave birth. I felt great after giving birth! I resumed all of my normal activities including grocery shopping with both girls 1 week PP. Thank goodness for the Moby. I had no issues with lifting DD thankfully.
DD1-Labor was 17hrs from start of induction to birth.
DD2-Labor was 6hrs from breaking of water to birth (got to hospital at 6, had my water broken at 630 to get things going)
DD3-Labor was 4hrs
Recovery time was fine. DD1 (who was 20 months old when DD2 was born) was pretty mellow and helped out a ton which made it easier on me.
That makes me feel a bit better, I was beginning to panic! Of course I can't count on this delivery being anything like the last, but with DD I had one small tear, no stitches, and felt totally fine after. Though my postpartum bleeding was apparently excessive, maybe heavy lifting can affect that? Who knows.
I think I'm going to continue to remain freaked about the labor thing lol. I'm terrified of having a car baby! Though I wouldn't mind a shorter labor, for sure.