Could this happen?

arcook0307 · January 2013

With DD#1 my water broke at 8:30 on a Friday night. I had no contractions until 2:30 a.m. and delivered at 7:39 a.m. I was 4 cm when I checked in despite no contractions (other than painless BH). My husband may still be on deployment when baby#2 comes in July.

My question is....if my water doesn't break this time.....and I am progressed at 4 cm like last time, will I go straight into active labor like last time? I just know when the contractions started they were 2 and 3 minutes apart. There was no working up to it and it was a fast/hard labor (so I'm told). I am worried about getting care for my DD in time to get to the hospital. All my friends and doula are 30-40 min away. Maybe I am way over thinking this and worrying.

oliversmommy32912 · January 2013

I'm interested in this too. My labor didn't start with water breaking but I did jump immediately into hard, active labor. I worry about being home alone with DS for the next one. My husband works an hour away so it would be a little rough having to care for DS in hard labor while I wait. Hopefully some moms of two or more can chime in!

abell77 · January 2013

I think you probably are overthinking this. I do understand why you're concerned, but I don't think any of us will be able to definitively answer your question. Every labor is different. With my first my water broke and I did not have contractions for a very long time (but that's another story!) and with my second the midwife broke my water right before I started pushing to check for meconium. For various other reasons as well, my two births could not have been more different. So there really is no way to predict how this second labor will go for you.

Do your best to make your plans, and back up plans. If you really will be on your own, perhaps decide that you will go to the hospital early and just bring your daughter with you. I know, not ideal, but this happened to someone I know and the nurses were great and entertained her toddler while she pushed out a baby. Keep the number of a taxi cab company handy so you can call one if you really don't feel comfortable driving. Any neighbors you could rely on, even for just a ride to the hospital? Would a friend or family member be willing to come stay with you in advance of your due date so that they are available when you do go into labor?

Good Luck, I hope things work out for you.

KateLouise · January 2013

My two labours were very similar in terms of process/pattern, but DD2 was like doing it in fast forward. Each phase was faster.

The general rule is that second labours are faster and easier, but there really is no predicting how things will go for you.

It would be interesting to see if people's labours generally start in the same way? eg if some women tend to have pre-labour build up whilst others go straight to active labour?

aetg · January 2013

I had only painless BH and was at 6cm for days before being induced. Within two contractions I was in transition and pushing. I have no idea how much effect the pitocin actually had but I'm planning on catching the next baby myself. First contraction to baby was less than 45 mins.

AllieJean · January 2013

With my son I got my first contraction at 2am and it was as strong as they ever got-until the pushing ones. By 10am I was 10cm and I never would have guessed it, I was still talking and makng fun of my husband. But my midwife just had a feeling and asked if she could check me. My water never broke until she did it manually after I had already been pushing for quite a while. This time Im using a different midwife who is farther away and I too was worried about calling her soon enough because last time I had no idea I was that far along. She told me that it would be a good idea to have an experienced doula with me early in labor because she would be able to see the signs that things were progressing even if I wasnt feeling it. And even if that doula needed to take my son outside to play for a while or something if I needed to be alone then there would be someone there to do that.

superned · January 2013

There is no way to know since every woman (and every baby) is different.

My first labor was pretty textbook - I was 2cm dilated at my 39w appointment, and at 39w5d I started with mild contractions that got more intense as I got more dilated. Water broke at about 6cm. My entire labor from first contraction to birth was about 15 hours, including 50 minutes of pushing.

With #2 I was almost 4cm dilated for several days, so my OB had warned me that I should head to the hospital as soon as I felt like I was in labor. I felt nothing until a strong contraction hit me at 7:30pm on a Friday night (I was 39w2d). I was 10cm when I got to the hospital at 8:20pm. The OB broke my water right before my first push and DS was born at 8:48pm.

I think that you would be wise to have a plan in place for getting care for DD in an emergency, like a neighbor, or having someone come stay with you as your due date gets closer. And definitely contact someone as soon as you even think you feel a contraction...if DH hadn't called my parents to come watch DD right after I had that first contraction, we would have either had to bring her to the hospital or I would have had an unplanned home birth.

Want a personalized experience?

Could this happen?

Re: Could this happen?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards