If you had a long/difficult first labor, how did it go the second time?

vszapp · March 2014

My first attempt at NB didn't exactly go as planned. I won't rehash my sob story, but here it is for anyone interested: https://forums.thebump.com/discussion/12107977/i-didn-t-cut-it-the-first-time-is-it-worth-trying-again-long

I am doing hypnobabies home study this time, though I really don't think it was a lack of "training" that hindered me the first time. Anyway, I have recently heard of 2 close friends who also had long first labors and pushing stages and went very quickly (both 5h from start to finish) the second time. Now I'm afraid my expectations are being set a bit unrealistically! Obviously every baby and mom are different, but I'm curious to hear other experiences about how the second time went. Logistically we need to plan since the hospital is an hour away, and we need to care in for DD since they don't allow tots... Thanks in advance for sharing!

CLLDLL · March 2014

I think in general 2nd+ labors do go faster than first labors. My first labor was 23 hours, with about an hour of pushing. My second was less than 4 hours from first contraction to holding my baby. I pushed twice. I was in better shape physically the second time, but I didn't do anything else to prepare for labor differently than the first time.

I have two good friends who had very similar experiences. Obviously if you have conditions like breach presentation or other issues going on that generality won't necessarily hold true.

As far as planning on when to leave for the hospital, I just *knew* when it was time to leave. I had the overwhelming feeling that we needed to go "now". By the time we got to the hospital, got checked in, and they checked me I was 8 cm.

barista411 · March 2014

1st: contraction started around 3pm but real labor didn't start until my water broke at 8pm. 15hrs of labor and I pushed for 20 min, had a labial hematoma, 4th degree tearing, and episiotomy.

2nd: 7hrs of labor, 6mins pushing, and a small skid mark, no tearing. It was a considerably easier labor and delivery all around.

sschwege · March 2014

I didn't have a particularly difficult labor either time, but second time around was definitely shorter!

DD: 17.5 hours (from the point I couldn't sleep through contractions till baby was in my arms). I pushed for an hour

DS: 5hr10min, but really it was only 2-2 1/2 hours of 'real' contractions. Had I been asleep when labor started I know I would have slept through the first half of my labor. Pushing was infinitely easier, I only pushed twice. Plus DS was almost a pound bigger than his sister with a head in the 75% as opposed to sister's 25% head!

Everything was easier the second time, labor, pushing, BFing, recovery, everything!

PepperBug · March 2014

My first was a 24 hour induction at 39 weeks due to pregnancy induced hypertension. It was long and exhausting and ended with a forceps delivery and severe tearing. Recovery took about 6 months.

My second came on her own at 39+2. Labor was 5 hours, only an hour or so of which were strong contractions. Baby was out with 3 pushes, and I had a very tiny first degree tear with one cosmetic stitch.

Verstej2 · March 2014

My first was born on her due date, about 10 hours but really only a couple of those were really hard labour. I went into the hospital and was there for about 2 hours before she was born. Only about 20-30 minutes of pushing.

My second was 10 days overdue and I had had intermittent contractions (BH) for at least 2 weeks before but they would always go away when I rested (I was sleeping great). They must have been doing something though because I was a stretchy 7 cm dilated for a week and finally decided to let the midwife break my water. It was 65 minutes from my waters breaking until he was born with about 5 minutes of pushing. But it was a really long feeling and tough 65 minutes. It went from nothing to transition in about 5 minutes. I am hoping for something in between the two this time but am prepared if it goes that fast again. I really wouldn't mind except I worry about being on my own (or driving my car) or with my kids and I would definitely prefer if the midwife could make it on time! I am hoping to go into labour on my own this time and perhaps that would slow things down a bit.

Oh and I had a tiny skid mark with my first and no tear at all with my second.

mrsblueeyes · March 2014

With my first water broke, but contractions didn't start till 16 hours later. Once contractions started labor was 14 hours start to finish, only about 5 minutes of pushing. With #2 labor started with contractions. Got to the hospital at 4cm and 2.5 hours later had a baby in my arms with about 20 minutes of pushing. Start to finish was 7 hours. With #3 labor started with contractions, got to the hospital at 5cm and 2 hours later had a baby. 6.5 hours start to finish. There is hope!

memo9 · March 2014

#1: Hospital birth. 12 hours of labor, including 3 hours of pushing. Had an epidural and episiotomy, the recovery was rough. 8lbs 9oz.

#2: Natural water birth. About 6 hours of labor with 30 minutes pushing. Recovery has been amazing. 9lbs 8oz.

Both kids have had 14.5" heads.... 90+%tile.

Valancyy · March 2014

My first labor wasn't long ( 7 hours total), but I pushed for 3 hours and ended up needing a vacuum delivery. I got one does of IV meds during that time.

My 2nd labor was just under 3 hours total, and I only pushed a couple times and he was out. Compared to my first delivery, it was like the baby just slid right out on his own. That labor was med free (I did want to try to go med free, but I didn't have a choice anyway, it all went so fast).

kindacrunchy · March 2014

As you can see from the responses my story is not the norm. Most second deliveries are faster but I think it is wise that you are trying to have realistic expectations and while that is a realistic expectation because it's how it goes for most it is good to be prepared that your second might be just as long or longer even.

Both my deliveries followed a similar pattern. Contractions started with my water breaking and progress was slow. With #1I was augmented with pitocin and total labor was 24.5 hours. With #2 it followed a similar pattern except I was able to avoid pitocin, total labor was 27.5 hours. My second was harder because transition was much longer.
As I said clearly my experience is not the norm but it's good to know that shorter is not a guarantee.

halfthetree · March 2014

My first was brutal, 15 hours, highly medical, vaccuum and episiotomy etc. I pushed for 2.5 hours, it was exhausting. The recovery was so rough, took me two weeks to be able to walk.

My second baby was born at home, 1.5 hours from first contraction/water breaking to when I caught her, after a physiological 2nd stage (fetal ejection reflex). I nearly birthed her in my yoga pants lol
I was feeling great immediately after, and the recovery has been amazingly easy, even with a second degree tear (thanks to that lovely episiotomy with DS).

Each labour is different, but I think 2+ go faster and my midwife said the recovery is generally much easier. The pain was more bearable because I already knew what to expect from birth, I knew each contraction would end, whereas with my first I was way too focused on my pain.

vszapp · March 2014

Ok, this is sounding really promising overall, but now I am definitely a little bit nervous about getting to the birthing center (nearly 1h away) in time! Especially if we have to wait for someone to come take care of DD. This should be interesting...

sschwege · March 2014

vszapp said:

Ok, this is sounding really promising overall, but now I am definitely a little bit nervous about getting to the birthing center (nearly 1h away) in time! Especially if we have to wait for someone to come take care of DD. This should be interesting...

The best advice I can give is just trust your body. DS could have easily been born unassisted because I refused to believe what my body was telling me. Had we left an hour earlier when I felt it was time to go, it wouldn't have been such a scary car ride.

yeah. · March 2014

So much better!

DD was a 50+ hour induction, 4 hours of pushing and a c-section. DS was a spontaneous labor, and I was pushing within 7 hours of my first contraction.

KrisM86 · March 2014

My first labor/delivery with my daughter was 29 hours long. It was incredibly frustrating and stressful, as I planned a natural birth center delivery, but I didn't progress past 4cm despite constant incredibly intense contractions, lots of walking and trying to labor in different positions. My DD just wouldn't descend and after about 22 hours we made the decision to transfer to the hospital so I could get an epidural and rest. Luckily, the epidural allowed me to sleep for a few hours and my body was able to relax, dilate to 10cm and I was still able to deliver her vaginally.

Labor and delivery with my son was only 6 hours long. I arrived at the birth center after about 5 hours of labor and was 6cm. I handled the contractions so much better with him and everything moved so quickly. He was born an hour after arriving at the birth center, in two pushes, into the water. It was such an incredible experience and so different from my first.

drpayne · March 2014

1st one: Literally pushed for 5 hours. Transferred to hospital for dehydration/exhaustion/big posterior baby who would not descend

2nd one: Got to birthing center at midnight. He was born at 1AM.

Hope that's encouraging

pinksweetpea2 · March 2014

My first (delivered at 43 weeks exactly without any signs of labor until my water broke)- 40 hours, posterior labor, turned about 5 hours before delivery, pushed for 3.5 hours and ended up with a 3rd degree tear. I was quite and focused the entire time. Baby was 9 lbs 15 oz.

My second (delivered at 41 weeks exactly with on an off braxton hicks and probably some real contractions the few nights leading up to labor)- 12 hours- the first 11 hours pretty similar to first- back labor, not much dilation, etc. Last hour I went from 2 to 10 and she turned literally when I was pushing her out- corkscrew. It was intense and I was screaming my head off. LOL Unbelievably there were no tears and she was 10 lbs 10 oz. Your body is really remarkable and does remember.

My kids were 3.5 years apart BTW.

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If you had a long/difficult first labor, how did it go the second time?

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