Is labor really shorter the second time?

iloveac · June 2014

I'm especially curious to hear from moms with 2u2 (my 2 will be 16 months apart) but I'd love to hear from all moms. I'm wondering if your body has given birth already if you really are more likely to have a shorter labor the second time. It's what people say and it would be great if it were true.

My 2 questions are:

1) was labor the 2nd time shorter? (Mine was 24 hours with DS)

2) was 2nd baby born earlier than the 1st? (DS was born the day before due date)

AZMagnini14 · June 2014

I'm hoping the answer to #1 is yes! Although mine was only about 10 hours, but shorter is always better!

[Deleted User] · June 2014

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drpayne · June 2014

Yes!

iloveac · June 2014

Thank you @Slaps quicker each time is encouraging.

Wulfgar · June 2014

According to my mom who had three children, the first takes it's own time, the second is faster, and with my brother, they barely got her to the delivery room.

I am hoping that this one will be faster and easier than our LO.

Meether · June 2014

Very encouraging replies!

rebeccas7829 · June 2014

It is encouraging, but be careful what you wish for! My SIL just had her third baby, but it was so fast, she had her in the car outside the hospital while her husband was going inside to get help!

Meether · June 2014

rebeccas7829 said:

It is encouraging, but be careful what you wish for! My SIL just had her third baby, but it was so fast, she had her in the car outside the hospital while her husband was going inside to get help!

My mom said that I was falling out of her as she was getting into the wheelchair. I was her second. So I realize how scary it can get. I had dd 2 hours after arriving at the hospital, so I'm happy if I have have a short pre natal hospital stay again.

MommyKristin88 · June 2014

My kids are 4 years apart , so that might change things. Plus, the 1st was induction, and the 2nd was not.

1st labor - 41 weeks 1 day, 9 hours long
2nd labor -41 weeks 3 days, 18 hours long

juliaslastjam · June 2014

My second was much faster than my first, but I had an induction with my first out of "medical necessity." My third labor was forever and a day, though. But my third baby was also a POUND heavier than my heaviest baby!

ZAP12 · June 2014

This is what I'm afraid of. My first was 6 hours. I know I need to get to the hospital right away.

Jessie333 · June 2014

I was fully dilated within 2 hours of my water breaking, so that makes me nervous for this LO. But I did push for 3.5 hrs with dd, so I could definitely go for that stage being shorter.

vintagejjane · June 2014

Anything is better than my 48 hour labor with DD.

ekmah04 · June 2014

1) yes! my kids are 24 months apart and my 2nd labor was four hours total. 1st labor 12 hrs. With 2nd my water broke and when I got to hospital 30 mins later I was already 8cm! Thank God they still gave me my epidural.

ekmah04 · June 2014

2) 1st came at 39.1 weeks and 2nd at 39 weeks

shelly771 · June 2014

With both I was induced at 40 weeks and 5 days. #1 - was about 24 hours and awful, #2 was less than 5 hr and about 3 pushes. I couldn't believe it was so fast considering I wasn't in labor waling into the hospital.

rebeccas7829 · June 2014

SIL and I were joking about how I wanted a shorter labor this time, since I was in labor for 25 hours with about 2.5 of pushing with DD. I emailed her after the baby was born and after the appropriate congratulations told her that I wasn't sure I meant that short of a labor...

RobinettMomma · June 2014

I didn't know i was in labor cause my contractions weren't bad with my first one and i had him in 5 mins. I checked in at 2:27am and had him at 2:33am 4 weeks early water broke in the car on the exit ramp to the hospital. I had him in the triage and only pushed once so if this is true ill be camping out in the hospital parking lot lol!!

BabyRN2009 · June 2014

1st baby: 10hr labor born at 39w4d
2nd baby: 9hr labor born at 38w1d

21 months apart

Belle3184 · June 2014

This is my second, so I don't know yet. I've always heard this though and I think there is some truth to it. Maybe not a hard and fast rule, but generally speaking for many people second labors are a little faster (I'm not sure about baby coming earlier). For most of the women I've known this has been the case. There's always exceptions though.

MeganK81410 · June 2014

DD was 23 months when DS was born. I had to be induced 6 days late with him, where with DD I went into labor naturally on my due date and had her that afternoon.

From first real contraction to birth, labor with DD was around 11 hours. DS was different because I was induced. I was given the cervical gel at 7 a.m., started contracting around 7:30 a.m., and had him at 8:13 p.m., so almost 13 hours.

BUT the active labor part with DS was MUCH faster. I dilated from 5cm to 10cm in about 15 minutes, labored down for about 10 minutes, then delivered him after pushing for only 10 minutes (compared to pushing for close to half an hour with DD). DS was also a pound and a half heavier than DD, so size wasn't a factor in him coming out faster.

jessinaround · June 2014

I'm feeling pretty encouraged here. DS will be 15 months when this LO is born. I pushed for almost 3 hours with DS with 21 hours of labor. I'll take a long labor, but I'm hoping to sneeze this baby out.

Daneicy80 · June 2014

Yes and no for me, my first labor started naturally at 41w1d; my second I was induced at 39w.

First baby: From first contraction to birth 9 1/2 hours. In hospital bed less than four hours. 20 minutes of pushing. 6lbs 13oz.

Second baby: Total time in hospital 27 1/2 hours; arrived at hospital 10pm, induction began at midnight, pitocin started 1pm next day, had ds at 1:30am the next day... pushed for only nine minutes. 5 lbs 7 oz.

Second stage of labor and pushing was definitely faster second time around but overall experience took longer with the induction.

Cheekers2010 · June 2014

I think if you are able to go into labor naturally it can be faster. For me, since I was induced the first time (medically indicated) and will likely be induced this time (also medically indicated although I am hoping to avoid it) it may not make a difference for me. Bums me out completely since my first labor was so traumatic.

leoandethansmom · June 2014

I'm with all of you hoping this one is faster! From first contraction to delivery DS was 27.5 hours with 2.5 hours of pushing. I was 4cm when I arrived at the hospital at 3:30pm and was 10cm by 4am but he wouldn't drop to -2, he stayed a solid 0. From what I've heard, #2 comes quicker!

effaniw1 · July 2014

Well, I was induced with my first almost 13 years ago, so I don't really count that because the pitocin sped things up. But I had a March 2011 and a March 2013 babies. My 1st Marchie was about 12 hrs with no meds, and 2nd Marchie was about 6 hours with no meds.

momtoE25 · July 2014

I'm pg with DS #2 and have definitely been curious about how this one will pan out. I was induced at 39w2d and was in labor for 24 hrs with 2.5 hrs of pushing. I'm hoping this time will be shorter in both aspects.
My mom did tell me that I was her longest labor (first baby), my sister on the other hand was the easiest labor but wasn't born until a few days past 42 weeks (had to be induced)
So time will only tell what's going to happen with this little guy.

ladysaceb · July 2014

iloveac said:

1) was labor the 2nd time shorter? (Mine was 24 hours with DS) 2) was 2nd baby born earlier than the 1st? (DS was born the day before due date)

My labor with DS1 from the time my water broke at home to delivery was 9 hours with pitocin administered about 3-4 hour in. Delivered at 38w5d

My labor with DS2 started at home with contractions. Labored for 5 hours had my water broken by the OB and delivered about 4 hours later so also approximately 9 hours. Delivered at 37w2d

My labor with DS3 started with contractions, water broke on its on during pushing lasted approximately 7 hours. Delivered at 39w0d.

hoping4aUNICORN · July 2014

DD#1: 24 hrs, sent me home at 12 hours and said it wasn't time and gave me a SLEEPING PILL!!!! I don't remember the last 12 hours due to the sleeping pill, don't remember getting to hospital, getting epidural (I didn't want one!!!) signing my life away for said epidural! They woke me up and told me it was time to push!!! (She was 1 week early)

DD#2: woke up at 1am with contractions, 1:30 water broke, rushed to hospital ... DD was born natural with nothing, not even IV in hand at 2:30am!! (4 days early)

DS: almost the same as DD#2 but they had time for IV in my hand, but only fluid, no pain meds (they said it was too late). I started contracting with him around 10 at night and had him at 12:13 AM, for the first few hours of his life I thought his birthday was the day before, but he was born 13 min into the next day just making it on the 19th of May (my birthday!!!) duh!! He was 5 days early.

And those are my birth stories

hope you enjoyed

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