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Long Labor (STM+)

cheechee3cheechee3 member
in Natural Birth
Hey All!

Just wondering if anybody had a long labor with their first, but had a much shorter one with the second, third, etc. Were there things you did differently to prepare or during the actual labor? I know every pregnancy is different... just looking for some things to help (probably to ease my mind more than anything).

I'm due with my second in May and trying to prevent a 37 hour back labor again. My mother had 3 long labors (all 30 hours +). I'm really hoping the baby isn't posterior this time around (that would change a lot!). I eventually caved at 30 hours for the epidural, but this time I am determined to do it. Armed with a midwife (versus an OB last time) and the option of having a water birth if I want it. Anything else you can think of that helped you? 
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Re: Long Labor (STM+)

  • jennypolkadotsjennypolkadots member
    I'm pregnant with my first so I don't have first person experience. However, I have always heard that second labors tend to go faster than firsts. That is certainly true for women in my family anyways.

    Look into spinning babies and read about things you can be doing to improve your baby's position in the womb. You want to use gravity to turn the heaviest parts of your baby (head and spine) where you want them. One thing specifically my midwives warned against is spending a lot of time on soft chairs and sofas where your butt sinks in or laying on your back. You're better off sitting on a birth ball or laying on your side. Also getting plenty of exercise and paying attention to your posture. Swimming is also highly recommended. These things are also talked about in Bradley method books as well. I hope this helps! 
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  • sschwegesschwege member
    My first was 17.5 hours from first contractions I couldn't sleep through to baby in my arms.  My second was about 2hr10 min.  I was having time-able Braxton Hicks a few hours before, but could walk and talk through them.  So from real contractions to baby just over 2 hours. 

    With my first I drank RRLT and with my second I took RRLT supplements, that's the only thing I did differently.  
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  • mrsblueeyesmrsblueeyes member

    DS#1 was 14.5  hours from the time of first contraction (I was on a monitor for ruptured membranes already  so I'm very clear on the time frame)

    DD#1 was about 7 hours start to finish

    DS#2 was about 6.5 hours

    So I pretty much followed the general rule that second plus labors are usually half the time of the first 

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  • course11course11 member
    With my first it was 8 hrs 45 min from spontaneous water breaking to baby in arms. With my second it was 2hr 15 min from the midwife breaking my water to baby in arms. Didn't really do anything different second time around, but I was already 4+cm dilated when MW broke my water, so that probably helped speed things along.

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  • cheechee3cheechee3 member
    Thanks for all your advice and stories ladies! I apologize, I haven't checked the bump in awhile. I checked out spinning babies and there's tons of info on there. And I will definitely give the Red Raspberry leaf tea a try!

    I'm really hoping this labour cuts in half in comparison to my first, although a third or a quarter of the time would be much better ;) haha but I'll take what I can get.

    Thanks again!
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  • Kaelynn91Kaelynn91 member
    My first labor was 27 hours long with an additional 3 hours of pushing. 

    My second labor was about 2 hours long with only 3 pushes total. 

    I didn't really do much different to prepare. I took EPO and red raspberry leaf pills as my due date got closer. (I did that with my first too though) 

    Every pregnancy is different! I hope you have a much easier time with this baby! :)
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  • soofttiesoofttie member
    Kaelynn91 said:
    My first labor was 27 hours long with an additional 3 hours of pushing. 

    My second labor was about 2 hours long with only 3 pushes total. 

    I didn't really do much different to prepare. I took EPO and red raspberry leaf pills as my due date got closer. (I did that with my first too though) 

    Every pregnancy is different! I hope you have a much easier time with this baby! :)
    My first was also 27 hours!! Here's to my second being only 2!! *Fingers Crossed*

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  • drpaynedrpayne member
    edited December 2014
    First was about 16 hours, which included 5 hours of pushing before being transferred to the hospital. With my second I started timing contractions at 9:30 pm and he was born at 1 am after 2 pushes. Night and day. I didn't do anything differently.
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  • RMama2012RMama2012 member

    Oh boy some of you make me hopeful for this second labor.  It was 30 plus hours with about 24 hours of difficult contractions.  I let the dr break my water at 9.5cm.  The pushing was very quick though- 15 mins?  No idea but I pushed through 3 or 4 contractions.

    What helped me was a change of scenery and not being in the hospital.  I labored at home in the shower mostly.  Then I went to the dr (9:30am)  who sent me out anywhere but the hospital even thought I was 4 cm.  I spent about 2-3 hours in the park and then back to him where he checked me at "over 6."  Then I went to the hospital and labored about 4 hours until DS was born at 5:30pm.  When I left the house that morning around 9am I thought I was heading straight for the epi. 

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  • mrsfilliermrsfillier member
    my first labour was 44 hours wnding in a cesarean
    my second labour was 27 hours with 59 minutes of pushing
    my third labour was a rediculous 70 hour ordeal thanks to a posterior baby that just didnt want to move down and a mommy who didnt want another section.
    So my second was shorter by far but my third was not
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  • nosoup4unosoup4u member
    My first was a good 24+ hours, with prob 9 of those hours being in v active labor and pushing (ended in a c/s). My second was just over 12 hours total, with 2ish hours of pushing. Stay upright, think about doing prenatal yoga and getting a yoga ball. There's a book called "Active Birth" that might be worth looking into. Good luck!
    DS1 - Feb 2008

    DS2 - Oct 2010 (my VBAC baby!)

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  • MrsNash37212MrsNash37212 member
    My first was 22 hours with a posterior baby that led to pushing too early, a swelling cervix, and ended with an epidural to stop my body from pushing and making the swelling worse. This time, I saw a chiropractor every week starting at 27 weeks and basically refused to get off my hands and knees. It was 6 hours from the first twinge to the end. Night and day!


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  • cheechee3cheechee3 member
    edited December 2014
    Was your chiropractor practising the Webster technique? @MrsNash37212‌

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  • MrsNash37212MrsNash37212 member
    @cheechee3‌ she is certified in Webster and well known in town for it, but we didn't need it since baby went head down around 34 weeks. She just kept my hips and pelvis in alignment so much better and he was anterior the whole time once he went head down. He came out in maybe 3 pushes. It was crazy how different it felt. Her office also provides myofascial release massage after an adjustment and I think that helped, as well. My OB was perfectly happy to have me labor and deliver on my knees. Big difference for me vs pushing on my back like last time.


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