2nd labour easier than 1st time? - Labour and birth

shrewpin

17/01/2012 at 15:25

Hi

I am currently 39 weeks and have been wondering for some weeks now what labour will be like 2nd time round. I know that there are no hard and fast rules but was keen to find out what other people's experiences were in general.

Easier/harder?
Quicker/slower?
Longer/shorter?
More/less painful?
Bigger/smaller baby?

For some reason I am feeling really concerned and anxious about giving birth this time round, despite my first labour being very straight forward.
I went for sweep 6 days overdue and was already 5cm dialated with no pain. Had waters broken couple of hours later and then pain built gradually. Had gas and air and baby arrive 5 hours later. I think Im maybe feeling worried because although not a pleasant experience (apart from the end product) it was very quick and straight forward and I'm concerned it's not going to be that way again.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated from ladies who have been through it more than once.
Thanks xxx

phat_sue4

17/01/2012 at 15:31

Hi,
I've not had one yet but have lots of friends with 2/3 and they have all said second was much easier. Could be because they knew what was going to happen, things are already stretched etc.

Hope it goes as smoothly as the first x

lisabby

18/01/2012 at 04:35

i found second time round much easier, still painful but i was able to cope as i knew what was coming, with baby1 i was in hosp for 11 hours before the little monkey decided to come,then with baby2 i managed to stay at home till i felt i wanted to push, no pain relief just a baby weaning spoon to bite on lol, then a 20 min drive to hosp and i was only in hosp 20 mins before my daughter arrived

with b1 i had contractions every 4 mins for 4 days and with b2 i had them for around 10-12 hours before she arrived, my second child was bigger thatn my first b1 was 7lb4oz and b2 was 7lb 13.5oz, hope this helps a bit, sure you will be fine xx

http://www.countdowntopregnancy.com/tickers/pregnant-1327644000z4z1329890400z0.png

lizsmith1982 Platinum member

18/01/2012 at 04:51

my first labour was 12hrs 12mins 5lb 7.56 oz forceps

my second labour was 91mins 7lb 5.5oz no pain relief

Edited: 18/01/2012 at 04:51

charlm

18/01/2012 at 05:14

my second shot out after just 2 hours and 29 minutes in labour, birth was quick and easy, they broke my waters and baby followed instantly, the midwife stood at the end of the bed and basically caught him as he came out, didn't even have to stop between head and shoulders, he came out in one push with the pressure of the waters.

but my fourth was the same, i've heard so many rumours that odd births are harder than the evens but to be truthful that so far has proven true for me xxx

shrewpin

18/01/2012 at 08:45

Thanks for all your replies. Reassuring so far, wish I knew when
It was all going to kick off. Oh is working away and will take him at least 2hrs to get home. While I want it to be over quickly I don't want to end up doing it on my own!!!
Keep the replies coming. Thanks. ????????

greesh00

18/01/2012 at 09:31

Hi,i gave birth to my 2nd baby 9 weeks ago and it was alot easier this time! First baby was 10 days late,had a 17 and a half hour labour with epidural and forceps,and she weighed 8lb.10. Second baby was a week early,labour was 58mins start to finish and had gas&air!So completely different!Good luck

shrewpin

19/01/2012 at 02:36

Thanks Greesh00

I hope things go as smoothly for me. Feel like I can't think of anything else at the moment. Getting slightly obsessed with the whole labour thing. Hope your new baby is being good for you. ?????????

KazzieM

19/01/2012 at 06:56

DD1 - labour lasted 49hrs from start to finish, 24hrs pain relief free before giving in to both pethidine & entonox. She emerged head first, followed by rest of body in subsequent push, weighing 9lbs.

DD2 - early labour for 10days before hitting active labour, then 13hrs pain relief free. She literally flew out onto the bed with one big push, weighing 7lbs12.

Everyone keeps telling me I'm the exception to the rule on baby weights but it's the head circumference that tends to get bigger. DD1 - 33.5cm, DD2 - 34cm.

Wif_

19/01/2012 at 07:14

omg isthat really true about head circumfrance? my sons was 36cm which i was told at the time was big. ouchy hope this one isnt bigger

-Spring-

19/01/2012 at 07:56

I'm with you there Wif! My son's head is and always has been big... Eeek! Made hubby promise that this time I'm allowed a smaller baby that isn't born late

http://lb2f.lilypie.com/hNwDp1.png?uVkzR2oT

http://lmtf.lilypie.com/HC0e.png?Vuk4S9i4

Baby_PrincessIOM Platinum member

20/01/2012 at 03:40

Hi ladies,
due second babe in May - first labour was 18 hours active from the beginning contractions every 1-2 minutes pushing for 3 hours ended in forceps delivery with only gas and air throughout the process. Hoping to have easier second labour - nice to read some positive second attempts

helenlouise29 Platinum member

20/01/2012 at 06:56

Second time quicker by miles and easier but I think a lot of it is because you know what to expect and you don't panic as much.
I went with the pain second time around and imagined every time I contracted by cervix being a dairy lea box ( yes ladies that is 10cm dilated size

) and after getting to hospital at 5 I found out after I was indeed 8cm dilated and he shot out 2 hours later.
First time round I freaked and tensed and didn't know what was coming so I really fought it.

Second baby was bigger by a whole lb but he was 3 days late and a boy even so he was easier to push out.

helenlouise29 Platinum member

20/01/2012 at 06:59

ps no pain relief with second either till the pushing and then had G and A till he came out

First time round had gas and air for hours and it made me sick

Also had a tens machine which would REALLY recommend to anyone.

I took homeopathic Aconite which helps with fear in the beginning of my labour too along with Arnica and I really think this helped too.

Good luck and don' worry you'll be fine

shrewpin

20/01/2012 at 09:10

Thanks. I'm in total agreement with baby princess, it's so good to hear positive stories. For some reason when you are pregnant people think its a good idea to tell you their horror stories. Why? Oh why? It's very unkind really.
Anyway keep the positive stories coming and hopefully I'll be posting my very own on here before long. X

MyBs

20/01/2012 at 11:25

Ds - induced at 37wks due to waters breaking, drip started at 1pm, he arrived at 8pm. Gas and air at about 5cm. From 7 to 10cm took only about ten mins! He weighef 7lb 10oz which at 37 wks I think is quite big!

Post rest in a sec

MyBs

20/01/2012 at 11:42

Oh and pushing only took 15 mins, although I did tear really badly (3rd degree) as he was back to back. Afterwards was the worst bit, couldnt stand for longer than a few secs and spent nearly 2 weeks in bed due to the tears oh and developed bad piles bcoz of labour!

Dd - much more positive experience (in the end!). Labour started at 41 weeks after sweep that day. Was contracting mildly from about 2pm but I wasnt sure if it was braxton hicks (as I had only experienced contractions as a result of being imduced which were really strong). They got a bit stronger by about 7pm but still wasnt sure. At about 9pm they suddenly got stonger and really irregular. I didnt think I could cope without pain relief and phoned hosp only to be told the mlu and labour ward both full! Would need to go to next hosp 1.5 hour away! Few minutes later realised baby was about to come out and had unexpected home birth! My mother delivered the baby a few minutes before the paramedics arrived. Although it was very scary at the time and I was really panicking, I wouldnt have changed it. Looking back ( was only 10 days ago haha) I know I was very lucky. She weighed 8lb 8oz and I had a couple of tears which didnt reqiure stiches. Oh and just 2 pushes, one for head one for body!

Both babies heads were 34cms. If ds had got to 41 weeks he would have been huge! So this baby actually smaller...

Edited: 20/01/2012 at 11:46