Labour?

My labour was awful with DD with nothing going to plan and more intervention than I had hoped for and it lasted over 26 hours.

For those who have had 2 or more babies - How did you second or subsequent labour compare to your first? (Better or Worse)

mine have all been induced.

1st labour had gel inserted at about 8pm at night, had early labour all night. ob went to break my waters at around 8am the next morning but they broke naturally just as she opened my legs (pmsl!!) full on labour didnt establish until around 10am when i had iv in and epidural to lower my bp- jade was born just after 2pm that day. so wasnt too long.

2nd labour gel about 8am started a few contractions at 12pm(ish) 3cm dialted at 4pm when they broke my waters emma was born at 6.28pm so oonly a few hours of active labour.

3rd labour gel inserted sometime before 10am, nothing much happened only a few mild early labour pains until around 3pm when things started a bit more ( i was freaking out that it would be a LONG labour) i was 3cm dialated when ob broke my waters just before 5pm (at 4pm i was 1cm and things just werent happening!! grr!) anyway labour started up pretty intensly got in the bath bout 5.30pm contractions were close together and i really needed to pooh, so got out bath sat on toilet and had a HUGE urge to push midwife came running in and told me to get on the bed- i didnt think i could possibly be ready to have the baby it hadnt been long!! got on the bed just in time to push out kayla

basicaly my trend with labours has been active labour has halved each time, lol, and if it continues i might have 1/2 hour for this one nah... whats the bet that this one is LONGER!!!

thanks mum2emj - i was wondering how a third induction was going to go... i am really worried about it for some reason.

and thomasina i dont recall pain when mine were broken for my second labour...just a big splash!! LOL!

Jacks labour was long (28 hours from the first wee niggle) but not terribly painful and 45 mins of pushing. I had a really long transition (hours and hours).

Capreces was really intense but a lot quicker (about 6 hours) and she was 6 mins of pushing. Don't even recall the transition.

I had a horrible first labour too and was so scared this time. Greer's labour was much quicker and she came out with just a few pushes (Hannah was 1.5 hours pushing). I found I was much more aware of what was happening, knew when to push and the mw didnt really have to do anything (partly cos I started pushing when we had only been at the hopsital about 10 mins!). I read the book Birth Skills by Juju Sundin (shes an Aussie physio) and that really helped me out heaps to cope with the pain and working through the labour.

First one, I went into labour but then started haemorraging so had an ec/s
Second one was posterior and early labour was 30+ hours. Then I had artificial rupture (which didn't hurt and I found the gush feeling a relief) and went into transition with shakes and freaking out and everything. Had epidural, episiotomy, and finally birthed that bubba but with only about 6 hours of active labour I think.
Third one I was so much more prepared. I kept waiting for transition but it never came - maybe cause I was more relaxed? (I didn't feel more relaxed though!) I did feel heaps more confident in my mw though (a different one). I needed ARM again, still no transition, had gas and fentynal and 3 hours active labour.
So for me, it gets heaps better every time!

Maya was 41 hours of labour all up, 17 hours "clinical" labour, artificial rupture of membranes (which didn't hurt but was uncomfortable) syntocinon, epidural, 1.5 hours pushing. I coped badly with the pain, the epidural was wonderful and I was overall pretty positive about the experience.

The gremlins were less than 6 hours start to finish. They were induced, altho not in the traditional way. I had an epi put in prior to induction to enable my labour to be medically managed then they broke my waters as I was already around 4cm dilated from weeks of random contractions. My waters were broken around 2pm, syntocinon started at 3pm and by 8pm both babies were out, even tho it took over an hour to push Sienna out as she was on an awkward angle. I LOVED their birth experience, would do it again in a heartbeat and I hope this one goes similarly. The epi failed and I had my last top up at 3pm so went thru transition and second/third stages with no pain relief at all.

My first labour was about 7 hours and was relatively straight forward...no pain releif. The pushing stage was about 40 minutes. I had a small tear and remember being really sore afterwards. Wee'd in the shower for weeks cos it was so sore.
My second labour was WAY better. 2.5 hours from start to finish. Only a couple of pushes and he was out...no tears or anything.
I think the best thing about this second labour was afterwards. A little bit tender, but nothing like the first time. The bleeding was better, my boobs weren't as sore when the milk came in...and we were able to get "back on the horse" much sooner.

Your body has much more of a clue of what to do, so things should go much smoother for you. You will definatly not feel so shell shocked afterwards anyway.

Good luck

Hey, my first labour was about 9 hours from the first niggle. ( I had a Sweep the day before) but only my hind waters had broken so they had to push baby back in to get the waters out hehehe. I had everything with her... epidural, gas and pethidine. Even had to have stiches internally as I tore when she came out!!

With DD2 I went into labour at 10.30pm (4weeks early) and had a bath etc to try and ease the pain, about 1.30pm woke DH and told him what was happening. Then rung midwife, went to hospital at 3.30pm and was given pethidine, but all labour stopped. Then at 7.30am waters broken, still nothing... syntocinon administered at 9am. Wanted an epidural, anaethetist came bout 10am to give me one but I could feel her head. Midwife came to check on me. As I was lying on my side rolled me back on back and ended up having to catch baby who was already coming. Pushing - NONE.

Waters have been broken both times, and just a warm gush!!
Hoping this time round things are a bit in between... maybe another fast labour but hopefully not too painful

I had a 14 hr labour with Sienna only gas for pain relief and nothing in the last hour, then a 3hr from start to finish with Noah & Lola it was great no pain meds, so stitches or anything would sooooo do it again