* Birth Stories Second Time Round *

[jenna_lenni]

Hi everyone,
                  I am expecting my 2nd baby on the 26th Dec 2010 and im just wondering if any of you have already gone throgugh child birth a second time already if so how would you describe your second from your first?  Is it really easier and quicker the second time round?? And is the pain not so bad when you've already done it before?

I would love to hear a few stories/Responses about this as im just wondering what to expect this time round,am i in for a long long night of contractions or should this one be over in a flash!

Thanks all! =]

[blueeyedtabbycat]

my 2nd labor was cut in half (time wise) My labor the 2nd time around was also drug free as opposed to my firsy that was with an epidural. But then my 3rd was even shorter but my 4th turned out to be my longest and only labor that my water broke on its own. Every labor is diffrent and honestly I would have believed that your labors always get shorter but my 4th was longer than even my first and my 1st baby was only 6 hours. So.
Baby1-6 hours
baby2- 3.5 hours
baby3- 3 hours
baby4- 9 hours (roughly)
good luck! Every labor is diffrent!

[Cassandrajane]

I havent even had my first yet, but from experience of my step mum whos had 6. Its different Everytime round. Depends on your baby and your body... mainly the baby, my step mum with her first took 3 hrs with her second took 2 days. With her most recent (6th) It was her longest labor she had... Over two days.

So its different everytime.

My Niece was born on the 18th... my SIL went into labour on the 16th.

Everytime is different..


x

[LosingMyMindInGA]

I've given birth 5 times so far.  I'll try to summarize each, but first I'll say that, atleast for me, the pain was pretty much the same each time, the only difference was that I knew what to expect.  

1st:  emergency c-section, no contractions, no dialation, no labor

2nd:  Labor started early in the morning, lots of moderately intense contractions and blood tinged mucus, took until evening for contractions to become regular, water broke as I was entering the hospital.  Labor slowed becuase I was doped on IV pain meds, they assisted with pitocin.  I delivered vaginally at 12:20 the next afternoon. I had a small episiotomy that required 1 stitch.  (there were extenuating circumstances that slowed my labor but I won't go into them, don't wanna freak you out)


3rd:  My water broke at midnight, woke me up.  Contractions started almost immediately and got more intense with each one.  Got to the hospital around 1.  I originally told the nurses I didn't want an epidural, but at 6 cm I asked for one. My nurses were awesome and talked me through my contractions and told me I could do it without it.  By 6 am I was starting to feel the urge to push, the doctor came in.  It took 3 sets of 3 pushes and she was born at 6:27 am(without an epidural). I had a hairline tear, but not enough for stitches.  Recovery was fast and easy.

4th:  I had my membranes stripped on thursday (i was 2cm/50%), had mucus and intermittent contractions fri, sat and sun. Woke up monday and had some moderate contractions and felt I was leaking fluid.  Went to  L & D around 9 am, I was still2cm/50% they said I wasn't leaking and sent me home.  My contractions were getting stronger and closer and I still felt I was leaking fluid so I called my OB. She told me to go back to  L&D.  Got there about 3:30 pm, they checked and said I WAS leaking and was 5cm & 75% so they admitted me.  At 430 I asked for an epidural, I was between 6-7 cm and the baby was lower.  About a half hour later my water broke.  At 630 I finally got my epidural but while he was inserting it the baby dropped and I suddenly HAD to push.  As they were laying me back down the nurse saw the baby was crowning and yelled for the doctor.  Again it took 3 sets of 3 pushes and he was born at 6:54.  

5th:  The day before my due date I was barely a cm dialated and only beginning to efface.  I wasn't having any contractions that were worthy or mentioning.  I was having bad episodes of vomiting, I wasn't keeping anything down.  I had severe hip pain and wasn't sleeping so I was induced on my due date.  At 1:45 the nurse checked and I was 1 almost 2 cm and about 40% effaced (same as i was day before).  They started the pitocin drop right after, starting at 2 mg.  Once that go into my blood stream the contractions started coming consistently about 4-5 mins apart and strong enough to feel them but nothing that made me have to stop talking or anything. Over the next several hours they periodically increased the pitocin until I was at the full 20 mg at 6 pm.  Still contractions were 3-5 mins apart but still no more than a 2-3 on the 10 scale.  Nurse checked me at that point and I was only 2-3 cm and 90% effaced and baby still about -2 station.  About 6:50 I suddenly felt a pop and a thud at the same time (water broke) contractions IMMEDIATELY started getting more intense...they shot up to about 5-6 and were coming every 3 mins or so.   Doc came in to do the epi about 7:15.  Contractions were coming 2 min apart and hurt like crazy...about a 9 at this point, by 8 the epi was in full effect.  I told the nurse I wasnt feeling pain but was starting to get a lot of pressure in my bottom.  She checked and said I was fully effaced and 8-9 cm.  So she went to call my OB to come in...I told her to tell him to leadfoot it becuase the pressure was getting a lot worse.  she came back and checked me again right after calling Doc and I was a complete 10 and baby was coming down.  She said that my docs partner was on the floor in case my doc dind't make it in time.  the first "practice" set of pushes made him crown, by the 1st push of the 3rd set is head was halfway out.  One more push and he was born at 8:28 pm.

Hope this helps you:)  As you can see ALL of mine were different.