How many of you had a quicker labour second time round?

[lylabellablueyes]

My midwife keeps telling me it's faster and easier second time round.

What was your second experience like if so? X

[ummmm]

1st was 4.5 hours
2nd was 2.5 hours
3rd was 3 hours

[cazzz1975]

mine was yes, I think the actual labour time was half the time of my first labour

[cathfromsaron]

i was 2.20 and 2.30 so can't complain! i was on vitamin e and raspberry leaf tablets, so no stiches either!

also the whole thing is much less frightening and you will be more confident and know what is happening! good luck! xx

[puma86]

I thought raspberry leaf tea was to help with making contractions stronger? I took vitamin E and others and raspberry leaf tea but I still had stitches! I pushed when i wasn't supposed to :o(

[ummmm]

I didn't have any stitches....I didn't take anything.

[craft1948]

As my first was slightly more than 24 hours I never tried it again............

[yogasun]

Mine was quicker second time but can't remember length...all a blur!

However my daughter in law has just had a baby and I was interested to discover that episiotomies are not standard now. She was allowed to 'tear naturally' (ouch!!). Thinking is the tear will heal quicker and more effectively. Is this the case in all labour wards?

[sara3]

38 hours of hell, then a mere 5.5 hours of hell :o)

I did the raspberry leaf tea thing at the end of my 2nd pregnancy.

[sherrardk]

Second was much faster than the first (only at the hospital for an hour before he was born). Third was very fast - felt a bit iffy and ended up having my daughter in the kitchen with one leg still in my trousers!

[ummmm]

My 3rd was actually the worst. I went into shock after I had him...

[sara3]

ummmm, I went into shock with my 2nd one (son)...

.... about 12 years later, and I'm still there!

[ummmm]

Same....lol

If I'd had number 3 first...I wouldn't have had more...

[redcrx]

First was 6 hours
second was 1hr 50m (wouldve been less than that if i wasnt sat upright in car lol)

[tigwig]

Mine was definitely quicker yes. I managed the pain a whole lot better too and when it came to pushing it took around 1hr, 15mins 1st time but only 20mins 2nd time and it was much easier.

[k8bailey]

1st one: 26.5 hours in labour inc 2.5 hours pushing, epidural, forceps, tearing, episiotomy, blood loss, anaemia, blood clots...awful!

2nd one: waters went an hour before contractions started, baby born 4 hours later after only 7 mins of pushing with a little gas and air, some tearing, but a much nicer experience - I felt much more in control, baby looked much healthier that the first one had and I was back at home that afternoon :)

It's easier because you know what's happening, I fought against my contractions with the first but let my body get on with it the second time....you will be fine. x

[ruthandsam]

1st child: induced and 12 hours in labour - I was 28 years old
2nd child: 30 mins in labour and nearly had her in the ambulance - I was 43 years old. Therefore I think it was a mixture of I knew what to expect so just got on with it but also my body knew what to expect so it was in a hurry!

[albaqwerty]

If my second son was my first labour, he would be an only child.

First son, about 3 hours
2nd son, about 2 hours

[whiskeysheri]

My sister was in labour with my first niece for two hours. With the second, she asked me to be her birthing partner (alongside her boyfriend), so I was on standby in the last few weeks. Three weeks before A was born, my sister called me in full-blown labour, having had her waters break on the stairs on the way back up to her flat after the school run for the eldest, minutes earlier. I left work and shot over to hers to try and meet them before the ambulance got there. I arrived at 9:26am and the baby literally shot out nine minutes later on the bed. Showered, dressed and on the sofa just in time for when I picked up the big niece at lunch time. :)

[B00]

first was 2 hours, second was 50 minutes!

[B00]

And by 50 minutes, i do mean, from getting there, to sitting in the hospital bed, bathed, with a cup of tea with baby next to me.