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I think 16 hours is a little extreme. My labor with my first was not aided at all by any interventions and was about 12 hours from first contraction to delivery. But, either way, 2 hours is definitely fast. My mom had me (her second child) in under 4 hours so my doc wants me calling her as soon as I feel anything. Especially now that we've found out I'm group B strep positive.... I really need to haul ass to the hospital when things get going.

My second birth was extremely fast. My water broke without contractions. I didn't experience any contractions for over 5 hours, but I was at 3-4 cm. The midwife suggested an enema as a natural way to get the contractions started. My contractions started within 20 minutes of the enema. Within 10 minutes of the first contraction I was experiencing full on, extremely painful and intense contractions. I went from 5 to 10 cm in 15 minutes and my baby was born within 45 minutes of the first contraction! My OB said that I should plan on a home birth I were ever to have another baby.

Mine wasn't quite, but it was really fast once things got going. I had what I now know were early labor contractions all night, woke up at 6 hurting enough I was starting to think it might be real, and she was born at 10:40. During my first labor, they started inducing with a method similar to a Foley catheter for 2 days, so I was having some contractions already, but when they started the pitocin it immediately ramped up to full. I was in and out in about 2 hours, from IV placement to literally walking out the door. So I would say you might not expect it to be REALLY fast without pit, but I'd be paying attention.

Not me, but a friend had her first in under 6 hrs.
Her second came so fast she delivered on the kitchen floor waiting for paramedics!

Baby #1 was 4.5 hours. Baby #2 was born 58 minutes after they broke my waters....I had no contractions prior. I had cervidil the night before but no pitocin or anything. Labour was recorded as 58 minutes. It was intense. The midwife didn't even get her gloves on. They warned me if we have a 3rd I'll probably sneeze it out. Haha. We are done though! Apparently if you have high bp labours are quite often fast.

Matador84 had her baby in the car on the side of the road! You can look up her birth story or wall her if she doesn't chime in.

Oh the 3 moms in my playgroup who have had their second babies, two were very fast, though I don't know what exactly qualifies as precipitous. I'm assuming mine with be faster but not crazy- my biggest concern is having enough time to get care for C sorted it before heading to the hospital. My midwife said don't wait at home too long and just bring her and have someone meet us there if it comes down to it.
Of my friends who had fast births they did say they had clues leading up to it so it wasn't a total shock when active labor started.

I was on Pitocin too, and at first my contractions were just painful but not doing much for the first 3 hours and then my body seemingly stopped fighting it and I went from 4-10 in less than an hour and they considered that portion very fast. I'd trust your body, they kept telling me I was crazy and then they checked me and still told me I had hours to go once I was at 10cm. Baby arrived less than 20 minutes later. No one wants Pitocin, but I've considered that if we have another (which I doubt) that I may ask to be induced so I'm at the hospital - I'm terrified of giving birth in a car/house any other non-hospital place.

@Truth Bombs: I was GBS+ with my second baby too. it's a total crap shoot! but i get the anxiety - they were planning an induction for 39 weeks because even my OB was concerned about a highway delivery. I went into labor at 38+2 and ran around like a nutcase because I was like WE HAVE TO LEAVE RIGHT NOW!! haha!

My first labor my water started leaking at 8am and the baby was born at 1pm. My second, my contractions started around 2-230pm and the baby was born at 525. I went from 4cm to baby in arms in less than 2hours.

If your 45 mins from the hospital, I'd just head in once your body tells you it's time. If the hospital tries to send you home, maybe just go to a hotel near by?

@Cherrybee: oh - and I needed pit with baby2! so bizarre. she had mec in her fluid, and was apparently not in a rush whatsoever, and they didn't want her hanging out in there longer than needed. once they gave me pit I progressed quickly (4 cm at triage at 4 am, 4-5 cm by 6:50 am, pit at 8 am once my OB was back from a c-sec and fully dilated at 9 am!).

@sorrycharlie: This makes me feel better! I had a pretty quick birth with LO1 and was deemed GBS+ with LO2. I'm 38 weeks 3 days now and anxious about getting to the hospital on time!

I had PROM with DS so was 0 cm when I was tarted on Pitocin. I was at 10cm within 4 hours and DS was born 2 hours later. With DD, from the time I knew I was in labor until the time she was born was less than 2 hours. We were at the hospital for less than 45 mins before she was born. No time for monitoring and I ended up hemorrhaging because of how fast it happened.

@Cherrybee: I started bleeding so I knew I was dilating and the contractions were becoming more difficult to talk through, and closer together. I didn't really think I was as far along as I was though, and I was shocked when they told me I was a 7-8 in the triage area. I think I was in the delivery room for a total of 10 mins before I pushed her out. I barely had time to get on the bed! I also have a very high pain tolerance and had both babies without pain meds, so I think that skewed my perception of when it was time to go in.