I know that second labors/births tend to be faster, but curious what else was different for you!
For me, my first labor was around 14 hours, my water broke on it's own in the hospital, and I pushed for an hour. So curious what will change this time around!
Share your experience!
pomegranate / 3791 posts
My first labor was 24 hours long, though it took about 12 hours to start feeling mind-blowingly painful. I was progressing crazy slow, got an epi about 18 hours in at 3cm, started progressing crazy fast...then after lots of back and forth withL's heart rate, and all efforts to raise it failing, ended up with an emergency c-section. Boo!
Second time I had GD, baby was measuring quite large and I was starting to exhibit signs of pre-e, and my cervix wouldn't budge so they couldn't induce me...so I had a RCS that is being a total pain in the ass with slow healing. Double boo!
Not really helpful in terms of wanting to know about labor being shorter/faster, sorry! I hold yours is faster!
honeydew / 7917 posts
My second pregnancy was very easy on my body. I had GD again, but I was more informed and able to handle it with no issues. I was comfortable but had BH contractions regularly, especially in my third trimester. My first labor dragged on for a long time (27+ hours), which included over 2 hours of pushing. My second happened so quickly, about 3 hours from start to finish. No tearing both times, and I had a very easy recovery with my second. Had to EP with my first and breastfed my second with no issues (just reached a year).
blogger / eggplant / 11551 posts
Everything was mostly the same, except it was faster (half the time), and only part of my water broke on its own so they had to break the remainder. I also didn't tear, and recovery was much faster. I didn't feel like I got hit by a truck like I did the first time!
pineapple / 12566 posts
Mine started the same, water broke with no contractions. I had an epi with 1, but not with 2, and the 2nd one was MUCH faster (hence no epi). She was born in 45 min once the contractions started. Also, recovery for LO2 was much faster.
bananas / 9357 posts
With DS active labor lasted about 15 hours. My contractions just started and got progressively stronger and stronger. Pushed about 45 minutes.
DD was different. My water broke first @ 3pm. Contractions didn't start for a few hours after around 6 pm. Then they weren't very regular. More active labor started around 9-10 pm. Got to hospital at 11 pm then things really picked up. I had her at 2:20 am and only a few pushes and she was out. It was much faster but the pain was very intense. I think once I hit transition at about 8 cm, she was born within about 10-15 minutes. Where as that part took a couple of hours with DS. Also didn't tear this time but probably because she was smaller.
pomegranate / 3983 posts
Everything was different, except that both times contractions started at 3 mins apart.
pomegranate / 3759 posts
With the first, I was 10 days overdue and it started with contractions. Progressed really fast but pushed for 4 hours ending with a vacuum assist.
Second I had early labour for 5 days before my water finally broke. I progressed a little slower but pushed twice and she was out. It seemed altogether different.
GOLD / papaya / 10206 posts
First labour water broke with no contractions, after 2 'days and some pitocin she finally came.
Second I was in full on denial when my labour when active, less than 12 hours from first cramp to baby in my arms.
honeydew / 7283 posts
Thanks for starting this thread @Adira: ! I'm so eager to see how labor #2 will go!
Anyone have two inductions? I'm potentially looking at induction #2 in the next few weeks and wondering what that might look like.
papaya / 10560 posts
Even faster. Contractions first then my water broke, opposite with my first so I wasn't expecting that.
wonderful pomelo / 30692 posts
@yin: @Mrs. High Heels: @lamariniere: @mrskc: @prettylizy: @matador84: These "it was faster" stories scare me! Last time, I started feeling contractions in the morning and spent time at work being all "Is this labor??" before I finally went home, packed my hospital bag, timed my contractions, and went to the hospital. Hearing that some people were only in labor for a couple hours freaks me out! I'm scared I'm going to be at work and not have time to make it to the hospital!!
cherry / 156 posts
I'm also a little freaked out by the "so much faster" trend, although I'm loving all of the easier recoveries!
LO#1 - My water broke on Friday night. Labor didn't kick in on it's own so 3 rounds of Cervadil and miles of walking later active labor finally kicked in at 9am on Sunday. He was out at 1pm. I only pushed maybe 7 or 8 times and it was maybe just 20 or 30 minutes after I transitioned.
My mom's second child was super fast as well. She was crowning in the car and born in the emergency room.
I maybe wouldn't be so freaked out (a fast active labor was great for me the first time!) except that I live 1.5 hours from the hospital on the other side of a mountain pass... Oh well. It will all be fine, I'm sure.
nectarine / 2466 posts
@Adira: m y first labor was less than 5 hours from my first contraction... I'm pretty scared if this one is going to be faster! Can't be flying down the roads in the winter !
cantaloupe / 6059 posts
My two labors were completely different.
DS: 4 days late, 36 hour labor that started with contractions every 5 minutes apart, was in transition for 9 hours, all back labor, 1.5 hours pushing, had my water broken as I started pushing, 2nd degree tear, no after pains
DD: had to be induced at 41w6d, less than 4 hour labor, no back labor, twenty minutes of pushing, a minimal skid mark tear, and horrendous after pains (I think recovery was harder with number 2 honestly because of them)
Also, I found "normal" labor harder to deal with than back labor. I did NOT like the pain in the front. Back labor's a bitch but I thought it was more localized And thus easier to manage than normal labor which felt like my pelvis was being ripped apart.
wonderful pomelo / 30692 posts
@coopsmama: Interesting your take on back labor vs normal labor! I had back labor with my first and I've HEARD that it's worse, so interesting that you found it actually not as bad! I'm curious what I'll experience this time...
cantaloupe / 6059 posts
@Adira: yes! You'll have to update this thread with your experiences in a few weeks! 
wonderful pomelo / 30692 posts
I feel like I need to update this thread now that I've been through birth #2!
With Xander, I started feeling light random contractions around 7:30 a.m., but they didn't start becoming obvious until closer to noon, when I started timing them. They were 5-1-1 by 4:30 p.m. and we were at the hospital by 5:30 p.m., where I was 3-4 cm dilated. Xander was born at 2:06 a.m. after an hour of pushing.
With Logan, my contractions started around 6:00 p.m. and by 7:00 p.m., they were obvious! They were already 5-1-1 by 8:00 p.m. and we got to the hospital by 9:30 p.m., where I was 5-6 cm dilated. Logan was born at 3:28 a.m. after only 10 minutes of pushing!!
So from active labor to the end, birth #1 was 9.5 hours with 1 hour of pushing. Birth #2 was 7.5 hours with 10 minutes of pushing.
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