2nd pregnancy - labour experience

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premama

Registered User
Hello. I am pregnant with my 2nd baby, and am really delighted.

I am looking forward to the whole process of being pregnant again and re-living that joy of having a baby. However, one thing that's been bothering me slightly is the pain I went through my 1st labour (I had a natural delivery, no epidural. I was in labour for 6 hours but it seemed like a long time and I remember it being very painful).

I was just wondering if other 2nd time mums went through the same thought process and how they dealt with this worry/fear of labour - I feel rather guilty worrying about labour pains because I know it leads to a joyful result. I would ideally like to have natural delivery again but am wondering if there is any way I could ease the pain. I also heard that 2nd babies come out easier and am wondering how "true" this is. Would love to hear real experiences from mums who've been through 2nd pregnancies!

:thanks
 
Hi - just had my second a week ago, natural delivery like the first, but both with an edidural.

This one was MUCH quicker, I was actually in labour for 8 hours or so during the day thinking they were just very strong braxtons (grocery shopping, watching American Idol, etc)... went to the hospital after eventually coming to the conclusion it was too painful to be false labour, had an immediate epidural to ease the pain and after 3 hours or so was ready to go. 10 mins of pushing and bub was out. Pain free and wonderful!

The second is defintely easier as your muscles 'remember' and go with the flow. The recovery has been much quicker as well - although the sleep deprviation is EXACTLY THE SAME!

Well done to you Premama for going no epidural the first time around, I simply couldn't imagine doing that.. If I had realised I was really in labour earlier I would have been knocking down the Matilda's door for the epidural from the very beginning!!

All in all, for me it was definitely easier the second time around however I had a fairly positive experience the first time also.

Good luck!
 
I was worried aobut his as well as I didnt' enjoy my first delivery at all. I had wanted a natural delivery and ended up being induced for medical reasons 5 dyas before my due date, and my body was not at all ready for delivery, so I had to have 2 gels to ripen my cervix and then the oxytocin which left me with no space between contractions at all, I could relax at all and was not coping with the contractions very well and got the epidural. (35 or 36 hours total) The second time I really did not want this. I planned on having a doula to help me when I got to transition. I was still induced becasue I was over due. I was very close to goin natually on my own as I was starting to lose my mucous plug at 9 days, induced on teh 10th day overdue. In retrospect I don't know why i agree to the induction given I was pretty sure I'd go soon, but anyways I did. This time I only had cervidl once and I went into labor, no oxytocin no pain meds, a perfect bitrh, it was so joyful!, eveything completely natural. I was in labor for 4.5 hours. The contractions were much more managable, pain free in between, I was much calmer. What helped the most between the 2 deliveries was:
1. No oxyocin and my body was ready to be in labor
2. having a doula to talk me through the contraction during transition
3. I labored in a tub from the time I was admitted until aobut 5-10 minuted before baby was born.
4. I knew what to expect re: pain and pracitsed breathing when I had braxton hicks before birth. I used this book as a guide line. It has 2 very simple breathing patterns. Regular slow death realxation breathign, and a faster light upper chest breathing for when the slow breathing doesn't work anymore.

http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/35/search?sc=pregnancy+childbirth+and+the+newborn&sf=BookName

Good luck!
 
Thank You for this thread! I'm only 9 1/2 weeks along with number 2 but like you its being weighing on my mind. Number 1 was delivered only with gas and air (no epidural/petitdine) and then an episiotomy..does anyone know if the chances of me needing an episiotomy are higher with this one too?
 
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Hi there - oh I remember thinking and feeling the same thing! So excited but "sooo hope its not as bad"! lol I too, choose to not have any drugs at all for labour and delibery and have natural deliveries and was THRILLED with my second labour and delivery. About 3-4 hours all up, like LeahH said, your body "remembers" how to give birth so my second was much much easier - only 2 contractions in second stage and she was out! Couldn't believe how much quicker it was, in fact I remember thinking "what's going on?!"...it felt like moving through from 1st stage into 2nd stage happened VERY quickly - all of a sudden, boom, wanted to get her out! lol All in all, was just a fantastic second birth, none of those fears and "what the hell do I do now" worries you have in your first labour and delivery - if I had any advice, I would just say, go with it the second time, go with the flow, accept its happening, trust your body knows what its doing and remember to breathe! good luck!
 
Congratulations! I just had my second and I had very similar anxiety over how labor and delivery would go, albeit for different reasons, I had an epidural and a very long labor last time and it ended up being very stressful, 2.5 hours of pushing and vacuum needed. This time I wanted to go drug free. I ended up having a c-section because baby was breech, but before that I was taking the Hypnobirthing class through Annerley midwives and it was awesome. Actually the techniques I learned in the class helped me stay calm and relaxed during surgery and helped it be a joyful and relaxed birth even though it was surgical.

I also recommend a couple of books: Hynobirthing by Marie Mongan (this is the book used by the Annerley class) and Birthing From Within. Birthing from Within gives a lot of pain management techniques. Also, I didn't get to try it but there is a home study course called Hypnobabies (just search for it on google) that is supposed to be very good. All have pain management techniques and the Hypno techniques focus on helping you relax and not fear the pain.

If you made it through 6 hours (which is fast to me! LOL) with no drugs before, you can totally do it again! I wish you luck!!!
 
Like you I was worried about my second. My first was 19 hours of back labour without any pain relief at all, followed by emergency 'scissors', forcepts and injuries which took over 4 months to heal. ( Baby was well and truly stuck and in distress).
The second was like something out of a comedy show and I still laugh when I think about it. I was having a really busy day and had not time had my regular BM, so I convinced myself it was bad constipation. Was out and about all day carrying my toddler and everything - though needed to stop and pant every so often. Anyway after I went to the toilet, I suddenly got the urge to push. It was my hubby who recognised it and it was literally jump in the taxi, screaming 'hospital quick' , Fortunately we happened to live just arround the corner from the hospital.When I got there, My boy was born within 15 mins of arriving - 2 pushes and out! The recovery was WAY quicker - after the birth the nurse brought in the wheel chair to take me to my room and I remember saying 'what do I need one of those for - I'm fine.' Our bodies are wonderful at learning and everyone I've talked to has said that the second is WAY easier than the first. Good luck! (Just don't be a complete ditz like me and nearly have it down the loo!)
 
The second was definitely easier and quicker than the first. I only had gas for the first, no epidural, but had episiotomy. With the second did not even have the gas and natural tear with stitches. Dunno whether it's becos of it being the second or cos I had different obs, but if it's possible, don't have the episiotomy. I can tell you natural tear was sooooo much easier to heal and much much less painful. Also, since you have done it all before and not as tense as being a 1st time mom, looking after a 2nd one also seems a lot easier.
 
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