Was your labor/birth different or the same 2nd time around?

How did your labor/birth experience differ or the same the second time around?

Did you push less? Labor for less or more hours?

I had a horrible birth experience and I am more worried about the after effects and pain than anything else, i really don't want to go through what i went through with DD.

I would love to hear how the 2nd time went around for those mommies who did it already. DR tells me 2nd one is a whole new ballgame!

TIA!

Message edited 2/6/2007 2:50:48 PM.

Re: Was your labor/birth different or the same 2nd time around?

When Jack was born I pretty much had a natural birth b/c my epidrual didn't work and boy was it not fun! But I only was in labor for a few hours and had to push for about 20 minutes tops. Molly was a piece of cake! Epidural worked. Went to the hospital at 1pm expecting to be induced for high blood pressure, went into labor on my own, pushed three times and she was born at 4:30pm. I felt fine the next day. Very wierd. Everyone was yelling at me since I was up and about!

Edited to add that their birth mirrors their personalities! Jack is a little more work and highly energenic...not the easiest baby! Molly just goes with the flow and never cries. Life is a breeze for her.

Message edited 2/6/2007 3:01:56 PM.

Re: Was your labor/birth different or the same 2nd time around?

My first was a 12 hour labor with 2 1/2 hours of pushing. I had an episoitomy. My second was a 3 hour labor with 10 minutes of pushing no cuts or tears. I had an Epi with the 1st and I didn't have time for any drugs with the second. Both were morning births and both on a Tuesday.

It took 3 months after my first to feel like I was back to normal and to have sex. With #2 I was up walking around the same day I had her and I left the hospital after only 24 hours (it was the earliest they would let me go), and we were back to sex after only 11 days!

Message edited 2/6/2007 3:05:05 PM.

Re: Was your labor/birth different or the same 2nd time around?

It was so much faster. I was induced both times, the first time I had cervidil overnight first and then pitocin and labored for about 6 hours from then before pushing for about an hour.

This time I was having contractions every 5 mins when I got to the hosptial, got the cervidil around 11pm and my water broke about 3am and within 2 hours was fully dilated. I would have had him out in about 30 mins of pushing but the cord was wrapped around his neck and so he wasn't coming down the birth canal as fast as a result.

Re: Was your labor/birth different or the same 2nd time around?

I'm curious too as to how everyones delivery of their 2nd child was. My DD was so fast, we were in the hosptial 10 minutes before she was born, so I"m a bit nervous to how the 2nd would be. The plan for now is to hopefully be pregnant at the end of this year.

I had no time for drugs and everything happened so fast the first time around and it was pretty easy b/c it was so fast, I just hope the 2nd time around won't be a long and drawn out one.

Re: Was your labor/birth different or the same 2nd time around?

I am so hoping mine goes much faster than last time!

Re: Was your labor/birth different or the same 2nd time around?

OMG it is SO MUCH easier the 2nd time...
You're body is prepared the 2nd time-more "opened up"!

Re: Was your labor/birth different or the same 2nd time around?

First labor was 14 hours
Second labor was tops 1.5 hours.

2nd time: I experience more painful Braxton Hicks during my last month.

2nd time: More pressure toward the end. (although that could be with any full term pregnancy, not sure)

2nd time: I never dropped until I was in labor. In fact the night I went into labor I had mentioned how I thought I would go past my due date.

First labor, I pushed for 2 hours.
Second labor, I did a 1/2 a push only to ease the urge to push because I was waiting for DH to get to the room in time. That was all it took.

I'm not sure my experience counts as much because my first was a preemie at 34 weeks. I was in complete denial I was having a baby because he wasn't due for another 6 weeks. My second labor was barely labor.

Recovery was a lot easier the second time (I tore a different way - laterally i think which was better).

While I did both labor with no epidural, I was ready to take heroin to crack to ease the cramping when I nursed. Your uterus already knows how to contract back so when you nurse, it immediately starts to contract. That was the most painful part of the entire 2nd birth for me.

Message edited 2/6/2007 8:17:33 PM.

Re: Was your labor/birth different or the same 2nd time around?

My first was 21+ hours and my 2nd was 16+ hours. I pushed for 2 hours w/ #1 and 5 minutes w/ #2. My OB thought my 2nd would be much quicker, but DS had other plans. It was a difficult labor, to say the least.

Re: Was your labor/birth different or the same 2nd time around?

My first was a terrible experience.. I was in labor for days and my contractions weren't making me dilate at all they put me on pitocic and I ended up having an epidural... then I ended up pushing for hours and when he was finally born he had a fractured clavicle because he got stuck on pelvic bone...

My second was EASY... i woke up at 4 or 5am feeling a little sick, then woke my DH up at about 6am when I realized I was in labor... I walked and then sat in the bath tub for a while and we headed off to the hosp around 7-8am and I had her at 10am!
I can only hope that this one is as easy as my second!

Honestly, I think alot of what makes the second labor/birth easier is that the fear of the unknown is not there any longer.. you have a better idea of what is going to happen.