Fast labours.

**Mrs B** · 05-05-2008, 04:10pm

Asking this on behalf of my sister btw! She had a very fast first labour (around 2 hours) and is due number 2 next week; she's obviously a little apprehensive about getting her husband home and to the hospital on time, as well as arranging childcare (nearest relative is 1.5 hours away). So, did anyone who had a very fast first labour then go on to have a longer subsequent one, or is she right to be concerned? Obviously I know that they are all different but just wandered if it was likely to be something her body does naturally or if it's the luck of the draw.

**Princess Fiona** · 05-05-2008, 04:13pm

Not me but my friends 2nd labour was only 4 hours from 1st pain to delivery the baby. Her 2nd was slightly longer at 6 hours.

Personally with Lucy i had her just 5 hours after my waters went, i progressed very quickly once they'd gone. With Max they broke my waters and again i progressed very quickly but ended up with an emergency section because his hand slipped down into the birth canal rather than his head

the MW said though that when she examined me (when she realised it was his hand not his head) i was already around 7-8cm and that was only 2 hours after my waters were broken so i reckon if things had gone to plan i'd have been quicker 2nd time.

**cartchick** · 05-05-2008, 04:20pm

My best friends' first labour was 6 hours and her second was 15 hours - so it CAN take longer.

**MrsK** · 05-05-2008, 04:22pm

I have heard that susequent labours half in time

This was certainly true for me, the times were from first pain to delivery:

1st....DS1 was 3hrs
2nd...DD1 was 1 and a half hours
3rd....DD2 was 45 mins
4th....DS2 was also 45 mins

I would def tell her to be prepared, just in case

**meemoo** · 05-05-2008, 04:26pm

my second labour was VERY fast and so fast I gave birth before the paramedics got to me and my mum ended up delivering Hollie on my landing

, the midwife joked about me booking myself in hosp a week before

my due date as subsequent labours if i were to get pregnant again are usually even faster

**Raspberry Lemonade** · 05-05-2008, 04:39pm

I did. One of my labours was around 2 hours long, the next one only 30 mins or so (eek!) and then I had a very long 15 hour one

It all depends on the position of the baby, and every labour is different

**Badgirl** · 05-05-2008, 04:46pm

My 2nd labour was only 12 mins so the MWs even set me a homebirrth pack in case it happened again. As it turned out the 3rd labour was about 8/9 hours so no panic after all

**Katiekipper** · 05-05-2008, 04:52pm

Mine were 3 hrs (but 50mns of that was pushing as he was sideways on having tried to turn out of his posterior position!) 1 hr 28 and 1 hr exactly.
With DS2 they induced me and gave me an epidural in an attempt to slow it down and control it but he was still only 60mns from the drip going in.
They've threatened me with being induced if I have another, but I'm not going to do it unless there's a need like there was with DS2.
So, in my experience they do get quicker!

**myzzterri** · 05-05-2008, 06:50pm

she def needs to be prepared......

although I had an excrutiating pre-labour stage with Euwyn, once they allowed me to labour, it was only a couple of hours (around 30 mins from them getting me into the labour suite)

Brett & Toby were both about 43 minutes.......

(Brett was an unplanned homebirth in the bathroom!)

**WeeBird** · 05-05-2008, 07:08pm

My first labour was 3hrs from first contraction to baby out and my second was 90mins from first to out. I would certainly say she should be prepared. Even the midwives were surprised at the speed of mine. I'm going for under 60mins next time