Question about labor and delivery with your second (and after

[Mamatoabunch]

All except one of my subsequent labors were much shorter than first. I have had 2 babies w/ a nuchal cord and it did not prevent them from decending, one wrapped so tight dh had to put baby's head at my thigh so baby could deliver and be caught. Oh all my singles were born between 37-39ish weeks.

[Michelle_M]

With my first baby, I was induced at just after 36 weeks due to very high blood pressure. My labor, from the time my water broke to the time I delivered was a little over 9 hours. But because I was induced, it was very rough. We had some complications (which I am SURE are due to being induced too early) which made it even tougher.

My second baby, my water broke on it's own ON his due date. My water broke at 12:30pm and and he was born at 9:28pm. However, the tough contractions didn't start until about 5:00 or 6:00pm. They ended up giving me a little dose of pitocin, and things sped up from there.

With my first baby, we pushed for almost an hour and a half. With my second baby I pushed less than 30 minutes.

I think the second labor goes a bit quicker, not necissarily because your body has already been through and "knows what to do" I mean, your body KNEW what to do the first time... I think it's quicker for most women because they KNOW what to expect, and it's less scary. Since it's less scary, you can be more relaxed, and work WITH your body. Fear causes you to react negatively and work AGAINST your body... so when there is less fear, there is more "stop thinking about it and just listen to your body" kindof things.

Make sense?

This will be my first birth with NO pitocin at all, and no epidural. So I'm hoping that going through this two times already will make it as quick, if not quicker than my second birth.

Also, I'll be at a birthing center instead of a hospital, and TOTALLY plan on utilizing the birthing tub.

Good luck mama.
God bless,
Michelle

[1blessedmama]

I didn't go any earlier with DD2 (around the same time- 40ish weeks). But it was a lot shorter. Granted, I was induced with DD1 so I don't know what a natural labor with her would have brought, but it was 12 horrid painful hours (well, until the last 3 with the epidural). With DD2 my labor was a very bearable 5 hours.

[erin_brycesmom]

Each of my babies have come a little sooner.
first - 42 weeks 4 days
second - 42 weeks exactly
third - 41 weeks 2 days
I agree with the PPs that nuchal cords do not prevent descension and they are not a reason for a c-section.

[erin_brycesmom]

forgot to answer the second question...
My first was an induction that took about 20 hours. My second, I had 3 days of early labor and about 6 hours of active labor. My third, I had 3 days of early labor and 2 hours of active labor.