How long were you in labour?

Lizzybop

Like everyone has been saying - all women are different. I labour silently (dilate without feeling the contractions, really don't feel a thing up to a point.)

Great you might think - well yes until one of the silent 'contractions' decides it's time for my waters to break then all hell breaks loose.

I'd read all the books like you and expected the usual. My first ever experience of a contraction lasted 1.5 minutes and 30 secs later along came number 2 - and so it continued. Bit of a shock, plunged directly into late stage labour.

Mind you got it over and done with quickly - no time for epidural.

Second baby same thing only even faster (39 minutes first contraction felt to baby out.)

So everyone is different, some have an experience just like the books tell you it's going to be. Others have something very different.

Tell your fella - no uterus - no opinion!

Best of luck

McKneff

When your oh is asleep,, get a big rugby player and with a massive kick get the rugby ball into where the sun doesnt shine,

Then tell your OH he has to expel it.:eek:

ciderwithrosie_2

I don't understand mothers who delight in telling first time pregnant ladies horror stories - where's their female solidarity??

I just say it's the best day's work you'll ever do - cos look what you get at the end of it!

However, if you really want to know, my labours were:

DS1 - 5 hours
DS2 - 13 hours
DS3 - 4 hours

Becles

1st: woke up about 2am with painful and regular contractions. He arrived at 11am the following morning, so about 9 hours. Tried a TENS machine which had no effect and charged me full of static and everyone was getting an electric shock when they touched me - eeek! Managed with a shot of pethidine and gas and air.

2nd: had strong contractions about 6pm and he arrived at 9.45pm. No time for pain relief other than gas and air.

3rd: nightmare! Possibly was in slow labour for 2 days prior but both me and the community midwife couldn't decide if they were real contractions or Braxton Hicks. Contractions started coming stronger during the night, so went to hospital at 5am. Due to other complications, the consultant said he wanted her born that day, so my waters were broken. Contractions stopped and started all day, so they ended up putting me on a drip with something to keep the contractions going and she finally arrived just before midnight! Had loads of pethidine and gas and air, but refused an epidural as I'm terrified of the needles they use for them

So even in the same lady, it's a completely random thing and you've got no control over what is going to happen in your labour.

Just go into it with an open mind and be prepared to try whatever you feel like as the labour progresses.

Hope all goes well for you xx

Bumpmakesfour

Just to try to reassure you a little I had godawful SPD with my third where it was just pure agony to do anything from about 20 weeks...to the point of being given bath and bed bars,grabbers to pick stuff up off the floor,step to get up into my landrover,physio every week and sexy support belt etc BUT that birth was actually lovely so it doesn't necessarily mean it'll be a problem for you.
I'm waiting to see if I have to have a section for this bump in a few weeks and remembering the pain after the section I had with number two I'm really hoping I can try naturally again.It's definately NOT the easy option some make it out to be!
Your OH sounds like he's being a totally insensitive and ill informed !!!!! tbh so ignore him and the carp he's spouting.Enjoy the rest of your pregnancy and good luck hun xxxx

rachbc

7 hours 57 mins with ds (planned home birth, gas and air 39+5), 1hr 50 mins with dd (planned home birth, hospital induction at 42+2, no pain relief)

skintchick

Everyone is different.

My waters broke 7am. Contractions were mild until 7.30pm when I went into established labour. DD came at 1.10am after 20 minutes of pushing. Placenta came 20 minutes after that, natural third stage, my whole birth was at home, planned, and textbook. Also pretty quick for a first-timer (five and a half hours for established labour to birth). Had gas and air for last hour.

If you're worried, talk to your MW and read Childbirth Without Fear by Grantley !!!!!!-Read, it can be heavy going but explains exactly what will happen which I found very helpful and reassuring.

Your partner is not being at all helpful - just because lots of women do it doesn't mean it isn't scary and painful!

jodie114

aww hun, its not that bad honest!
i was induced a week early due to estimated big baby, and it took 2 attempts to get him moving!
I had very bad spd, using crutches from 20 weeks, but honestly, the positioning actually helps - i also agree, have an epidural if you can, it lets you get a little sleep when u can and save your strength , although my needle fell out as i got out of bed and was told it was too late to re- attach it so i think i felt a fair bit...
it was approx 24 hours from inducement to birth, and it was a big baby 10lb 10oz naturally but u know what, i was stitched and allsorts but was still up and wandering round the local shopping centre showing off my travel system on day 2!

balletshoes

thrifty-gal26 wrote: »

Just posted in the less than 12 weeks pregnant thread but wanted some feedback from people who have given birth.

My Oh had a go at me as I said I was feeling worried about labour because of my pelvis (i have synthesis pubis dysfunction) and he basically said loads of people have babies, you aren't special, shut up and that giving birth "isn't a big deal"

I said actually it is a big deal to me to be worried and in pain for 24/48 hours and then maybe have to have a c-section due to pelvis.

Well according to him most women have babies really quickly. It then came out his ex had to be induced so she gave birth in 5 hrs (start to finish)

How annoying to be told it is not a big deal and be compared to his ex. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Anyway, all my books say labour (for first time moms) usual lasts 24-48 hours. This is from early labour through to active through to birth.

So my question is, how long was it for you from start to finish? xx

I'm going to start off answering this question by saying - most women have some sort of horror story to tell about labour (me included ).

I had my first and only child at age 33, and my labour lasted (timed from first contraction) from just after midnight until 9.17pm, so slightly over 21 hours. If we're counting from when my waters broke, it would be 31 hours.

clairec79

1st baby, started contracting at midday on Saturday, she was born at 2am on the Monday (so 36hours, first 24hours the pain was fine, it was just tiring as every time I tried to drop off to sleep a contraction woke me up)
2nd baby, waters broke 4pm on Tuesday, contractions started 3pm on the Wednesday, she was born 2am Thursday morning
3rd baby, contractions started about 10pm on the Friday, didn't really hurt though for the first 12 hours, he was born 5.30 on the Saturday)
4th baby, waters broke 2pm on the Friday, contractions started 4pm on the Friday, he was born before 6pm

I'd take the longer labours anyday