Second birth easier?

I know that my OB told me she prefers attending multipara births, as women
who have dilated/delivered before are more likely to do so fairly quickly,
than first-timers. I was a really good example for her. My cervix changed
about 1cm per contraction, I swear, once things got going. That was a wild
ride!

that's pretty good, as a first time it took me 4 days to do the first 5cm,
and 1 contraction to do the 2nd 5cm, if I manage that next time, I think
the birth will be unattended!

LeAnn wrote in message ...
Hi, my name is LeAnn. I have a 7 year old son and I am 7 months
pregnant with my second son. Maybe I just can't tolerate much pain but
I remember labor with my first son to be just horrible. I remember
screaming at everyone to give me some drugs! ;-) Labor and delivery
lasted about 16 hours from start to finish. My current doctor keeps
telling me that since this is my second child, labor will be much easier
and faster. For those of you who have given birth to two or more
children, how much truth is in this?

Congratulations!

Every birth is different, but my second was easier. My first, however
was induced since I was 2+ weeks overdue and the baby was getting big.
He was 9 lbs. 14 oz, so he was definitely ready to be born! The labor
wasn't that long, I went in at 7 am and he was born at 5:17 pm, real
contractions didn't start until about noon but then they were pretty
intense. Pushing was also difficult and we needed forceps, he was
just a big baby.

The second was also overdue, the doctor was going to induce the next
day but I convinced him to give me one more day. I felt that things
were happening (unlike the first where nothing happened). I started
feeling some contractions during dinner, around 6 pm and when we got
to the hospital at 8:30 or so I was already 6 cm dilated. He was born
at 11:25 pm, another long pushing stage since he was face-up. I
recovered much more quickly, he was only 8 lbs, 6 oz, so I needed no
stitches or anything.

Chris

LeAnn

My current doctor keeps
telling me that since this is my second child, labor will be much easier
and faster. For those of you who have given birth to two or more
children, how much truth is in this?

This was true for me. Actually the labor part was quite similar
(perhaps a little shorter the second time) but I had experience and
wasn't so freaked out. The different frame of mind really helped me
cope much better. The delivery though - wow - a drastic difference.
I pushed for 3hrs and 45minutes with #1 and about 8 minutes with #2.
There are no guarentees of course and even second babies can be
positioned wrong but your body will most likely perform better. The
stats are in your favor :-)

--

Nikki

LeAnn wrote in message ...
Hi, my name is LeAnn. I have a 7 year old son and I am 7 months
pregnant with my second son. Maybe I just can't tolerate much pain but
I remember labor with my first son to be just horrible. I remember
screaming at everyone to give me some drugs! ;-) Labor and delivery
lasted about 16 hours from start to finish. My current doctor keeps
telling me that since this is my second child, labor will be much easier
and faster. For those of you who have given birth to two or more
children, how much truth is in this?

LeAnn

It was true for me. My first labor was only 6 hours, but it was a
very painful 6 hours. I broke down and got an epidural. This led to
some interventions that I really wanted to avoid the second time
around. Second birth was barely two hours with 2 or 3 pushes.
Immediately afterward, I said "That was awesome! I want to do it
again!" Five years later, I had my third. Labor was 3 hours with 45
minutes of pushing. I was in pain, but it didn't consume me.
However, I was much better prepared to deal with the pain the third
time around. I suggest you research pain coping mechanisms. I read a
Bradley book a few weeks before my third was born and the methods
described really helped me manage through it.

Good luck!

~ Sher

LeAnn wrote in message ...
Hi, my name is LeAnn. I have a 7 year old son and I am 7 months
pregnant with my second son. Maybe I just can't tolerate much pain but
I remember labor with my first son to be just horrible. I remember
screaming at everyone to give me some drugs! ;-) Labor and delivery
lasted about 16 hours from start to finish. My current doctor keeps
telling me that since this is my second child, labor will be much easier
and faster. For those of you who have given birth to two or more
children, how much truth is in this?

LeAnn

#1 30 hrs labour. Had an epidural after 24hrs, ended up with episiotomy.Said
for about 6 months that she would be an only...
#2 16 hrs labour (but only 3 in hospital). TENS and gas&air (despite
planning on having an epidural). No stitches, slight tear. Was thinking
about the 3rd within an hour...
Both the labours started in the same way, with contractions.
#2 was much easier. She was 1lb lighter, but I don't think that was the only
difference. I'd advice people to give the first labour a miss and go
straight to the second. If only it was so easy...
Debbie

LeAnn, thank you for this thread! It gives me warm fuzzies to read. I
love you all for having easier second births, too.

Mary S. (had a doozy of a first labor)
mom to the stubborn-and-posterior Sproutkin, 22 months

I want to thank everyone for their responses. Although I realize
everyone is different I can see that odds are it's going to be quicker
and hopefully easier. You all have really put my mind at ease. Thank you!

LeAnn

LeAnn wrote:
Hi, my name is LeAnn. I have a 7 year old son and I am 7 months
pregnant with my second son. Maybe I just can't tolerate much pain but
I remember labor with my first son to be just horrible. I remember
screaming at everyone to give me some drugs! ;-) Labor and delivery
lasted about 16 hours from start to finish. My current doctor keeps
telling me that since this is my second child, labor will be much easier
and faster. For those of you who have given birth to two or more
children, how much truth is in this?

LeAnn

Mary wrote:

LeAnn, thank you for this thread! It gives me warm fuzzies to read. I
love you all for having easier second births, too.

Mary S. (had a doozy of a first labor)
mom to the stubborn-and-posterior Sproutkin, 22 months


Warm fuzzies? This thread scares the crap outta me!!! ;-) I intend to
go drug-free, so I'm really SCARED. Every time I read the honest truth
about a fairly average labour (especially for a first one), I think to
myself, "OK, as long as I lose my mind temporarily while it's happening,
and then regain it afterwards, I probably won't remember the pain, and
all will be well." I've already warned DH that we might have to bring
some special equipment in just in case I decide to become violent, or
something. (so, a nice punching bag, or something I can squeeze) I'm
also going to have to apologize to everyone in advance for the choice
language that I will use. Maybe I should just learn certain choice
words from a different language, so that no one will understand me.

Vicky Bilaniuk wrote:

This thread scares the crap outta me!!! ;-) I intend to
go drug-free, so I'm really SCARED. Every time I read the honest truth
about a fairly average labour (especially for a first one), I think to
myself, "OK, as long as I lose my mind temporarily while it's happening,
and then regain it afterwards, I probably won't remember the pain, and
all will be well." I've already warned DH that we might have to bring
some special equipment in just in case I decide to become violent, or
something. (so, a nice punching bag, or something I can squeeze) I'm
also going to have to apologize to everyone in advance for the choice
language that I will use. Maybe I should just learn certain choice
words from a different language, so that no one will understand me.



1. You won't be experiencing anything that hasn't been
experienced before. It's not a picnic but it's not
unbearable or no one would have a second or subsequent
child. You are anxious, but the more you have researched
what happens during labor the more confident you will be,
knowing what's going on. Know all your options and don't
rule anything out.

2. You won't use language the OB staff hasn't heard many times.

(Why do all humans always think if THEY haven't
seen/done/experienced something personally that
it hasn't happened in the history of the earth?)

gloria p

Warm fuzzies? This thread scares the crap outta me!!! ;-) I intend to
go drug-free, so I'm really SCARED. Every time I read the honest truth
about a fairly average labour (especially for a first one), I think to
myself, "OK, as long as I lose my mind temporarily while it's happening,
and then regain it afterwards, I probably won't remember the pain, and
all will be well."

You can do it. It may be easy, it may be hard. Barring complications,
your body is equipped to handle labor and birth. It hurts, but it's
do-able. What really helped me was the suggestion from a friend (who
had also had a natural birth) to use low vocalization. She hummed, very
low in pitch, and moaned, to get through the contractions. Graduate to
yelling, but still keep the pitch low low low, like you're a man, to
help you stay relaxed in your pelvis.

Will you have a doula with you? They are very helpful.

Also, remember that normal labor doesn't hurt like an injury. Injury
pain is your body screaming out that something is going wrong. Labor is
your body working the way it's designed to work. It's like the pain of
running a marathon, not the pain of breaking your leg. Relax into it,
concentrate concentrate concentrate; it's your body opening up just like
it's supposed to. Have you read the book "Mind Over Labor," by Carl
Jones? It has some really good visual/mental concepts to use during
labor. Bradley method is also supposed to be good.

also going to have to apologize to everyone in advance for the choice
language that I will use. Maybe I should just learn certain choice
words from a different language, so that no one will understand me.

Don't even give that stuff a second thought. No inhibitions allowed!
The only thing important during birth is the safety and comfort of YOU
and your baby. It is not your responsibility to take care of the staff,
it's their job to accomodate your labor in whatever way is working best
for you -- and whatever ends up working for you, whether it's submerging
yourself in the tub, or having the nurse support you as you push
standing up, or swearing like a sailor during the contractions, is what
they are there for.

Mary S.
mom to the Sproutkin, 22 months