I have another childbirth-related discussion topic, but I can’t think how to ask it. What I want to know is if my sister-in-law’s second labor/delivery can be at all predicted by her first. That is, if her first baby was born 5 days after her due date and with a dreadful labor, can we say with any statistical support behind us that the second baby is (1) likely to come earlier than the first one did, and/or (2) likely to be accompanied by a labor that is reduced in dreadfulness? People say things like “first babies are often late” and “second labors are usually easier” and “second babies tend to come earlier” and on and on, but what have we as a group got for ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE either for or against these things? Siblings arriving earlier/later than firstborns, or random? Labors easier/harder with each one, or random? It’s especially difficult when so few people have enough children to get a good SAMPLE SIZE going.
I think second labors are typically reduced in dreadfulness. I was induced a week late with both kids and the second baby was a BREEZE. I leisurely pushed for about 20 minutes, rather than two hours of exhausted, sweaty, painful pushing the first time around. Both kids were over nine pounds, with my second being bigger by a few ounces. (Although she did have a dainty head, thank the heavens above.)
I think it’s a crapshoot. my first labor was long, 42 weeks on the da (induction) 2nd was induced at 41w and some days but in retrospect I think I was in labor before the induction and maybe the fact that it was the shortest/fastest/most intense labor supports that. Then my 3rd threw me for a loop and was born at 38 weeks and my water broke all on its own. I also thought my 2nd was the harder delivery, and the labor was the worst… but the pregnancy with him was by far the easiest, so there’s that. :)
I agree that with the “crapshoot” idea- unless you have a complication that repeats itself. For me, 1st baby born 8 days early (induction due to low amniotic fluid), 2nd baby born 10 days early (didn’t know I was in labor but luckily had doctor checkup that revealed 6cm dialation), 3rd baby born 4 weeks early (low fluid too but easier induction b/c we weren’t starting from scratch). Also, my 2nd was all back labor- which was easier for me to deal with. So I was consistently on the early side but with different circumstances. 2nd labor was by far the fastest.
With all the hundreds of childbirth stories I’ve heard and read, I have come to believe that there is a CHANCE that subsequent deliveries will be easier, but MOSTLY it’s random.
As far as WHEN you go into labor, I think some people are predisposed to go into labor later and some earlier, with each pregnancy.
All in all, it seems there’s no rhyme or reason most of the time.
My two children were both born on their due date, but I had horrible complications with the first delivery and none at all with the second. My OB SWEARS that second deliveries are generally faster and easier and less likely to suffer from complications. (He makes no promises about WHEN labor will start, though, could be earlier or later.)
I have two kids.
First child: 11 days past due date, 15.5 hour labor.
Second child: 7 days past due date, 6 hour labor.
My 1st was born at 39w1d and the second at 38w5d. First labor was 37 hours and required pitocin to get the baby to finally come out. Second labor was 4 hours and so quick and easy I kept wondering if I was just dreaming of a “best case scenario birth” instead of actually having one.
First and second 4 days before due date. Second labor MUCH easier and MUCH, MUCH faster.
To add to the anecdotal evidence a friend said what she’d heard (that held true for her). #1 longest labor #2 much easier labor than #1 and #3 wild card. I didn’t discuss arrival times with her.
My OB told me (so I’d guess her opinion is backed up by lots of anecdotes) that the birth date is a crap shoot, but she said subsequent labors were consistently half as long as the previous labor. In my case, it was true. I was prepared to go overdue again, went a week early, but my first labor was 15 hours and second was 7- so 50% less! If we have a third, she said no way to tell if I’ll go early or late, but I should plan on a SHORT labor.
Fingers crossed that this is true for your SIL. early and quick!
My first was born on his due date. Water broke that morning. Delivered him after about 8.5 hours of labor.
My second was at 38 weeks. Water broke. Delivered after 5.5 hours of labor.
I anticipate the third coming earlier and faster.
But, of course, I can’t bank on that.
I know people who have been late with their second (but were induced with their first – so they may have been late with their first ANYWAY).
My doctor has said once the “pathway” has been laid by siblings, there’s a “good chance” the next babies will follow suite. Of course, with inductions and interventions and drugs … it’s much harder to really KNOW how things would naturally go.
I have 2 boys. The first one showed up 5 weeks early (aaack! Nursery not ready! Panic, panic panic!) with a fairly easy labor. His brother? One day before his due date. Accompanied by awful, horrible labor. So much so, that if I had that awful, horrible labor the FIRST time around? Not so sure I would have done the whole “brithin; babies” thing again!
I think of one thing you can be relatively certain- most subsequent babies require less pushing time (unless there is a problem) than first babies. Once that path has been paved (or stretched out) it’s a road more easily traveled.
From personal experience: #1 was a 38 weeker, 12 hr labor that ended in c/s.
#2 was a 38 weeker, 12 hrs of labor, VBAC.
#3 was a 37 weeker, 17.5 hrs of labor, VBAC. (but, literally, only 3 contractions of pushing.)
First child was 3 days past due, took about 9 hours, no drugs.
Second child was 9 days early, took 18 hours and an epidural (plus 3 bolus doses).
So second kid did come earlier but not more easily.
I think it varies by individual and by baby. My first labor was long followed by two that were each about 5-6 hours. My first two kids were a few days early, the third was not. All said though, I believe that subsequent deliveries are probably easier because something has already paved the way, so to speak.
1rst baby: 3 weeks early. 18.5 hour labor, incl. 2 hours of pushing, ended in a c-section. Baby was transverse and stuck on my pubic bone.
2nd baby: 6 weeks early. VBAC. 12.5 hour labor, 1.75 hours pushing. Baby was sunny side up. (I can’t get them to come out in the right position apparently.)
1st baby: 3 days late, labor about 12 hours and easy (as in no complications).
2nd baby: born on his due date, labor about 6 hours and easy (apart from the on-call doctor unnecessarily breaking his clavicle, but that’s another story).
3rd baby: 4 days late, labor about 6 hours and easy.
All labors came on naturally (without induction), so mine is an intervention-free “sample”. And I was also lucky to have extremely easy pushing (<5 minutes) with all three labors. Yes, LUCKY, I don't believe I am a super-pusher.
First baby: water broke one day after due date and baby was born almost exactly 12 hours later (but active contractions didn’t start for a few hours after my water broke and then were significantly slowed down by the epidural.) Active pushing time was 2.5 hours.
Second baby: went into labor seven days late (but when active labor started I was already dilated to a four). Baby was born four hours later with only about 15 minutes spent pushing.
The second delivery was much faster and much easier, but that pregnancy was worse–more pain and nausea and unpleasant pregnancy side-effects.
Having had only the one baby thus far, I have no personal data to contribute, but I can say that my brother, sister, and I all arrived exactly a week past our due dates.
As far as labour goes, a friend of ours just had her fourth baby, and she said the amount of time she spent pushing dramatically decreased with each baby.
First baby: Induced at 42W (doctors orders) labor was HARD and INTENSE (12 hours from start of Pitocin to baby out) and I swore I would never do it again.
Second baby: Induced at 41W (because I couldn’t be pregnant one moment longer!!!) Labor was easier (5 hours from start of pitocin to baby out, and only 4 pushes). If I knew for 100% sure it would be that easy again, I would have 2 more kids. But, everyone I know said the 3rd baby is a rough labor and I am not willing to risk it.
So, I guess I am going with CRAP SHOOT. Everyone’s body is different and everyone’s pain tolerance is different.
My 2nd and 3rd labors were certainly dramatically reduced in TIME — 24+ hours to 9 hours to 5-ish. Intensity? Well, the 2nd was probably the easiest pain-wise, as it was the only one without back labor. But since #3 was pretty short, that helped. As for timely-ness, #1 was 6 days late, #2 2 days early, #3 exactly on time. So I think the only real consistent aspect was the duration, which did get measurably shorter.
As a side note — my OB said in the old days when women had 5+ kids and often 10+, you had a better sample size to see how your body handled labor/delivery. With the smaller number of kids in modern times, it’s harder to tell what the pattern is, which makes sense to me.
1st baby: born at 38w4d, 11 hours of labor including about three hours of HARD labor, 45 minutes of pushing. (7lb baby.)
2nd baby: born at 37w0d, 8 hours of labor including about 2 hours of hard labor, 10 minutes of pushing. (7lb11oz baby.)
3rd: twins born at 34w3d, got to 7cm with none of what I’d consider labor at all, 4-ish hours of Pitocin-induced labor due to babies’ battling it out to come first (we couldn’t get a head to engage) but once we got a head engaged, it was literally 4 pushes total to get them out, 2 pushes for each baby. (5lb7oz and 5lb12oz babies.)
This is obviously just my experience, but I feel like my body, with each labor, has *known what to do* better than it did the time before. My uterus got started earlier, dilation/effacement happened with less effort, and pushing was much faster and easier. The twins were obviously a little smaller than my previous babies, but I was shocked at how quickly and easily they came down the birth canal when it was time to start pushing.
Hopefully your sister-in-law’s experience will be like mine!
This is a fun comment thread to read!
All three of my labors started naturally and were drug-free, so nothing to make it difficult to compare.
1. Born at 39 weeks, 16 hour labor, 30 minutes of pushing
2. Born at 40w4d, 6 hour (intense) labor, 2 minutes of pushing. My husband went to the bathroom (I was not pushing at the time) and came back to the baby just born.
3. Born at 40w3d, 16 hour labor (slowest, laziest labor ever, until the last hour. As in, I took a 2 hour nap, went grocery shopping, ate 2 meals, etc while in active labor), 20 minutes of pushing.
My midwife who delivered the third said first labors are long and hard, second labors are quick and easy, and third are totally unpredictable and really weird.
I have two kiddos.
1st – 8 days early, 24 hours of labor, pitocin, back labor, and 2 epidurals, yes really
2nd – 8 days early, 7 hours of labor, 3 pushes and more than a pound heavier, so much better!
I think the best source to ask would be OB nurses, they would know for sure!
“first babies are often late” and “second labors are usually easier” and “second babies tend to come earlier”. this is what i have heard often. but according to these comments it seems totally random. very very interesting to read all this, as i am due early aug and desperately hoping he’ll come early.
anecdote from close friend:
1st: 7 days late, c-section (due to complications after 5 hours of pushing).
2nd: 14 days late, c-section (due to first c-section).
My midwife promises me that second births are easier. In fact, since I had a short active labor the first time around, she went so far as to say that I need to be careful not to give birth on the side of the road with the second kid. Of course having only had one I can’t vouch for her accuracy personally, but I will say that my mom says that her second labor (with me) was MUCH easier and faster than her first.
I can’t speak to early vs. late, because my first one was born early and then I spent months in bed on medication to keep numbers two and three in long enough. First labor took about three days, but it wasn’t as bad as it sounds. Second labor, four hours, from the time I hit the hospital until they put him in my arms. Easiest one by far. Third one wasn’t bad, exactly, but longer and more complicated. Eightish hours, I’d say. The first one was definitely the worst.
My first baby was 8 days late. I spent about 12 hours in completely nonproductive labor before my water broke, so when we got to the hospital I was only like 1 cm dilated. Immediate emergency c-section for fetal distress meant I didn’t get dilated any more.
My OB warned me to expect my second to be late since my first one was late, but he came 3 days early (thank heaven since he was due Christmas Day.) With him I spent like a gazillion years in labor. Actual time: about 20 hours of barely productive labor before my water broke at which point I was dilated to about a 2. Then another 8 and a half or so before he was born. But, this was essentially my first time laboring since my first was a c-section.
I am hoping baby number 3 (whenever that happens) will come faster. Remembering how long I was in labor with Will does not make me excited about doing that again.
My due dates were 100% accurate thanks to my keeping Very Detailed records.
Baby One = 8 days past due date, 11 hour labor. (epidural after five hours) one hour(ish) of pushing,
Baby Two = Woke up on due date, could have had her in the car, came out in one push after making it to the hospital. Total labor 2 1/2 hours. Definitely a Zero to 60 labor.
Baby Three = not born yet! But I’ve joked about taking a book and just hanging out in the hospital cafeteria.
Both of my children were born on their due dates, both after water breaking plus 10 hours of labor, and both weighed the same thing. I claim it’s just that I am a good manager, but really it’s just the luck of the draw, so to speak.
1st: 6 weeks early, 6 hour labor, 6 lb baby.
2nd: 4 days late, 14 hour labor, nearly 8 lb baby.
I vote crapshoot!!
After reading all the comments I have to go with crapshoot!
For me, 1st baby was 1 day early and labor was something like 48 hours. Delivery had some complications, but nothing too scary, and I only pushed for about 30 minutes.
2nd baby was 9 days early, labor was almost as long, but delivery/pushing was a BREEZE.
I also went to the hospital a bit early with 2nd baby because I was so afraid of Second Babies Come Faster! They sent me home. It was mortifying.
Interesting! I’ve got two, both unmedicated births:
child 1: four days past due date/12 hours in labor
child 2: two days past due date/12 hours in labor
(the second was a more difficult delivery)
All of my labors started naturally – that is, they were not induced. #1 was 3 weeks early, #2 was 5 days late, and #3 was born on her due date.
And all labors were completely different and didn’t necessarily get faster subsequently.
Due to nerve damage, I personally never went into labot, not one contraction, and had a Cesarean section for pre-eclampsia. Only one pregnancy.
However, when my daughter had her girls (now 12 and 6) they were both born at 29 weeks on the nose, both weighed exactly 4 pounds 3 ounces, but the second was a Cesarean section for distress.
I have no kids, but here’s what happened for my sisters and I:
1st: 42 weeks, very long labor
2nd: 41 weeks, not as long but worst
3rd: 40 weeks + 4 days, shortest and easiest labor
-Caroline
I’m in the non-crapshoot category. Both children were due on Thursdays. Both were born the previous Saturday — both exactly five days early. Labors were also similar in duration, time of start and time of birth.
All semblance of organization and predicability ended at that point!
Both of my labors started on their own, and were natural. No pitocin to speed things up. My first labor started 6 days past my due date and lasted 21 hours. My second was 3 days past my due date and lasted 11 hours, so for me, yeah, second was earlier and faster.
First babe:
3 days early. 12 hours labour, 40 minutes pushing.
Second babe:
3 days late. 63 minutes from first twinge to holding babe.
Second delivery was a BREEZE. Most of my girlfriends have had the same experience (but not necessarily so fast!)
I think there’s something in the “programmed” thing – some women seem to give birth “early”, others “late”. And it may even be something an OB/GYN can pick up on. Mine “knew” I’d be an “early” one and planned accordingly (steroid injections at 7 months to mature the lungs, for example).
My elder daughter was born 4 weeks early. My waters broke at 8 pm, the (painful) contractions started at about 2.30 am and she was born at 4 am. My younger daughter was born 4.5 weeks early. My waters broke at 5 am, painful contractions started at 5.45 am and she was born at 6.15 (yes, we made it to the clinic in time, but only just. My OB/GYN didn’t make it though – he arrived at 6.30!). The second was definitely more painful (the OB/GYN explained that really fast labours are the result of very strong contractions) but very, very quick so I’m not complaining!
Good luck to your sister-in-law!
I am voting for crapshoot.
I went into labor with my first ten days after my due date. He was born, after about 20 hours of labor (which stalled because I got dehydrated), the following day. But there were only 40 minutes or so of pushing.
I went into labor with my second ten days after my due date. I got to the hospital about six hours into labor and was dilated to 9cm, but it turned out, nine hours later, that he was positioned improperly so I ended up with a c-section after pushing for two hours.
I went into labor at 41 weeks, 3 days both times, and both times at about the same time in the morning – so maybe these things are more predictable than I think. IF my second had been in the proper position, it probably would have been a shorter, easier labor.
My mother had six children, the first and fifth were born one day early and on their due dates, respectively. All of the others were “late,” ranging from three days to a week. I cannot speak for how the different labors were individually. I remember her saying that her second labor was quicker than the first, but that labor is ultimately unpredictable.
Child 1 – 29 hours of active labor, 5 days past due date (seemed like a hard labor at the time, probably because I went the longest without an epidural)
Child 2 – 8 hours of active labor, 11 days past due date, labor seemed fast & child seemed to push self/shoot out of me (exact same size as his brother)
Child 3 – 8ish hours of active labor, 1 day past due date, labor seemed about the same as #2 (child was 2 oz. heavier than brothers)
I have 2 kids. No complications with either pregnancy. No epidural with either delivery.
1st baby: water broke on its own at 36 weeks; in labor 12 hours; had 1 (later regretted) shot of Demerol. Delivered 6lb, 5oz baby in 7 pushes.
2nd baby: went into labor at 39 weeks; in labor 3-4 hours; water broken in hospital 1 hour before delivery. Delivered 7lb, 12oz baby in 6 pushes.
My 2nd labor was by far easier but I suspect that was largely due to the fact that I was more relaxed about it. With my first I was in Germany and 4 weeks early and I’d had no birth preparation classes (none available in English). We still have no idea why I delivered her early. I knew what to expect the second time around & was in a setting where I could understand the medical staff, and vice versa.
1st-10 days late, long horrible delivery
2nd-2 days late, short, easy delivery
3rd-3 days early, somewhere in between the first 2 (she was sunny side up so most of the extra time was used to “twist” her. Yes, it was as fun as that sounds. Shudder.)
Mt brother and I were both exactly 11 days late ( two years apart), and both were long, horrible labors. That was thirty years ago, though. My kids – twin c-section at 37 wks.
So, for me it was same arrival date, same size, slightly reduced labour duration. I’m hoping to continue with this pattern with number 3, due very soon.
1st: 7lb 1oz, 6 days early, 4* hours labour, un-medicated vaginal delivery, just a few stitches
2nd: 7lb 1oz, 6 days early, 2* hours labour, un-medicated vaginal delivery, just a few stitches.
Admittedly, I’m a little afraid of an unplanned homebirth if the labour duration drops again.
*On my OB’s chart, the labours are listed as 8 hours and 4 hours, but those are “only in retrospect,” as in I started feeling uncomfortable 8h/4h before birth but had no discernible contractions until 4 hours and 2 hours later respectively.
For my mom, she had three “easy”, quick labours and vaginal deliveries, each a little shorter second two were inductions, so arrival date is inadmissable even for anecdotal evidence.
For me:
First baby: 13 days late, induced labor, 24 hours of labor followed by a c-section (horrible experience — I spiked a fever and baby had weird heart beat — all turned out well though), baby 9 lbs. 11 oz.
Second baby: induced 1 week early (due to difficult labor with the first and desire to avoid another c-section), 7 hours of labor, 30 minutes pushing, super-easy delivery, baby 7 lbs. 10 oz.
Third baby: Induced one week late (protocol following previous c-sections had changed, but my OB was willing to work with me), 7 hours of labor, 30 minutes pushing, again super-easy delivery, baby 8 lbs, 13 oz.
Fourth baby: failed induction one week early followed by a c-section. Baby was transverse (sideways). 2nd c-section was MUCH easier than the first. I think the difference was that I was rested — c-section did not immediately follow all that labor. Baby 7 lbs, 7 oz.
Not really much help I don’t think except that earlier babies were definitely smaller than those born later.
First child – 6 weeks early (we assume because of hEr health problems), 6 hour labor
Second child – 2 weeks early, 6 hour labor (and my best birthing experience)
Third child – 3 days late, 3 hour labor (It was too fast, which seems ridiculous unless you’ve done it).
My first: induced via water breakage at 39 weeks due to pre-eclampsia. Water broken at 7:45 pm, baby born at 11:55 pm.
My second: early signs of labour at 4:30 am, 38 weeks along. Went into serious labour at 8:30, baby born at 10:40.
So, who knows?
#1 – 40 weeks 0 days 9#1oz
#2 – 40 weeks 5 days 10#6oz
#3 – 39 weeks 2 days 10#0oz
So exactly on the due date, 5 days after, 5 days before. Each labor got shorter and easier, to the point that #3 was born 30 min after we got to the hospital, but otherwise they were each their own individual thing.
For my mother-in-law, each labor was halved. Baby one, 24 hrs, baby 2, 12 hrs, baby 3, 6 hrs. For my sister-in-law, who is on 6, the first 3 were pretty much right on time and the last 3 all had to be induced. #4 was at 42 wks, #5 at 40 wks and #6 at 39 wks (due to my SIL’s age & some other stuff), so… that’s what I know.
Just having had my second, I wanted to kick everyone in the shins who ever told me that seconds came earlier/labor was easier.
Baby #1: 6 days late, low amniotic fluid, pitocin, 30ish hours of labor, 3.5 hours of pushing (baby was kinda stuck!).
Baby #2: 11 days late, distress, pitocin, about 16 hours of labor, 15 minutes of pushing.
Basically, labor isn’t so scary or mysterious with #2 so it doesn’t seem quite as bad, and the pushing part was much easier once I’d done it before. But earlier and easier? I hated people who told me that.
Doctor told me it’s a crapshoot, but idk how useful that is!!
I have three.
My first was 10 days early after 3 days in labour (no Braxton-Hicks prior to that, and the first part of labour was pretty mild). The contraction pain was just *pain*, in my lower back (which is where I get the majority of my period pain, too). They broke my water at the hospital.
My second came 20 days early after a few weeks of Braxton-Hicks. Actual labour started at home with my waters breaking spontaneously, then wham bam straight into fairly strong contractions. These contractions actually felt like they were ‘meant’ to, like a squeezing/pushing down, not ‘just’ pain like with my first. After being at hospital for quite a few hours, they decided the labour wasn’t progressing well enough and the baby wasn’t doing great (she wasn’t in major distress or anything but she wasn’t doing great) and I had a c-section. About 12 hours from go to whoa that time.
With my 3rd I was confidently predicting she’d arrive early, too. She didn’t! She had a big head and due to what happened with my second (my uterus tore during the c-section and I lost a fair amount of blood) I had a scheduled c-section, and I went right up to that date without going into labour. I did have Braxton-Hicks again though for a few weeks.
So I don’t know what I believe re 1st/subsequent babies!
This has been so good to read. Thank you, Swistle, for the post!
I think it’s typically up to chance. BUT! All things aside, I’ve heard more stories of hard, difficult labors on first babies than subsequent ones.
In any case, I think that the best advice any woman nervously anticipating labor can get is to just keep calm and take it as it comes. If panic and fear get the better of you at any point, well, no matter what happens it will be horrible. But if you can just manage the panic and not get distressed you will be fine, no matter how it goes.
My first was 11 days late, my second was 7 days late. My first labour was epic in its length (first contractions on Sunday evening, finally became closer than 10 minutes on Tuesday afternoon, one minute apart at midnight that day, baby wasn’t born until Thursday at 2:43 pm after 9 hours of Pitocin. Second labour was 7 hours from first contraction (which was 45 minutes after my water broke) until delivery, although that was helped by Pitocin because of meconium in the fluids.
I ended up getting an epidural with Kieran at 9 cm, because I’d been in labour for over 48 hours and I was falling asleep in between contractions, while standing up. I was so tired I didn’t think I’d make it without rest. I’d stalled at 9 cm, so shortly after they started Pitocin I asked for the epidural. 9 hours later – he was born after a little over 2 hours of pushing.
My second labour was so much nicer merely because it was short. I managed to do it without an epidural. About the time I was deciding that I didn’t think I could do it, my body informed me that I should lie down on bed (I did ALL my labouring standing up & rocking back & forth). I laid down and then my body was pushing; it was weird, I had NO conscious control. Two pushes and she was out, the resident sprinted in JUST in time, after the nurse pressed a big, red alarm button. :)
Both of my children were born at 39 weeks exactly. #1 was a 44 hour labor, 2.5 hours pushing, overall totally awful. #2 was 3 days of (easy) pre-labor, 12 hours of active labor, pushed for around an hour. Both had dreadful afterbirths – the first one almost killed me (I am omitting details because I actually made someone faint once) and the second was much less severe, though it did send me to the hospital.
Baby #1: My water broke at 38 weeks at about 2:30pm. I got to the hospital at about 4pm, was a fingertip dilated and wasn’t having very strong contractions but my blood pressure had shot up so I finally let them start pitocin at about 9pm. Got my epidural about midnight when I was about 2-3cm. Was 4-5cm at about 3:30am when my family went to the cafeteria for a snack. They came back and I was completely dilated. I pushed 3 times and out popped my tiny boy (5lb 7oz). So 14 hours from water breaking to delivery.
Baby #2: Had contractions every day for 4-6hrs the last week before my due date. Finally when I was 3 days overdue, they started up again at 8pm. I got to the hospital at 4am and was 2-3cm. Doctor broke my water at 7:30am, epidural about 9am. Same thing happened as #1: hubby went to the cafeteria to take a break about 11:20am (I was about 4-5cm). He came back at 11:45am and I was 10cm, pushed for 10 minutes and out popped a baby girl just before noon (6lb 9oz). 16 hours from onset of regular contracts to delivery.
I don’t have a reference here, but on average, first pregnancies are over 41 weeks in duration in “western cultures, while second and subsequent pregnancies are, on average, 5 days shorter (so still beyond the 40 week due date). These estimates were quoted to me by an obstetrician during my first pregnancy, and are adjusted for inductions performed after 41 weeks, but includes all other medically induced births.
I’m sure plenty of research has been conducted in this area, looking at the relationship between first and second/further labours, and within an entire population, statistically significant relationships may have been shown, but the length or timing of the first labour is not going to be a good predictor for an individual. There’s a lot of variation, and not a lot of effect.
Anecdotal evidence:
1. Of my mom’s five kids, labor/delivery/arrival dates were all much the same, except her fourth child, who was a full three weeks late, and an emergency c-section. All four others were a week-10 days late, and left via traditional exit routes.
2. My aunt has three kids. First was late, nightmarish, emergency c-section. Next two children were earlier (her youngest on her die date!), easier labor, vbac.
3. My sister has two kids, with her first she had preeclampsia, was induced two weeks early. With her second she didn’t, was induced two weeks late. She reports second was harder as that nany weighed two pounds more.
So, all over the board.
Uh, *due date.
My first labor was a nightmare; I neither knew nor imagined that it would be possible for a human being to experience so much pain. I questioned God afterwards; I’ve never been the same, never seen the world the same way. I’ve never “forgotten” it.
My second labor (which I lived in fear of the entire pregnancy) was a piece of cake in comparison. I mean, not a PICNIC (23 hours — and in those days or at least where we lived, no epidurals were available during labor), but it was fine. Do-able. Could imagine doing it again and again. Not a problem.
I wouldn’t just say the second labor was “easier” — it was so much easier there was no comparison. No comparison.
Also, the second baby was a few days earlier from the due date than Baby 1.
1st baby: 40 weeks and a few days, entered hospital at 2 centimeters, baby born 12 hours later after 2 1/2 hours of pushing. Most damage, worst recovery, longest labor…biggest baby by far. Easiest delivery only because it was the only one I had epidural with ;)
2nd baby: induced at 40 weeks 1 day due to fears of a big baby, entered hospital fingertip dialated, 6 hours after pitocin was started baby was born. Worst labor (pitocin without epidural was the WORST), easier recovery (much less tearing), smallest baby (7 1/2 pounds).
3rd baby: 5 days early, entered hospital at 9+ centimeters (oops…) and baby was born 55 minutes later. Easiest delivery, no tearing, absolute dream birth, medium sized baby (8 1/2 pounds).
I say it’s a crap shoot. My first was definitely the hardest…but was it because he was my first or because he was 9 1/2 pounds?
Best wishes!
First child was 3 days early and very hard labor…pain like I had never experienced (Back Labor). Second child was 2 days late, labor was easier. Third child was a snap…2 days early and 1 hr in hospital before he was born! I think it depends on baby and size. Not sure you can really predict how it will go!
Well, here is _slightly_ more of a sample size, these are my 5 (none induced or medicated):
1: 1 day late, 10 hours
2: 2 weeks early, 7 hours (so far this supports the 2nd-labor-easier idea)
3: On due date, 3 hours (born 6 minutes after arriving at hospital; after this point I am afraid for when the next will come and decide on a home birth)
4: 1 week early, 28 hours (but gentle and relatively easy till the end)
5: 1 week early, 4 days (yes 4 days; it was just . . .indescribable)
The first three were boys and the last two were girls, and perhaps that made a difference? But the only real data I can get from this sample is that . . . you never know. And don’t count on each one getting faster.
Two kids.
#1, 4 weeks early (after TONS of pre-term labor issues and long bed rest), 4.75 hours from water breaking to delivery, with actual painful contractions starting 3 hours before. 3 or 4 pushes, total. 7lbs,1oz.
#2, 2 weeks early (no pre-term labor or bed rest), 33 minutes from water breaking to delivery (yes,we were at the hospital, not the car), 4 or 5 pushes. 8lbs even.
Both deliveries were very easy, but I barfed every day of both pregnancies, so I feel I deserved easy deliveries! ;)
My OB used this analogy (which only applies to the general topic of birthing) for delivery dates, and I love it:
40 weeks is an average. Some women deliver earlier, some later. It’s like sending a cake mix home with a hundred different women with a hundred different ovens. You’ll get cupcakes. Some in 18 minutes, some in 25 minutes and everywhere inbetween.
Some of us just “cook ’em” faster.
I like that analogy.
3 kids. Born increasingly early and increasingly quickly if you count real labour. The last one’s labour was confused with a case of undiagnosed appendicitis which probably explained the birth at 36w. I never went to term even with the first.
I had an epidural for all 3.
1) 12 days early. 12ish hours of labor, first three were easy. 45 minutes pushing
2) Induced 14 days early (her heartrate was weird that day). 5 hours labor ( I was already dialated to a bit over 3) 10 minutes pushing
3) 10 days early. 10 hour labor and 3 pushes. We jumped the gun going to the hospital. The contractions weren’t bad, I was afraid of giving birth in the car driving the first two to my mom’s. I was dilated to 5 when I got to the hospital, I think things would have been faster if I had walked around more.
Love this post.
Both of my babies were born exactly 2 days after their due dates. The pregnancies were very similar. Both were 9 pounds and back labor the entire time without drugs. But the labor and deliveries were quite different.
#1–3 hours of intense labor with no drugs (didn’t know he was sunnyside up), dr. had to break my water, 1 hour of pushing, fetal distress, ended up in c-section. Terrifying.
#2–12 hours of mostly easy labor (although also sunnyside up), epidural at 10 cm upon insistence of on-call OB because it was a VBAC and she was sure I would end up C-section, dr. had to break my water, 1 hour of pushing, some fetal distress, the use of a vacuum and out she came.
My doctor was very worried that I would deliver before I got to the hospital with #2 because my labor with #1 was so insanely short for a first birth. But it turned out to be a very easy and moderately long labor.
I will say that I wanted to do a VBAC so much because I had felt cheated with the first c-section, and it turned out that the vaginal birth was many, many times harder to recover from physically than the c-section. I guess I’m glad that I got to give birth that way because it was a very powerful experience, but my vagina will never be the same!
I only have 2 boys, so probably not big enough sample size. Oh well, I’ll tell you anyway.
My first was due 6/4, but was born the old fashioned way on 5/27. My second was due 5/26, but was born Vis c-section on 6/1. Labor with my first was only half an hour and four pushes. Labor with my second was 24 hours and I never got to the pushing stage. Since my first labor went so quick, I was warned to get to the hospital at the very first sign of labor with subsequent children. Too bad it didn’t work out the same way. So, my opinion is that prior birth experience us not an indicator of what will happen with future births.
I had my first four days early, with a long-ass labor (30 hours) and then an emergency c-section. My next two (and soon three) were/will be scheduled c-sections, so I am no good but I wanted to say my Mom had four and she was knocked out for her first one (it was 1964) and then without medication for subsequent ones (66, 68, 69) and she said they all got easier. She is insane, though, so I don’t know if that skews the data.
The stats we have that we teach in our childbirth classes are that 2nd labors tend to be about half as long, with the pushing phase going much more quickly as well. Oddly, though, third babies are a crap shoot– sometimes they are even shorter than the 2nd baby, and sometimes they’re more like a 1st labor (except pushing remains faster/easier).
One thing is certain– damage (tears or episiotomies) happen by far the most with first babies. After than, even if subsequent babies are much bigger, there tends to be little or no damage.
Whoa, it looks like you have lots of information now.
Of my three, each was subsequently born closer to due date (all were late) and with easier labors. A moment of equal parts horror/shame/pride, when I asked why my third was so bruised and got the reply, “that’s what happens when you are pretty much shot out of a cannon.”
And that was after my first one had to be vacuum extracted.
Baby #1 I was 29 years old. Pregnancy was a breeze, she was late so we induced. Induced at 6:00 AM, she was born at 11:47 AM, weighing 9 lb 7 1/2 oz. BUT! Epidural person nicked the spinal sheath so I ended up sicker than a dog from the narcotics in the epidural, and a spinal headache on top of that. That is the worst headache I have ever had, and it just kept getting worse. As long as I was sitting up. As soon as I would lay down, it went away and I was fine. That lasted 4 complete days.
Baby #2 I was 34 and pregnancy was stressed because of outside stuff, baby and I were fine. She was late, so we induced. I was induced at 7:00 AM and had her at 4:45 PM weighing 9 lb 2 oz. Different epidural person, so that was fine. I had to sit up because she wasn’t engaging in the birth canal, so I ended up with a back ache, but otherwise felt so good we left the hospital 27 hours after she was born – partly because my back hurt and I wanted my bed.
Baby #3 I was 44. I know. Pregnancy was fine, but some stressed because of my “advanced maternal age” as my doctor put it – joking with me because he knew I would take it the the spirit it was intended. I had a lot of fun saying that! We induced him early because my body had changed and my doctor didn’t want him to get any bigger. IT WAS HORRIBLE. But only as compared to the other two. It really wasn’t all that bad. We started proceedings at 7:00 AM. My body was not at all ready to be having a baby so the cream had to be put on my cervix 3 times to soften it up, and the third time threw me into labor. Back to back contractions that lasted a minute or so, and then a 30 second break. After 1 1/2 hours I had the epidural and so the rest of labor was fine. I finally got to start pushing at midnight and he was born at 2:03 AM. He was 9 lb 1 1/2 oz and was the longest of the 3 babies and we STILL broke him on the way out – he ended up with a broken collarbone. So the third one was the most stressful on me and him, but I was 44 at the time, so I’m sure that had much to do with it.
Baby #1: four days late, hospital birth, 10 hours labor, 1.5 hours pushing. Had a narcotic in my IV during transition, would have been fine without drugs if anybody had bothered to tell me that I was in transition. Baby 7 lb. 11 oz.
Baby #2: Four days late, homebirth, 4.5 hours labor, half hour pushing. Baby 8 lb. 5 oz.
Baby #3: Two days late, homebirth, 2.25 hours labor, two pushes. She crowned while I was trying not to push and was born with the bag of waters intact. (In old parlance, “born with a caul over her face.”) 8 lb. 3 oz.
Baby #4: Eight days late, hospital birth, 4.5 hours labor, 2-3 pushes. Five minutes from when I entered the E.R. door to when she was born. 8 lb. 6 oz.
I think my first three were right on time for me, as I ovulate late in my cycle. I think my last one was so late because she was due on New Years day, and she waited until life returned to normal after Christmas, and after a full do-it-yourself kitchen remodel that began the day after Thanksgiving and was completed on Christmas Eve. I also had the flu in early December and had a horrible cough right up until I went into labor. I think my daughter knew that she needed to wait until some semblance of sanity and health and energy returned to me. She’s always been an easy, accamodating child.
Another accurate record-keeper, although evidently my babies didn’t believe me because they were all late.
Baby 1: 13 days late (was scheduled for induction the next day). 22 hours of labor, including almost 3 of pushing.
Baby 2: Induced a week after due date (medical reasons). Definitely not ready, pit had to be cranked to 11. But when I finally dilated enough, pushing was fast. Only a few pushes and voila! Baby!
Baby 3: Induced 10 days after due date. A little pit, labor for 4-5 hours, delivered baby after two pushes, and the kid was eeenormous.
Baby #1-Induced at 39 weeks 1 day. In labor (start of pitocin until delivery) 18 hours with 3 hours of pushing!! Ended up with vacuum assisted delivery.
Baby #2-Water broke at 39 weeks 5 days. In labor (from time water broke until delivery) 8.5 hours with 15 minutes of pushing. My husband decided to take a walk out of the room to go to the bathroom and he was paged back because I was starting to push! The doctor was very annoyed with him, but in all fairness it took A LOT longer the first time! :)
I can only answer for mine.
First baby – 9 days late, pitocin, 32 hrs of labor, 2 hrs pushing, episiotomy and vacuum. Must be noted that I had a very strong epidural.
Second baby – 2 weeks early, 2 days early/light labor, finally hit my limit and went to the hospital, pitocin, 2 hrs labor there, 3 pushes, no cutting/tearing, very easy. Must be noted I had no meds for this labor due to earlier too strong epidural.
So second baby came earlier, but I fully believe the easier labor/delivery were brought on by the lack of meds in the second birth. I don’t think my body could handle such strong meds and they caused more problems than they solved.
I have four children, so I suppose I have enough to get a better sample size, but in my experience each labour and delivery have been very different.
My first was technically 4 hours long, from the time the midwife broke my waters at 3cms. But I don’t count that as my *best* labour, even though it was my shortest – no one should have to labour with their waters broken! It was much more painful than the others.
My second delivery was via emergency c-section, which wasn’t ideal. He was breech and we didn’t find out until I was 10 days late!
Moving swiftly on, I had a hospital VBAC with my third, and was only at the hospital for 3 hours before she was born. It went well, and including labouring at home, it was counted as 9 hours long or so.
My last birth was at home, and I would say labour lasted about 5 or 6 hours. So, faster than before, but much more comfortable than the first because my waters didn’t break so early on. (as I was about to push, instead) I was much more comfortable at home, with the low lights and quiet atmosphere, and I’m positive that helped with my experience tremendously. I can’t put into words how much better that was for me!
I think so much in labour has to do with position of the baby, the mother’s mental preparedness, how active and healthy you were throughout the pregnancy, etc etc, that it’s really difficult to make a blanket statement like “second babies are easier” or whatever. They also say that each subsequent baby gets bigger and bigger, but that hasn’t been my experience, either.
That was a whole lot of typing to end up with the conclusion: It Just Depends.
I’m so useful, I know!
I only have one child so far, born 8 days early after approximately 15 hours of not-too-horrible labor (though maybe I’m just not remembering the horribleness). I’m currently expecting my second, and it would be really nice if this labor was easier instead of harder, though it makes me nervous to think of him/her coming much earlier than my first.
My first was a week late, 30 hours of labor, supplemented with pit the last several hours, 15 minutes of pushing.
My second was 2 weeks late, 20 hours of labor, one push. Total breeze. Except the 2 weeks late part.
First Baby: 1 day early, easy labor & delivery.
Second Baby: 3 days late and labor about twice as long as my first (he was more than a pound bigger than my first, though). I was very much taken by surprise, because I had always been told that second babies come faster. Now I think there’s no way to predict. Good luck to your SIL!
I can tell you about my own mom’s experience. She labored with her first baby for 8 hours and that baby arrived exactly one month early. Her second baby came 1.5 hours after the due date and she labored for almost exactly that long.
My first baby was born with the aid of pitocin, so that labor was awful. My second baby was a completely unmedicated birth and the labor was very easy, as labor goes. The pushing part was more awful, though. The first was born early (my water broke early, but I needed pitocin to get contractions going) and the second was born late.
My birth experiences were almost identical to my mother’s, and I take after her very much, medically speaking, in other ways as well. I wonder if others have had that happen, i.e. medical history so similar to a relative’s that they were able to predict things like pregnancy length, labor, etc. We even had the same exact weight gain, despite being different starting weights and heights.
1st was 2.5 weeks late, long labor (36 hours), needed pitocin and epidural.
2nd was 1 week late, much shorter labor (18 hours?), natural birth.
So I’m in the camp of second labor easier. I figured that after the first time your body knows what to do, is more stretched out, etc…
First child – Two days past due date. 9 hours of labor from the very first contraction until she was born. Went from 4 cm, having water broke, to 10 cm in 5 minutes. Maybe 20 minutes of pushing. No time for epidural, which was fine – I prefer very quick and painful over a long drawn out labor.
Second child – One week early. Labor went exactly the same except there was no pushing. Tried to hold him in but he was born before the doctor could even get there. There was meconium and he was possibly exposed to strep B. But he was fine, thank god.
Third child – Induced at 39 weeks due to prevoius dangerously quick delivery. Labor went pretty much the same as the first two. By the time I needed an epidural, there wasn’t enough time. I was pushing before the anethesiologist could get to me. I didn’t find the pitocin contractions to be any worse than regular contractions, but it was a low dose. Number 3 was much larger than first two so pushing was a lot harder but still only about 20 minutes.
as someone with no kids, i have nothing to offer, except that it’s surprising how FASCINATING it is for me to read about this.
My birthday and both my daughters are on the 1st of the month, and my second was on my birthday! LOVE the 1st birthdays over here!
#1 – Calm, relaxed 18 hours active labour with 20 minutes of pushing. On due date.
#2 – Long, hard, exhausting. If this would have have been #1, there wouldn’t have been a second! After 24 hours of active labour it stopped, ended up with Pitocine and an Epidural that did nothing. On due date.
So….Crapshoot!
I only have the one, but my sister has two.
First: 32 hour labor, exhausting. Took weeks to recover.
Second: 10 hour labor, was feeling great the next day.
I only have one, but was only in labor for maybe 9 hours from start to finish, arrived at the hospital and was 9cm dilated, started pushing, baby crowned with her butt, emergency c-section. It would have been a breeze had she been pointed in the correct direction. Here’s hoping it goes relatively smoothly the next time (and pointed the correct direction). I’d be curious to know what the odds are of having another breech baby; that might be an interesting post as well. :)
My mom had 3 births. Each was shorter and easier than the last. And the babies got bigger each time (and further past their due dates).
1st labor: 1 week late, water broke 6 days earlier (long story), 15 hours, 3 hours pushing
2nd: induced a week early, so no info there; 8 hours, baby born with second push
3rd: water broken a week early because I was 4+ cm dilated; 7ish hours?, about an hour of pushing
4th: induced a week early; 5 hours, maybe 15ish minutes pushing
I think each pregrancy, labor and delivery is unique to the child and mother. I have had 4 pregrancy and deliveries and all 4 of them were different in their own way. My 3rd preganancy was the easiest, he was on time, the labor was only 5 hours and I got him out in 2 pushes. My first one was the worst. He was 2 weeks late, 72 hours of labor and they finally had to use forcepts to help him come out.
My first was a week late (6 days actually, but it felt like a week) and showed NO signs of coming out on his own so we scheduled an induction. Ended up having an emergency (knocked out, the REAL kind of emergency) c-section because of heartrate issues in both of us before we even got the induction going.
So with number 2, we schedule a c-section for 2 days before her due date, figuring my body wasn’t going to be ready to give her up either. So of COURSE my water broke exactly one month to the day before she was due. She was born at 35 weeks 4 days via repeat c-section. But at least I was awake for it!
From my experience, I think discrepancies in the due date v. the arrival date have to do with one’s cycle length and late ovulation. My first two were induced (9 days after due date and 2 days after due date which was two weeks later than originally thought after ultrasound). Later on, when I had a good idea that my cycles were longer than average and that I ovulated around day 25 rather than the average day 14… my third baby arrived the morning after his due date. THEN, all bets were off for this last one, for which I went into labor 4 weeks early.
As for labors, I do think that subsequent labors are shorter, being in general about half as long as the previous. After the third baby, though, the labors might all be around the same length. Myself for example: 9 hrs (induced), 3.5 hrs (induced), 1.5 hrs (natural), and 2 hrs (natural, but I would say this was about 2 hours of intense labor, but about 10 hrs total, where I was actually at work up until 2.5 hrs before delivery).
First baby-7 days early (but that cardboard wheel at the OBs office was wrong – I know when the egg was penetrated, because my husband told me – he’s freaky like that)- labor at home (light and tolerable) 6 hrs, 1 hr 21 minutes at hospital (not so light, not so tolerable, but thankyajeezus for pudendal blocks)
2nd baby – after a horrible, nerve wracking pregnancy (2 yrs following major surgery to remove an enormous fibroid tumor) in which I was told: ABSOLUTELY NO LABOR! YOUR UTERUS COULD RUPTURE AND YOU COULD BLEED OUT BEFORE WE COULD STOP IT, 50/50 chance of miscarriage up to 6 mos, planned C section 12 days prior to due date. So what do I do? I go into labor 20 days prior to due date, go to the hospital where they try to stop the labor, am sent home in labor, but no one would believe me. I labor lightly at home all afternoon and evening then finally at 2:30am, my water breaks. Indy-style 30 mile drive to the hospital-halfway there, I need to push. And I needed to push NOW. Panic begins in a serious way. Get to the hospital, admitted through ER, whisked to the delivery room. Trying not to push (is there anything harder in the world?????). The doctor walks in the room and is amazingly gowned and gloved in one motion by 4 nurses. I’m crying – “I CAN’T LABOR!! I’LL DIE!!”
I push once, twice and our second son is born. Things get frantic as the doctor manually removes the placenta. All is well. I’m not dying. Baby is 6 lbs. 7 oz. He won’t latch on to nurse for almost a week and loses 9 ounces in the hospital.
He’s now 6ft 1, 175lbs, brilliant and glorious.
And I never, ever want to experience anything like those 8 months again.
I have three kids.
#1 5 days early, 13 hour delivery, epidural
#2 1 week early, random light contractions for 5 hours before going to the hospital, baby born 2.5 hours after arrival at hospital, spinal block
#3 1 week LATE! mild/moderate contractions for a few hours, dr. finally checks me. I’m a 10. He breaks my water and baby is in arms 15 minutes later. no meds.
My antedotal evidence makes me think the deliveries definitely get easier and faster with each one. But early/late is not so easy to guess. If we have a #4 I’m worried about where he/she will be born. I really don’t want to deliver in the car on the way to the hospital!
First baby:
2 days before due date, nudged along with a little pitocin following a very long time in non-progressing labor, delivered about 6 hours after pitocin.
Second baby:
8 days past due date, fully induced because of refusal to get the hell out of me, delivered about 3 hours after pitocin.
So, for second baby, it was later to arrive, and easier to deliver.
I think it’s anyone’s guess.
Baby #1: 9 days early, water broke, labor was about 20 hours.
Baby #2: Induced at 41 weeks, labor was about 6 hours.
Pregnant with baby #3, curious as to when it will be born.
My labor was definitely shorter with the second, but the recovery was even easier. But I attribute a lot of the “betters” and “easiers” to my midwife the second time around as opposed to my OB the first time.
Baby #1 – Induced 1 day early, 5 hours of labor.
Baby #2- 8 days early, 2.5 hours of labor.
Baby #3- 5 weeks early, 6 hours of labor.
Easiest = Baby #2. You just can’t beat 2.5 hours of labor. =D
I only have 2, but here it goes:
baby #1 – 7 days late, water broke, 19 hrs labor in hospital, pushed for almost an hour. Awful recovery (inluding an infection of uterus and a medicence induced haze for the first 10 days of my daughter’s life). I was in bed from the time she was born until about 10 days after – when the antibiotics were finally taking care of the massive infection.
baby #2 – 7 days late, labor induced (after being stopped at 35 weeks). 9 hr labor, recovery was a breeze. Worst part of this delivery was the dr/nurses not listening about the epidural not working. Minutes after being cleaned up I wanted to get up and wander. Definitely a better/easier delivery.
I had 2 very easy L&D’s, but my 2nd was even faster.
#1 – induced at 6 days post-due date; 12 hours of labor, 3.5 hours of pushing (I thank my epidural for helping me live through that). Easy recovery.
#2 – went into labor on my own at 3 days post-due date; 2 hours of labor, 15 minutes of pushing. Extremely easy recovery.
I haven’t had kids, so I wanted to pop over and read the anecdotes…100 comments! I will have to come back later. But great job on choosing such a thought-provoking post!
I have no personal experience, but I can tell you for my Mom: my older sister was nearly a month late, I was just about on time, and my younger brother was actually born in the hallway of the hospital because they didn’t even have time to wheel my mom into a proper room. Helpful as anecdotal evidence goes?
I’m bookmarking this so I can read all the comments later. I wanted a natural birth with my first but ended up never going into labor and having a scheduled C section for a transverse breech baby, so I’m immensely curious. Do I still get second labor is easier credit if I didn’t ever have a first labor?
My first was born 6 days after his due date, 7 lbs 14 oz and 21 1/2 inches. The labor was fast for a first: 5 1/2 hours from first contraction to delivery, 4 pushes and he was out. I had an epidural for that one. My second son was born on 8 August 2011, two days before his due date at 8 lbs 14 oz and 22 inches. I discovered this post waiting for him to arrive! He was born 50 minutes after my first contraction. We didn’t have time for an epidural!
I can’t say if the second was easier, because the epidural made the first a breeze. But it was definitely faster!
My First was induced at 40 weeks and 1 day. She arrived 6 hours later.
My Second came at 37.5 weeks. I got to the hospital at 5am and had him at 7 am .. so 2 hours
I’m pregnant with my third and wondering how this one will go.. I do not want to have her at my house!!
My mom’s experience was 1st – was 3 weeks early /it was a girl/ and total time was also 6 hours
2nd – was a boy came 2.5 weeks earlier and time was 2 hours. Third was a boy who came 2 weeks early and was 45 min total time.
So it SEEMS like my body is doing like her did? maybe you can tell how your delivery will be by how your mom’s story went?? it’s all a guessing game but something to think about.