Timing of labor and birth...

[AfricanQueen99]

I'm trying to get all my ducks in a row when it comes to organizing someone to care for my daughter while I get to the hospital. My daughter's labor started at 6pm (at least that's when the first contraction came) and she flew out just before 5am. Not sure if that means this newbie will be an evening labor/crack of dawn delivery, too.

Would you please list the times your (non-induced) labors started and the times when you actually delivered? For each child.

Thanks!

[JamieCatheryn]

Child #1: Mild labor started 10pm fri, active began about 24 hours later, born about noon on day 2.

Child #2: Very mild labor began about 6pm, active began about 3pm next day, born after midnight.

Most subsequent labors are shorter that the first. Evening or night is really common for labors to start especially if you did that way before I think.

[Peony]

With every child I have woken up between the hours of 4-6am in labor. DD1 was born at 10pm, DD2 at 11am, and DS at 9am.

[AfricanQueen99]

Thanks.

Anybody else?

[Belle]

For Dd1 I went into labor at 1am. She was born at 11:56am. I think she might have come sooner if they didn't make me get out of the tub at the hospital. My labor stalled at that point. I was surrounded by annoying people too.

For Dd2 I went into labor around 3:30am. She was born at 7:17am. No annoying people because I stayed at home.

[kltroy]

VBAC - I felt first ctx at 5:00 AM but they were pokey and I wasn't sure it was real. I don't think "labor started" for real until around 1-2 PM, which is when they kicked up a notch and were every 5 mins apart (but very managable). Baby was born at 3:26 AM the next day.

[SeekingJoy]

DS: started at noon, born just after midnight

DD: started at 8 am ish (with real "I am actually in labor call the doula" contractions at 9, born at 10:30 am)

[gillibean]

child # 1 - 1:30 pm - 1:11 am (just under 12 hours)
child # 2 - 6 am - 12:30 am (18 hours with a 6 hour break in the afternoon)
child #3 - 1 am - 9 am (8 hours)

[sweeetpea]

DD#1: labor began early afternoon, birth @ 8:51 pm
DS#1: SROM @11:30 pm, birth @ 1:56 am
DS#2: SROM @ 11:30 pm, birth @ 10:07 am

Clearly, my boys were in sync for the SROM, but the subsequent labors were very different. Of course, with DS#2, I was at home and trying to sleep, rather than rushing to the hospital. Made for a much calmer and smoother labor.

Of course, DD was at 34 weeks, DS#1 at 39w6d, and DS #2 at 41W2d.

Completely and totally un-plannable!

[wombatclay]

dd1- 42+ weeks, SPROM in the morning (around 7am), then nothing till around 9pm that night. She arrived via c/s after laboring 32+ hours.

dd2- 40 weeks, sROM at midnight, strong contractions by 3am, dd2 arrived via successsful vbac at noon (so 12 hours start to finish).

ds- 42+ weeks, 4.5 hours of labor, "maybe labor" started around 11pm, babe arrived at 3am

I found that my older kiddos influenced my labor a lot... contractions would slow or stop when they were awake/around. It wasn't till I was at the hospital that things really progressed. Overall, I don't think you can plan a non-induced birth to the level necessary to arrange child care!

[Blueone]

My water broke at 2 am. I obeyed my doctor (wished I hadn't) and went straight to the hospital. They had to speed things up at 5 with pitocin, he was born at 1:25 pm.

[klemomma]

DS #1 - started at 11pm, born at 7 am (8 hrs total) (w/ epi)
DS #2 - started at 5 pm, born at 2 am (9 hrs total) (unmedicated)
DD - started at 10 am, born at 4 am (18 hrs total) (unmedicated)

So, I tend to deliver late at night / early in the morning, but my labors seem to be getting longer.

As far as arranging childcare and having a hospital birth goes, there are a few factors. It sounds like your DD will not be attending the birth. So, can you find someone to watch her during the day while in labor if necessary, and then for if you go into labor at night, either the same person to come stay with her, or alternatively a neighbor or something to come over at night and the your day-time person to get the call to come pick her up in the morning?

It is complicated to arrange, I know.

I think the best is just to have a few willing hands to help, someone very quick for an emergency, and then to just play it by ear and figure it out at the time.

HTH!

[Tashakittie]

my first: 7 am pre-labor started, 8pm real labor began, 5:31 pm the next evening DS was born.

my second: pre-labor seemed endless, and did not start as significantly as the first time. it was long and slow. also, with this labor and birth, i did not realize i was fully in labor until transition. 11pm contractions became noticeably crampy. went to bed. awoke at 1am, and they were intense enough that I could not sleep through them. timing was still irregular. baby was born at 8:03 am.

[jillmamma]

from January DDC!

With both of mine, mild contractions that were erratic started in the morning (don't know exact time), and both were born in the middle of the night (DS at 11:56 pm, DD at 1:34 am). I was not sure that it was the real thing till evening with both. When DD was born, my sister lived close by and came over to stay with DS when we went to the hospital. This time, my sister has moved away to live closer to my parents (about 300 miles away), so I think we will have our neighbors who are also close friends watch the kiddos when we go to the hopital, then DH will stay home with them after the birth (unless they are all coming in to visit) till the baby and I are ready to come home as well. I am hoping all goes well for you this time!