Do pushing phases get shorter with each baby?

[JFTB1177]

I am hoping and praying the answer is YES! lol

My first baby was a "failed induction" where I had too many interventions (AROM very early, pitocin, OP baby etc), pushed for 3 or 3.5 hours before doc on call gave me the choice between forceps or C-section, and I chose the C-section.

Baby #2 was a planned HBAC, I went to 42 weeks and 3 days when my MW stripped my membranes, went into labor very next day. Labor was about 36 hours and pushed for 6 hours!!! Baby born healthy and I had 2 small tears, but the LONG pushing phase was exhausting & I know that would never have been allowed in a hospital.

This time I am planning a hospital VBAC (long story about why & don't wanna really get into it on this thread) with a very supportive VBAC-friendly OB who is going to let me push up tp 4 hours and go to 42 weeks (plan is to strip membranes to get labor started as that is what got it started last time). BUT because it IS going to be a hospital birth (and I remember exactly what that is like) I am hoping and praying my pushng phase is nice and short this time. Do you think it could be faster this time since I have had one vaginal birth already? I'm so scared I'll be pushing forever again and worse, end up with a c/s.

[kitkat5505]

I think a lot of it just depends on the babies position. With #1 I pushed for 2hrs before having a c/s. His head was asynclitic and just wouldn't descend (and at that time I had no idea about how to move around to try to get him in better position). #2 lined up great and came out after about 30mins of pushing. #3 I pushed over 2hrs before emergency c/s. He would not have been able to come out no matter how long I pushed (at least without really damaging him or me) because it turned out his arm was wedged elbow first in front of his head.

[JFTB1177]

Hey Kara, thanks for sharing! I know DS1 was OP. I think DS2 may have been OP too but he turned (I guess I should contact the MW who delivered him to find out).

I would LOVE to push for only 30 min! Are you planning on a VBAC with your twins or a RCS?

[kitkat5505]

Originally Posted by JFTB1177

Hey Kara, thanks for sharing! I know DS1 was OP. I think DS2 may have been OP too but he turned (I guess I should contact the MW who delivered him to find out).

I would LOVE to push for only 30 min! Are you planning on a VBAC with your twins or a RCS?

I'm hoping for a vba2c. We will have to see what positions they are in, how big they are, etc but as long as everything looks good my OB is willing to give it a try. I feel very lucky to have a hospital nearby that is supportive of stuff like that.

[philomom]

Twenty minutes with first baby in supported squat.

Three pushes with second baby standing up. Midwife sat cross legged on floor to catch him. It was awesome. I gave birth smiling. Gravity really helps.

[homemademom]

I'm not sure they do with EACH birth, but definitely, after the first birth, mine were all much faster. I pushed for 1.5 hours with #1 and from 10-20 minutes with the other 3 babies.

[Hey Mama!]

My first was an induction so if she had come on her own I may have pushed for a shorter amount of time. I pushed 1.5 hours with her. With the second I had a natural birth and the pushing stage for her was less than 10 minutes. My third birth was also natural/drug free but she was not positioned correctly so I pushed for about an hour with her. She was born facing to the left side of my body.

[cappuccinosmom]

Depends on baby's position, your position, your pelvis, the labor, and the interventions going on.

Mine have all been very short. Like 15 minutes short. But I went into labor on my own, past 42 weeks, with no interventions, no rupture of membranes, nothing. Just intermittent monitoring.

I have wondered if aside from my body being really, really ready, the intact membranes through most of the labor played a part in the way it went. I know on the baby TV shows they always like to break the waters to make it go faster but I'm not sure that's necessarily the best thing.

ETA: My brain is mush. That was my second and third babies. The first one, the water was broken when I was about 7-8 cm ("to make it go faster"). I pushed longer with him, but it was still under an hour.

[mylilmonkeys]

I have had really long pushing stages, too. With #2, I pushed 4 hours. She was in a terrible position with asynclitic head. With #3, I pushed when I started feeling an urge, but it wasn't very strong. Swollen lip, huge baby, bad combination. We transfered to hospital after 6 hours of pushing, got one dose of epi meds in my spine, then tried again when it wore off. The baby had moved up enough to allow the doctor to push the lip back. I think I still pushed another 45 min or so, even though I was squatting, his head was just so big!

After that, I learned about the fetus ejection reflex and determined I would not push at all until I couldn't NOT push anymore. That baby was born in 3 pushes, the next in 2 (with midwife asking me to wait, while I was rolling off the bed onto hands and knees), and the last in 1 push (while midwife asked me to wait while she pulled down my underwear, slapped a chux underneath and pulled some gloves on).

So, yes, pushing can get shorter! The trick in the hospital would be to keep them from checking you and pronouncing you complete and initiating pushing before you can't resist the urge any longer!

[nadia105]

Yes, for the most part.

#1 was about an hour of pushing, she had been posterior during labor but turned during pushing.

#2 I didn't have to push, he was literally flying out on his own.

#3 I don't remember exactly how long I had to push, but at least a half hour -- he had a fist up on his cheek and that slowed things WAY down.

[phathui5]

OP, with your first two babies, were you pushing because you felt a strong urge to push?

Were you ten centimeters and they decided it was time to push?

Are you doing any work on fetal positioning this time to try and get baby into an OA position?

[JFTB1177]

Originally Posted by phathui5

OP, with your first two babies, were you pushing because you felt a strong urge to push?

Were you ten centimeters and they decided it was time to push?

Are you doing any work on fetal positioning this time to try and get baby into an OA position?

With my 2nd I felt a strong urge to push and was definitely 10 cm... that was a natural childbirth so I felt everything!

My first was a failed induction and I had an epi so felt nothing except pressure, and I was also 10 cm as well.

I was told when I could push both times but I did def feel the urge with #2!

Do you think it could be something with my pelvic bone?

[rparker]

For me, the answer is "yes."

#1: 20 minute 2nd stage, lithomy position, most of that being told not to push (no medical indication for this, doctor hadn't arrived), 10 cm dilated.

#2: 3 pushes (max? maybe?), standing leaning slightly forward, no coached pushing, began pushing when I couldn't "not push," no cervical checks so no idea about dilation... but probably 10 cm since there was no molding.

Both labors were spontaneous onset and within 5 days (either side) of 40 weeks. Both were hospital births. I highly recommend pushing standing up... it was an accident in my case, but it was much easier/less painful (no ring of fire) and resulted in no stitches. I also tend to spend most of the last part of my labors sitting on the toilet... figured I'd share that TMI in case it contributes to quick second stages!

[mylilmonkeys]

A strong urge to push is not the same thing as an irresistible urge to push. It really makes a difference to wait until waiting is no longer an option. I suggest you read Michel Odent's work on the topic. http://wombecology.com/fetusejection.html

[Magali]

I pushed both my babies out flat on my back, legs in stirrups, with epidurals (2nd one did't take tho). With my ds it was 20 mins, with my dd maybe 5 minutes.

[HeatherB]

I didn't really get to push with my first because the doctor's had already called "time up." I was literally being prepped for a c/s when the urge finally came and I got in only one good push - in the OR on the table.

Second baby, first HBAC, I spent a long while trying NOT to push because of a cervical lip. Once that was gone, it was one - maybe two - contractions and he was out. I was in shock that it was so fast! He was born with his hand next to his face which slowed down the entire labor and caused some of the issues in pushing - though it was obviously quick when we got down to it.

With my 3rd, I ended up with a super fast and intense transition and an amazing experience with the fetal ejection reflex. My body pushed him out with no help from me. The hardest part was figuring out how to breathe and let it do that without worrying about the fact that I'd been told not to push because I was only 6cm a few minutes before! I was most definitely fully dilated and he came out quite quickly - just 17m after that check at 6cm when my water broke (and that was not all pushing; in fact, a good chunk of that was transition).

I do absolutely think that after a vaginal birth you are likely to have a quicker pushing stage with subsequent children. Position is a HUGE factor, though, so do focus on ensuring baby is in an optimal position. I know that was a major issue for me with my first birth, and in my 2nd and 3rd I had pretty continuous chiropractic care, massage, etc. Doing the same this time in hopes of a smoother birth.

[tireesix]

I don't think so, first baby I was allowed to push for about an hour before the vacuum came out (but she was literally crowning at that point, MW just couldn't be bothered to wait), second baby I had a 3 hour pushing stage and then 3rd was about 10 minutes.

i too think it depends upon baby, positions etc.

[mama to 2 girls]

I agree with the OP's about babe's position, pelvis, etc....For me it was like this....

DD1- induced, epi that only worked on one side, pushed for 30 mins.

DD2- spontaneous, no interventions, pushed for 10 mins.

DS- spontaneous, again no interventions HB, pushed for 20-30 mins. BUT he was over 2lbs. more at birth than his sisters and his head was 1 1/2" bigger than his sister's heads at birth.

I know that dd2 and ds were in good positions but not sure about dd1.

[babyjelly]

I pushed an hour with my first, once with my second, and through a couple of ctx with my third (nuchal hand, but still a very short pushing phase).
In my casual observations, the usual is for first babies to be longest...but there are no hard and fast rules, as shown by these other ladies' experiences
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[micah_mae_]

First baby: 2 hours pushing. Nuchal arm.

Second baby: 8 minutes pushing. Good position and chiro care.