Help me understand births that go "too fast" - Page 2

[PreggieUBA2C]

I think that my labours' lengths were completely in-line with my state of mind.

I had two c/s with no labour.

My first labour (UC, ds3- 10lbs3oz): 9 hours, painless after the first hour, which was my transition from four weeks of nightly prodromal, and this began at 45 weeks. I had a lot of processing emotionally and mentally, as well as physically, so the pace was perfect for me. Until he was shooting out, he was high. I tore and then later had it stitched, which was a bad idea because my body reacted to the stitching material and caused the tear to heal apart from so much swelling. I should have known because during my pg, I had "dissolving" blue stitches from my previous c/s coming out of my body through my belly skin. This labour was supremely awesome- completely triumphant for me. I was in awe the whole time, and had genuine gratitude for every contraction, and gratitude that I could see the baby being positioned and feel my bones moving, and all the rest. It was life-altering in a very positive way.

Second labour (UC, ds4- 10lbs8oz): 3 minutes, excruciating, but in a birth-hostile town and I needed it to happen fast. It did. I was fine- 11pm until 11:33, three contractions with broken water all at once. This happened suddenly, after I'd gone to the kitchen and lifted him to reposition him because I was uncomfortable; he was high still. He was born at 44 weeks, after a flu that kept me from eating for five days, having been wretching until the day before. I may have been having contractions all that time, but wouldn't have known. That night, two of my children ended up vomiting, and they were coming in and out of my room on their way to the bathroom to see their new brother. My eldest happened to be there for the birth. Great timing! I was fine- no tearing.

Third labour (UC, dd- 9lbs): 3 hours, very safe place, slept through 45 minutes and when I woke up, decided I wanted it to be done, so I lifted her into place and manually shoved her head down into place, at which point my body took over in a big way and she rocketed out, elbow first, other hand on her face, totally pink, alert, aware. I was fine, too- no tearing. Before I positioned her, my contractions were very wishy-washy and I was a bit ambivalent, not determined, just riding it out. Then I wanted it done, and it was. This was at 46 weeks.

ETA: She was also sunny-side-up. It didn't matter- it was so fast.

I am very happy about my labours. I am also actively preventing pg because I don't want to be pg again, and want my family to move on now.

Edited by PreggieUBA2C - 3/5/11 at 1:01pm

[Eeyore35]

I worried i would have a fast labour. (I was GBS+ and needed antibiotics starting 4 hours before birth.) I worried b/c my mom had fast labours. She was induced with my brother-I think it took about 4 hours, alltogether. They ruptured her membranes around 10am, and he was born around 1:30-2pm, I think. With me, I'd say it all happened within an 1-1/2. She wasn't induced.

I needn't have worried. 20+ hours of back labour and I ended up needing a c-section.  I wasn't induced, but did have pit to augment labour. Oh, and they broke my water. I hated that. It was icky & gross and didn't speed things up anyhow.

My baby was sunny-side up,though, and was too big (and i'm too small) for her to have room to turn, and I couldn't get past 4cm wth her in that position. I have found out since then that have hip & pelvis issues that may prevent me from birthing vaginally. My mom just thinks I'm too short to birth vaginally.

My grandma had difficult labours, and one baby died right after birth-he should have been a c-section, as far as we can tell.

I do have one friend who had her baby really fast, (under an hour, I think,) but he had some breathing issues b/c of it. He was fine, but it was scary. I think it was the same  breathing issues c-section babies can have.

[irenicas]

I wish I could help you understand! My first birth took 18 long hours. My second took 2 1/2 hrs of extreme, intense pain. My third took 2 hours of extreme, intense pain. I had my first at 17 yrs old, second at 27 yrs, and third at 28 yrs old. Although my 2nd and 3rd were quick, I was terrified and in so much pain. Also, right after giving birth to my fast ones, I felt amazing, like I hadn't even given birth. After giving birth to my first, I felt exhausted for a few days.

[briannas auntie]

One thing my family thinks in terms of fast labors is that they sometimes run in families.  My granny had fast labors, both my aunts did, my mom did, and my sister did.  They all lasted less than 6 hours.  My granny actually had her second son in the car on her way to the hospital decades ago.  My mom had me and my sister in 6 hours (and I was her first child, even her doctor was shocked). My brother was born after 8 hours of labor, because Mom had to be induced with him.  My sister was in labor for 2 hours, but wound up having to push for 5 hours, due to how small framed she is. 

I do believe that sometimes geneitcs can plan a role in this.  My mom and granny keep telling me that when I have a child, I am probably going to have a fast labor.  Granny told me once that I have a very high pain tollerance and know several pain management techniques, so labor would be fast for me, since my body wouldn't have to work against stress hormones.  Who knows what will happen. 

Jessie