Was your 2nd or 3rd + labor/delivery easier than the preceding?

[arratt]

Im due with baby #3 and starting to have anxiety about the upcoming labor/delivery. I know each birth is different but just wondering in general if those of you who have more than one child had an easier birth the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc time? Thanks for sharing.

[blessed_mama]

:

[huskermommy]

Hmmm... I'm not sure... My first was at 21-23wks and was painful.

My second I hat pitocin (the DEVIL itself) and it was AWFUL!

My third, I had a natural UC and it was WONDERFUL!! I actually enjoyed giving birth! The contractions were strong but I had breaks in between and I felt really good during it.

[KerriAZ]

Hard to say, really!

#1 - I was in labor for 25 hours with two hours of pushing. Labor wasn't to bad/painful, the contractions were not too intesnse that I couldn't handle it. I did end up with an epidural because I was SO tired (I had been up since 6 the day before because I had gone to work, I went into labor at 2 in the afternoon, and by 6 am when I hadn't dilated past 6 cm, I had an epi so I could get some sleep then they turned it off when I got close...). Then I pushed for 2 hours.

#2 - I was only in labor for 5 hours but the last 2 were SUPER HARD back labor so that I had to have an oxygen mask on because I wasn't breathing the right way through them - holding my breath, etc. - and then I pushed 5 times and he was here!

So, I had a really different experience both times! It will be interesting to see what happens this time! (DH thinks she's gonna come super fast. I hope he's right! LOL)

[ekblad9]

I've had easier and harder labors in no real order. I will say that anything dealing with pitocin was horrible compared to not. My easiest labor resulted in my most painful delivery b/c he was face up and I pushed FOREVER (like four hours!!). Good thing I was young then, LOL.

[SeekingSerenity]

Well, mine would probably have to be classified something like this:

1 was 31 hours, no pit but lots of intervention, awful birth experience all around.

So, 2 was much, much better. Pit-induced but only 7 hours from start to finish. Still intervention-heavy, though...

3, on the other hand, was also pit-induced but took 27 hours and was a miserable experience where the epidural didn't work and the monitor had everyone terrified at the end (oh, oh, the decels!! We'll have to section, oh wait, she's crowning... So two was better than one and three was better than one but worse than two...

4 was the best so far. Birth center, 17 hours, no complications or interventions, everything went just spiffy. That was better than all of them.

5 was a homebirth and was extremely prodromal (105 hours of actual labor). The surroundings were awesome but the emotional issues I was dealing with made the whole birth traumatic for me, from a psychological standpoint. The midwives and my best friend were absolutely wonderful in every respect, but I'd never been happier to finally push a baby OUT.

So I guess it depends on your life, circumstances and the baby. Good luck!

[Spark]

I've had 3 homebirths with hypnosis with no kind of labor stimulation other than walking for one of them. Lots of prodromal labor that seems to increase in length and intensity each time. I think position made the biggest difference. Check out www.spinningbabies.com if you haven't yet!

#1 - Posterior with compound presentation, 18.5 hours (~4 hrs of that was pushing)
#2 - Optimal Fetal Positioning, 4.5 hours (~2 hrs of that was pushing)
#3 - Optimal Fetal Positioning, 1 hour & 40 minutes (~15 mins of that was pushing)
#4 - I'll let you know by August how that one went!

[lorelei]

My second labor was much shorter and far better in every way than my first. I'm hoping this one will go more smoothly still, but am realistic that each is it's own separate thang, and could go either way.

Hope yours is easier!

[veganf]

My 3rd was so perfect. Water broke, 3 hours later contractions started, I walked around, folded laundry, made a sandwich, chatted...for about 4 hours. About 45 minutes before he was born it got more painful, transition, pushed him out, done. I found it was the most perfectly paced birth of all 3 (#1 was 14 hours, #2 was 1hr.40mins!).
So in my book, third time's the charm!!! I hope it is for you too!

[AnneCordelia]

My first was 17 hours with 4 hours of pushing. Lots of intervention. Posterior baby. Two episiotomies and tearing.

My second was 3 hours with two pushes. No intervention. LOA baby...ideal positioning. Tiny tear.

I'm hoping this one is more like #2 than #1.

[arratt]

anyone else want to share?

[Kidzaplenty]