[LBMarie9]

with DS1 I stalled in the beginning and then went from a 5 to a 10 in like 3? hours?<br><br>
with second child (DD)- this one was natural BTW (both in the hospital)- I stalled in the beginning again (yes it's a hopsital term-they sent me home) went home and labored in mom's big bath <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile"> ---went to hospital and was a 5--was monitored for 20 minutes--then I was a 6---rushed to the bath tub and within 20 minutes was out--ready to push and she was out in 3 minutes (so technically went from a 6-10 in 20 minutes or a 5-10 in 45 minutes.<br><br>
will it be quicker this time? I ask because I am having a hospital birth. I don't want much intervention so my plan is to labor at home as long as possible and then go at the very end again---I "feel" like I will know when to go--last time when we went back to the hospital--the contractions were pretty "bad" and I could tell they were REALLY progressing.<br><br>
I worry about not making it--the hospital is only 1 mile from my house so I think it's a pretty safe plan--however I wonder how MUCH faster it could go and if I would miss signs and then be pusing (and I only push for a couple contractions!) any thoughts very welcome--thanks!<br><br><br>
p.s. I know a homebirth I wouldn't have to worry but it is NOT an option because of DH's wishes.

 

[MamaPhilly]

Wow---you go through the last bit pretty darned fast!<br><br>
My midwife had said that most often with second babies, you can count on it being about half the length of a first. Mine was to about the minute.<br><br>
Third labors though can be anything. She said for a lot of moms it can be their longest. (she told me this now that I'm pregnant---too late to reconsider!)

 

[MamaFern]

I think you will never know till it happens <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/lol.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="lol"> my first was LONG.. over 24 hours from the first contractions..12 + from the start of hard labour.<br>
my second was 4 hours from first contraction to birth..<br>
my 3rd was hmm..at least 8.. Im not remembering details riht now.. but i know i went for a walk in the woods in the afternoon and was having some contractions but they didn't pick up for quite a while, then she was born in the dark of night. i need to go read her birth story <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/orngtongue.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Stick Out Tongue">

 

[St. Margaret]

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<div>Originally Posted by <strong>Oliversmommy</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/15422279"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">Wow---you go through the last bit pretty darned fast!<br><br>
My midwife had said that most often with second babies, you can count on it being about half the length of a first. Mine was to about the minute.<br><br>
Third labors though can be anything. She said for a lot of moms it can be their longest. (she told me this now that I'm pregnant---too late to reconsider!)</div>
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<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/lol.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="lol"> Meep. I'm gonna focus on how my birth this time might only take 9 hours! How awesome would that be!

 

[Earthy Birthy]

I did the same thing with labors 1-3. Sat at 4-5 cm for hours and then did the last half within 30-45 min. #4 was a little bit different because I experienced some emotional dystocia because I wanted a UC and dh wanted midwives present. If not for that, I think that it would have progressed the same. #5 was not my longest labor, but it was definitely my most difficult. That was about 16 hours of intense labor (lots of prodromal in the weeks before that) with several hours of that being horrendous back labor. I don't know that much about my dilating pattern because I didn't have outside hands checking me (dh did once or twice to check descent). There are so many ways to check progress without doing vaginal exams. I can't see hospital personnel adapting anytime soon, but I hope that my sister midwives move more towards using non-invasive techniques soon.<br><br>
I read something on a blog the other day about labor plateaus. I'll see if I can find it, but meanwhile, <a href="http://www.birthingnaturally.net/birth/progress/progress.html" target="_blank">here's an interesting chart</a>.<br><br>
ETA--Found it! I thought the "Reasons" section was very interesting: <a href="http://naturalchildbirthedu.com/2009/12/23/the-natural-alignment-plateau/" target="_blank">http://naturalchildbirthedu.com/2009...nment-plateau/</a>

 

[mzminty]

Very interesting, TXmidwife.<br><br>
My labors are incredibly fast. 2 1/2 hrs with my first and 1 hr 45 min with my second. Leading up to the birth, I have weeks of hard contractions at night and so many "false alarms". I think my body is just breaking up the laboring process over time until it wakes me up with a bang and says, "Hey, could you push this baby out please?" <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/winky.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Wink"><br><br>
Both births, I was 9 cm by the time I arrived at the hospital, and was already feeling the urge to push. So I've had a couple of frightening car rides in my life! This time, I'm going to ask my DH if he could try to learn to do a vag check on me, because I don't even want to try to get to the hospital (40 min away) if I'm 9 cm with a bulging bag. We have an emergency birth kit and he's a paramedic, but he's not entirely comfortable with the idea of home birth. My CNM also lives 10 min away from me and said I could call her over if I think it's too close to make it, and it's in the middle of the night or something.<br><br>
She also told me that 3rd births can be longer, but because I just had a baby 16 mo ago, that might mean it could go fast again.

 

[HeatherB]

mzminty, in my last pregnancy I did my own checks. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/thumb.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="thumbs up"> I loved being able to tell my MW how I was progressing without having all the awkwardness of an official VE.<br><br>
OP, I was just involved in a discussion elsewhere about 3rd labors being the unpredictable ones. Mine was certainly different! My first two were long, slow, but basically steady. My third did more like yours. I was having a long, slow, kind of easy labor, then went from 6cm to holding baby in 17 minutes! So, while it doesn't mean that much, my experience goes along with the adage that you never know with #3!

 

[mzminty]

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<div>Originally Posted by <strong>HeatherB</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/15424053"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">mzminty, in my last pregnancy I did my own checks. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/thumb.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="thumbs up"> I loved being able to tell my MW how I was progressing without having all the awkwardness of an official VE.</div>
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I love that idea, but I had a hard time finding/reaching my cervix at the end of my last pregnancy, so I gave up. And when I woke up in the middle of the night with contractions right on top of each other, I don't think I would have been much good for that anyway. I could barely get clothes on and get into the car! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/orngbiggrin.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="orange big grin">

 

[HeatherB]

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<div>Originally Posted by <strong>mzminty</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/15424074"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">I love that idea, but I had a hard time finding/reaching my cervix at the end of my last pregnancy, so I gave up. And when I woke up in the middle of the night with contractions right on top of each other, I don't think I would have been much good for that anyway. I could barely get clothes on and get into the car! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/orngbiggrin.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="orange big grin"></div>
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<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/lol.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="lol"> Good point. My labors have been so drawn out that I have plenty of time in between to take a bathroom break and check. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/wink1.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="wink1"> Though I also found checking ahead of time to be encouraging! At any rate, if your DH will do it, that's a good idea!

 

[my kidlets and me]

Mine have gotten progressively faster, and I've been induced each time:<br><br>
#1: induced by breaking waters, 6 hours from rupture to birth<br><br>
#2: induced by oxytocin after water breaking and no labour, 2.5 hours from contractions starting to birth<br><br>
#3: induced by breaking waters, 1 hr 25 minutes <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/bigeyes.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="bigeyes"> from rupture to birth. One push.<br><br>
You can see why I want the backup of a homebirth this time!

 

[butterflies]

My first was 20 hrs from first contraction to birth. Second was 3.5 hrs. I was 9 days past my due date and had BH but no other signs of impending birth. The contractions started out at 5 min apart and quickly picked up to 3-4 min apart. (My neighbor was an RN and she was timing them as we got ready to leave for the hospital-- she was worried she was going to have to deliver the baby <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/lol.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="lol">) Got to the hospital at 8 cm and ds was born about an hr later.<br><br>
I vividly remember the L&D nurse during my first birth, telling me how much faster things would go the second time around. I was SO far from caring at the time but it turned out to be true.

 

[my2girlz]

#1 was induced and neither of us were ready. First contraction was around 9am. 10cm by 11pm. pushed for 3 hours and she needed vaccum extraction. Born at 2:08am<br><br>
#2 I had been having contractions all day. Arrived at the hospital around 8pm after timing the contractions. Nothing to strong on arrival. She arrived at 2:22am after 1 push<br><br>
#3 was induced because of my high blood pressure. Contractions started around 8am. I went from 4cm to 9cm in 15 min. He was born at 11:53am after 1 push.

 

[Joe'sMama]

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<div>Originally Posted by <strong>TXmidwife</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/15423846"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">There are so many ways to check progress without doing vaginal exams. I can't see hospital personnel adapting anytime soon, but I hope that my sister midwives move more towards using non-invasive techniques soon.</div>
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Sorry to hijack, but can you elaborate? I found progress checks to be almost unbearably painful.

 

[LBMarie9]

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<div>Originally Posted by <strong>TXmidwife</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/15423846"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">I did the same thing with labors 1-3. Sat at 4-5 cm for hours and then did the last half within 30-45 min. #4 was a little bit different because I experienced some emotional dystocia because I wanted a UC and dh wanted midwives present. If not for that, I think that it would have progressed the same. #5 was not my longest labor, but it was definitely my most difficult. That was about 16 hours of intense labor (lots of prodromal in the weeks before that) with several hours of that being horrendous back labor. I don't know that much about my dilating pattern because I didn't have outside hands checking me (dh did once or twice to check descent). There are so many ways to check progress without doing vaginal exams. I can't see hospital personnel adapting anytime soon, but I hope that my sister midwives move more towards using non-invasive techniques soon.<br><br>
I read something on a blog the other day about labor plateaus. I'll see if I can find it, but meanwhile, <a href="http://www.birthingnaturally.net/birth/progress/progress.html" target="_blank">here's an interesting chart</a>.<br><br>
ETA--Found it! I thought the "Reasons" section was very interesting: <a href="http://naturalchildbirthedu.com/2009/12/23/the-natural-alignment-plateau/" target="_blank">http://naturalchildbirthedu.com/2009...nment-plateau/</a></div>
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<br>
WOW thank you!! this explains exactly what has happened to me BOTH times! yea I was hesitant to say I "stall" but that's what everyone else calls it. the funny (or not so funny?!) thing is that the whole time I am "stalled" my contractions continue to be like 1 minute apart or closer--which is why both times my mom freaked out and wanted me to go to the hopsital to be checked.<br><br>
I'm still not sure "when" I will go into the hopspital this time--I guess I should count on my 3rd labor being different maybe too. however it's really cool to see that what my body seems to do in labor is pretty common in a natural birth <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile"> thanks for those links--I'll have to read up on it even more when I have more time (and brain power-it's early<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile"> THANKS again. and thanks for the replys (I wasn't gettnig an email that anyone had replied and was happy to find my thread today )

 

[kittywitty]

Well, they're all different. I never got gifted with short labors or short pushing stages <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/img/vbsmilies/smilies/eyesroll.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="roll"> but all of mine have played out differently.

 

[peaceful_mama]

DS1--Induced by Cytotec and later Pitocin...stalled at 6 for a couple hours.<br>
12 hours 50 mins. hours from Cytotec pill to baby. 20 mins. pushing. Episiotomy.<br><br>
DD--natural, in hospital. 5 hours 20 mins. from waking up going "am I *really* in labor this time?" to baby. 20 mins pushing, no episiotomy no tearing.<br><br>
DS2--homebirth over state lines, not quite home--10 hours 19 minutes from first contraction to birth. 2 hours pushing, lip.

 

[Metasequoia]

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<div>Originally Posted by <strong>Oliversmommy</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/15422279"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">Third labors though can be anything. She said for a lot of moms it can be their longest. (she told me this now that I'm pregnant---too late to reconsider!)</div>
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I think the third labors can be wild cards. Mine went like this:<br><br>
1st: 3.5 hrs (timed from 1st contraction waking me up to birth)<br><br>
2nd: 1 hour (also time from 1st contraction waking me until birth)<br><br>
3rd: 2 hours (same as above)<br><br>
Mine all come in the middle of the night (& they've all been on their due dates.) I'm really wondering how this fourth labor will go. I think I can safely say that it won't be more than 4 hours - I'm hoping for 1 hour or less. That second birth was also the easiest - I never even had to push, my uterus just did its thing and she just slid out rather quickly & easily. I drank a ton of RRL tea with Ds's labor and I do wonder if it relaxed my uterus to a point where the contractions weren't as effective. I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing, but I liked my 1 hr labor. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/winky.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Wink"><br>
Oh, and with all of them, I've walked around for 4+ weeks at 4+ cm dilated, 90% effaced & zero station. It's not very comfortable, but it makes for quick labors. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/lol.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="lol"><br><br>
I think if you're only a mile from the hospital, it's a pretty safe bet that you'll make it. I don't even know if there's a point I'd recognize as "the point" where I needed to leave. Mine are intense from the get-go.<br><br>
I wonder if you "stall" because of your arrival at the hospital? It sounds like once you feel comfortable, your body works quickly (like in your Mom's tub.) I don't know how to remedy this except to find a place in your mind that feels safe to you. Visualization, music, breathing, whatever it takes. Rescue Remedy has helped me to relax a bit during labor & is safe to take. Once I get into my zone - for me, it's a primal place of feminine knowledge that is centuries old that my body knows what its doing and is more powerful than I can imagine - once I turn off my brain & give myself over to that, everything goes amazingly smoothly.

 

[Earthy Birthy]

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<div>Originally Posted by <strong>Joe'sMama</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/15425634"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">Sorry to hijack, but can you elaborate? I found progress checks to be almost unbearably painful.</div>
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I just posted a thread in Birth Professionals <a href="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/showthread.php?t=1228247" target="_blank">here</a>. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile">

 

[LBMarie9]

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<div>Originally Posted by <strong>Metasequoia</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/15443739"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">I wonder if you "stall" because of your arrival at the hospital? It sounds like once you feel comfortable, your body works quickly (like in your Mom's tub.) I don't know how to remedy this except to find a place in your mind that feels safe to you. Visualization, music, breathing, whatever it takes. Rescue Remedy has helped me to relax a bit during labor & is safe to take. Once I get into my zone - for me, it's a primal place of feminine knowledge that is centuries old that my body knows what its doing and is more powerful than I can imagine - once I turn off my brain & give myself over to that, everything goes amazingly smoothly.</div>
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I think you are right on about this!!! I KNOW I wouldn't have progressed so fast this last time with DD if they hadn't of let me off the table and into the tub to finally relax better. This is why I plan to go for pushing <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile">