pushing - 2nd+ baby

[katelyn]

Moms who've had more than one child - how was pushing the 2nd (or 3rd etc.) time around compared to the first? I've heard in general it is much shorter & easier. While I was pushing with Natalie my midwife told stories of how she's had women literally laugh or sneeze out their second babies.

 

[Athene]

These women must not have been doing their pelvic floor excercises.

It was easier to push Grace out then the other two, not exactly a laugh or a sneeze though, you also have that all important thing called experience so you know that when the head is crowning to push extra gently, and once the head is out to just give one great big push for the body .

 

[RoseofLima]

It has everything to do with position...if the baby's head/body is positioned well it will be easier...but I have had one with a nuchal arm, one sunny side up, one where my uterus literally just kind of stopped contracting....so I don't know that I could attest for 'easier'. Every birth is so different depending on each mother and baby...I am always hesitant to make generalisations of any kind when it comes to what birth will be like....

 

[sioleabha]

Well, each of my labors have gotten progressively fast and easier: 1) 24 hours ending in c-section, 2) 8 hours, and 3) 45 minutes. Sinead (#3) was footling breech, though, so she did get stuck and need some help getting all the way out. But 45 minutes is still better than 8 hours!!

 

[RoseofLima]

Not to be discouraging, but nearly everyone I know who has had more than three has reported that the time starts to creep back up with after #4....I think it has to do with uterine tone... it has certainly been true for me..my 3rd was 3 hrs, my 4th 2 hrs, and then my 5th and 6th both around 5-6 hours....

And You go girl! Delivering breech is a huge accomplishment!

 

[sioleabha]

To be honest, I'm HOPING this one takes longer than 45 minutes! It was a good birth, but give me a second to catch my breath, KWIM?

 

[Tea]

We need to remember that each delivery is different, and many things can happen with each, but if you have delivered successfully the first time, albeit a long time, this is a huge positive step for the next labours, as you know that you can do this. It is one less thing that we have to think about. When I have had problems, it has usually been due to medical intervention, instead of just letting me do my stuff. Usually though, not inlcuding my first, my labours are only around 1hr.
Tracey

 

[Tea]

Personally, I haven't noticed that the times get longer. My seventh was my longest, but that was again due to medical mismanagement. As soon as they discovered what was wrong, my baby was delivered with the next push. Even though I deliver 9 - 10 pounders, they have all been around the 1hr duration. With an eleven year gap between this and the last one, it will be interesting to see what happens.
Tracey

 

[RoseofLima]

Personally, I haven't noticed that the times get longer. My seventh was my longest, but that was again due to medical mismanagement. As soon as they discovered what was wrong, my baby was delivered with the next push. Even though I deliver 9 - 10 pounders, they have all been around the 1hr duration. With an eleven year gap between this and the last one, it will be interesting to see what happens.
Tracey

That is a blessing to have such great labors! And a blessing to be expecting again!

 

[Leanna]

Its okay if my labor is still long, but can I please request a daytime labor? One that starts in the morning? Faster pushing would be nice too.... although that part didn't take too long really.

 

[Tea]

Leanna, I agree, that labours don't necessarily need to be short in duration, and that in it's self can bring other problems. As long as everything is going to plan, and you can feel things progressing, that's all we can ask for. Although you might want to start talking to this baby and start negotiations for a day birth. lol

RoseofLima, thankyou for your blessings on the pregnancy. With this one they have been few and far apart.
Tracey

 

[RoseofLima]

RoseofLima, thankyou for your blessings on the pregnancy. With this one they have been few and far apart.
Tracey

I am sorry to hear that--it's one comfort in having psycho Catholic friends--they're bound to be joyful whenever you tell them that you are pregnant....everyone else is 'disappointed in me'...but they'll all love the baby once he/she is born.... this one is actually hard for me....my marriage was falling apart earlier in the year- it's great now-but I wanted to wait awhile longer before having another baby....but I know that this is without a doubt God's plan---and His plan is always far superior to mine!

 

[Leanna]

I think large families are great and every baby is a blessing.... and I'm not even Catholic!!

 

[sioleabha]

RoseofLima, thankyou for your blessings on the pregnancy. With this one they have been few and far apart.
Tracey

Well then let me tell you congratulations, too! I know how you feel, and it sucks to have people be upset about something so wonderful.

 

[jgonz]

I'll congratulate you too Tea!

My first labor was 21 hrs~ but that could have very easily have been because I was flat on my back for the majority of it.

My 2nd was 4 hrs, start to finish. I did have to push (once again, forced to lay on my back), but it was a Lot easier and quicker than my first.

All my subsequent pushing experiences were quick~ with one of my kids (#7), I had to actively Not push my uterus was working so hard.

#6 & #8 were the hardest.... #6 was in a bad position (sideways~ shoulders were stuck) and my OB ended up sticking his hand up in me and turning my son's head (which ended up rotating 3 segments in his neck completely out of place. 12 yrs later he still needs chiropractic adjustments rather often.)

With #8 (home water birth), I had this sense that I had to get my son out NOW, so I was pushing for all I was worth. It was HARD. He was in an odd position (never flexed his neck, so I had to birth his full head circumference), but when the midwife checked the placenta afterwards, she said that it was apparent that the placenta had started to peel away from the uterus before he was born (hence the sense of needing to get him out immediately.) Her 'diagnosis' of the situation was verified by the amount of bleeding I had after.

With #9, I didn't even really push~ my body did the work and my DD was born before the doctor came back into the room. I just love unassisted births IN the hospital!

Anyway, in general Yes, pushing is a Lot easier for your 2nd and more children.

One phenomenon I've run across on large family parenting boards is that something about the 3rd, 6th, 9th, 12th... pregnancy/birth/baby was more difficult than the others. (Definately true for me, and the majority of moms I've talked to. Not for everyone though.)

 

[PegasusOnFire]

I want 4-5 more babies, and my first labor was 44 hours, ending in a c-section, hoping the next goes faster.

 

[sioleabha]

One phenomenon I've run across on large family parenting boards is that something about the 3rd, 6th, 9th, 12th... pregnancy/birth/baby was more difficult than the others. (Definately true for me, and the majority of moms I've talked to. Not for everyone though.)

Probably something to do with the fact that the larger the pool, the higher the chance that something was difficult with at least one. Mine was #3.

 

[Naomi4Christ]

I wasn't really aware of pushing - I just went with the contractions.

My first second stage was 8 minutes, and I'm pretty sure they got shorter each time. No. 4 just flew out (it was a bit of a shock). No. 5 was breech and she basically fell out.

In the UK, we don't do the count-to-ten stuff that you see on A Baby Story. When I had my US baby (the breech one), I told the midwife that if anybody started counting, I would not be responsible for my language.

 

[jgonz]

I told the midwife that if anybody started counting, I would not be responsible for my language.

LOL!

I had it in my birth plan that NO ONE was to shout numbers at me or I'd pick them up and throw them out of the room.

 

[katelyn]

I wasn't really aware of pushing - I just went with the contractions.

My first second stage was 8 minutes, and I'm pretty sure they got shorter each time. No. 4 just flew out (it was a bit of a shock). No. 5 was breech and she basically fell out.

In the UK, we don't do the count-to-ten stuff that you see on A Baby Story. When I had my US baby (the breech one), I told the midwife that if anybody started counting, I would not be responsible for my language.

That is the one thing I wasn't very happy about with our midwife & the nurse - the contraction would end and so I would naturally stop pushing, and they encouraged me very strongly to keep pushing "just a little more." No counting or anything, but I still felt frustrated. I also kind of wonder if I could have come through with no tear at all (I tore just a little) if I had stuck to instinctive pushing.