Second babies come faster?
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Second babies come faster?
| Sun, 04-02-2006 - 9:55am |
Everyone has told me that your second born usually comes faster (during birth)and comes before your edd. Any truth to this? I am praying so!!!

Generally speaking, second babies are thought to take about half as long as first babies (assuming you had a vaginal delivery with your first), because your body is already experienced in giving birth, your muscles are more lax than the first time around and your contractions are more productive.
My first daughter took a little over 10 hours (including an hour or two of pushing), while my second took about 4 hours and only 2 or 3 pushes.
I've heard that first babies often go a bit past their due date, but not that subsequent ones come before it. I think generally if you went around your due date with the first, you'll probably do so with the second as well (unless of course the pregnancies were closely spaced, and in that case it is more common you will go into labor a bit before your due date).
Incidentally, I had both my girls on their due dates, and I am due in less than three weeks with this one (closely spaced, since my younger dd is only 15 months old, but no baby yet! LOL).
HTH
~Kelli
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HTH! All the best,
Jodi
Mom to Pippa and Romilly
I agree with the delivery being faster - not sure about the due date.
My 1st dd was 10 days late and I was in labor for a total of 17 hours. The 1st 10 hours - I was dilated at 4 cm.
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Labor does TEND to be shorter w/ subsequent births. There are always variations to the rule, though, so don't absolutely count on it!
As for the birth day itself, there is also a general rule that subsequent pregnancies TEND to be shorter but I can attest that that is absolutely not always the case. DS #1 was 18 days late; ds #2 was 1 day early; ds #3 was 8 days late; ds #4 was 10 days late!
My first was a very long labor that ended with an emergency c/s. But that was due to her position.
My second (my first vaginal delivery) was a 13 hour labor with about 40 minutes of pushing. I had gotten to 6 cm with my first and then during the labor with my second I got to 6 cm incredibly quickly. Your body does have memory.
My third (my second vaginal delivery) was a 5 hour labor with only 3 pushes (including a trial push!).