Did you have a great 2nd or subsequent birth?

[Bonfire2010]

So glad to read this thread. I am due with my second on Christmas Day and am starting to become quite anxious as first labour wasn't great - 30 hours, meconium in waters, couldn't get on with the mouthpiece for the gas and air, failed induction, then they discovered waters hadn't fully broken so had amniotic hook (worst part of the whole thing), epidural and then ventouse. In hospital for 6 days as a precaution and was nearly climbing the walls by the time we got home - I actually burst into tears when we walked through the front door as it was just so calm and quiet compared to the maternity ward.

I am desperate to try and avoid too much intervention this time around, not from any oerwhelming desire to have a particular type of birth, but just because our support network is limited - friends will be away for xmas, so we are relying on my dad, who my son adores, but who isn't the best with the practicalities of looking after a toddler. So I need to get home/deliver as soon as I can!

I feel like it must hae been another person who gave birth first time around as I just can't believe it was me. As the due date gets nearer I have found myself thinking 'I just cannot do this'. It's really good to hear so many positive second labour stories. I have also started reading 'Birth Skills' which Norfolkvillas refers to and it seems very practical and straightforward and appeals to my nature.

I had the Lanes midwives first time around and with the Kings midwives this time around. I do miss the family feeling of the Lanes, but Kings also seem nice. Does anyone know if you have to have the mouthpiece for the gas and air, or if you can have a mask?

[reren]

Bonfire 2010 - i really recommend doing a hypnobirthing course if you have the time / money! It is such a great way to prepare - sounds like you might find it realy helpful - try suzie - her email is: [email protected].

I am now 2 days from due date and not dreading it at all - feel very prepared and ready for the experience which is largely down to suzie and all the practice i have done to prepare!

[buggie]

I'm 2wks off due date & weirdly not feeling too bad about labour, but instead finding it difficult to get more practical things sorted - fairly ok that care for bugglet is ok (thanks to in-laws close enough & bugglet loving sleepovers there!) but, I'm finding that I'm approach packing my hospital bag in a similar way to writing essays/revising for exams (ie; lots of displacement!). Am sure I found it quite exciting the first time!!

Am taking it as a sign I'm no where near going into labour yet, but know I should get it sorted asap!

[Bonfire2010]

Thanks reren, will look into the hypnobirthing. Good luck over the next few days - let us know how you get on xx

[reren]

I know what you mean buggie - hospital bag is last thing I've done - partly I think cause hoping to have home birth but somehow just couldn't get down to baby related organizing for ages. I found the last week though the nesting has kicked into overdrive and I've cracked on with those things ...

Bonfire2010 - thank you for best wishes will let you know how I get on (lots of twinges currently but no sign yet on eve of due date!). Do explore the hypnobirthing - one of the things I liked about it is that despite the name it really isn't very hippy dippy (at least the way Suzie teaches it) - a lot of it is about understanding the physiology of birth and how to work with what your body naturally knows how to do. Made a lot of rational sense to me that the deeper the level of relaxation and the more oxygen I can ensure gets to the uterus - the more efficiently it will work. Also recommend (the wonderfully named) Grantly Dick-read's 'Childbirth without fear' - really interesting read.

[Suzyrocker]

Hello,

For any bumps that are due late December/Jan or February who would like to join a group hypnobirthing class before Christmas, I have three lovely couples booked for my group course running at the Telegraph Hill Centre from the 18th November for 4 weeks. I have 2 spaces left available should you like to join it would be great to have you on board! :-) As Reren has pointed out I take a practical approach to teaching my classes, that leave my couples feeling confident and inspired in their own ability to birth calmly and without stress or anxiety. If you would like to know more about group or private tuition, please feel free to email me at [email protected] or visit www.limitlessyou.co.uk.

Take care and best of luck with the rest of your pregnancies!

Suzy

[reren]

Thought i'd do a quick update as i now have an 11 day old baby asleep on my lap. I can report that my second was a world of difference from the first and was an amazing experience. As with my first my waters broke before labour started - and i was briefly worried the rest would follow like the first (which was really slow, long and painful with lots of postnatal discomfort and anaemia). But couldnt have been more different. I had a lovely day with fire on watching films with my husband - getting some twinges but nothing painful. In the evening after i lay down in t

the dark for an hour listening to hypnobirthing mp3 they started to come regularly (but still only uncomfortable rather than painful) - we rang the midwife and then everything seemed to happen really fast and about 3 hours later my baby was born. Last 40 mins or so did hurt but once he was out it was over and didnt seem like it had been that bad. Didnt have any pain relief in the end. What i cant get over is how well i feel post birth. Really is amazing how different you feel without epidural / ventouse etc. in my case it was worth it to suffer thru 40 mins of pretty intense pushing to feel perfectly well and not sore 24 hours later! I am a convert!

[tomo]

Ah, congratulations! Always wonderful to hear of good birthing experiences. Well done you!

[simonethebeaver]

Lovely to hear this, and welcome to your new baby!

[Bonfire2010]

That's really lovely news - congratulations!

[buggie]

reren Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Thought i'd do a quick update as i now have an 11

> day old baby asleep on my lap. I can report that

> my second was a world of difference from the first

> and was an amazing experience. As with my first

> my waters broke before labour started - and i was

> briefly worried the rest would follow like the

> first (which was really slow, long and painful

> with lots of postnatal discomfort and anaemia).

> But couldnt have been more different. I had a

> lovely day with fire on watching films with my

> husband - getting some twinges but nothing

> painful. A In the evening after i lay down in t

> the dark for an hour listening to hypnobirthing

> mp3 they started to come regularly (but still only

> uncomfortable rather than painful) - we rang the

> midwife and then everything seemed to happen

> really fast and about 3 hours later my baby was

> born. Last 40 mins or so did hurt but once he was

> out it was over and didnt seem like it had been

> that bad. Didnt have any pain relief in the end.

> What i cant get over is how well i feel post

> birth. Really is amazing how different you feel

> without epidural / ventouse etc. in my case it

> was worth it to suffer thru 40 mins of pretty

> intense pushing to feel perfectly well and not

> sore 24 hours later! I am a convert!

Congrats :-D I had a good 2nd birth 6 days ago, unsure if gas & air count as drugs, but that was all I had (although I did loudly contemplate an epidural during the transition!). Had a slightly slower established labour (well was 7cm at first examination!) of about 2.5hrs as opposed to about an hour with my first!

Ended up in for 2 days, which was helpful to me for establishing feeding (had had big probs with my first and this one was slow to latch too). Had amazing support on William Gilliat from the healthcare support workers who were v well trained in breast feeding support & were v caring, reassuring & gave me the confidence I needed.

Now just the strength for early hrs clustered feeding!!

[Ann]

Congratulations both of you, what a lovely read.

[Beagle]

Congratulations to both reren and buggie there is nothing as lovely as a warm, snugly little baby on your knee as you sit and watch Masterchef and pleased you both had wonderful positive births.

[Trish]

Congratulations - wonderful to hear!