How long were you in labour?

1st labour - waters released, surges 2 - 3 minutes apart from ofset. 14 hours normal hospital birth, gas and air. 2nd degree tear, episiotomy

2nd labour - waters released, surges 2 - 3 minutes apart from ofset. 1 hour 48 minute home hypnobirth, no medication, no pain, no stitches.

1st (induction) - 11 hours, 23 mins from gel to holding Kaitlyn

2nd (not induction) - 14 hours from first contraction, which I passed off as braxton hicks. Pain started 5 hours later.

20th May 2010

06:30am - Woke up and my water had broken

09:20am - Slight contractions start

12:00pm - Went to hospital and only 1cm dilated

Spent most of the day walking up and down...

17:15pm - Put on a drip to enduce

23:55pm - 4cm dilated


21st May 2010

01:00am - Morphine was given to me for the pain

04:00am - Full dilated - YAY!!! Start pushing... EINA!!

07:55am - Luke was born

Total hours approximately 26....

(I could only give so much details cos I have it in my scrap book )

from 2 cm to baby born - 5 and 1/2 hours
active labour 5 cm to baby born 2 and 1/2 hours

Contractions started about 3 (15 mins apart) in the afternoon, went to clinic at 9pm, was 2 cm and baby was born 2:30 am

So you can say 12 hours, but the first contractions was not sore.

12 hours. At about 8pm I thought I had indigestion after dinner that strangely kept coming and going After the third or fourth one my porridge brain clicked that I was in labour. Timed the contractions then phoned the hospital and they said come, so had a shower and off we went. It got pretty painful when I got to the hospital (I think because I don't like hospitals and I tensed up) and I finally had an epidural - a bit late - at about 4am. Baba born at about 8am.

Although 12 hours sounds like a long time, I don't have a sense of it having been so long, I found my perception of time and even people's presence whilst in labour quite affected.

1st: woke up at around 12 needing the toilet. Couldn't get back to sleep, my tummy felt very weird, made hot chocolate then called hubby. We started noting real contractions at about 1am, got to hospital at around 2am. 2cm... 4:30am fully dilated! Stefan born at 5am.

2nd: woke up at 3am with familiar back ace, just knew this was it. Far from hospital so left immediately. Got to hospital at around 4:30am but contractions stopped, 4cm. At around 6:30am contractions started again slowly. Claudia born at 10am.

1st - woke up at 23h00 restless. Period pains from 00h30, not sure what time contractions started, got to hospital at 04h30, 9cm dilated, water broke at 06h30, Kayla was born at 07h00.

2nd - 1st contraction just after 23h00, got to hospital just after 00h30, 9cm dilated, Megan was born at 02h35.