Is having the second baby always easier than the first?

Question

I had a baby 21 months ago, and am going to have another baby any day now, both will be natural, no drugs, no hospital, home births, first baby my water broke at 10 pm, started contractions at 6 am, fully dialated at 11 am, had to push for two hours before baby was born at 1 pm. I want to know from those experienced, can I count on this one being easier, faster, less pain, shorter push time?????

Answer 1

My second had to be induced, ad the first one was a c section, so I didn't start labor on my own. The third came so fast. I dilated from 4 to 10 in 30 minutes and then pushed for about 5 minutes. I don't know about the less pain part, but it was shorter for sure.  

Answer 2

once you have safely delivered a baby naturally, your v***a gets some dilation permanently so the natural expectation would be that this time it should be easier than first time.

Answer 3

Generally the second time around is shorter - but you shouldn't count on it. Each pregnancy is different and while it probably will be a little easier, it may not be.

Answer 4

I sure hope so!! My first took 25 hours! I wouldn't mind it being less this time!

Answer 5

My second baby was a little faster (not much), more painful, but shorter push time.  The recovery was harder (especially cramps during nursing).  Good Luck!

Answer 6

my first one was 13 hours start to finish, painfull, drugs didnt help.

second one was 3 hours, 100 times more painfull (probebly cause evrything happend so fast), drugs that didnt help with anything.

Answer 7

No.  You can't count on anything.  My first was my easiest most comfortable.  it is sooo true when they say every pregnancy and delivery and baby is different.

Answer 8

There is no such thing as an "always" response...not even this answer (lol).  Usually the second child is born easier than the first, but prepare and plan on it taking the same amount of time or longer.

I know this does not help much, as I'm saying "it may or it may not," but that really is the right answer.

Good luck!

Answer 9

My first one labor lasted 15.5 hours.

My second one... 5.25 hours  A LOT easier..

I think it is different everytime but.. from my experience the second one was easier

Answer 10

It is different with ever baby. I have 3 and the last 1 was a lot longer My first 1 i started contracted at 12 midnight and delivered at 6:58 pm< it was long but not as painful. The second 1 was shorter but i had back labor pain which was the most painful thing i ever felt. It only took 1 hour. My 3rd child was a lot painful and my doctor said the more kids u have the more painful it is but don't go on what people are saying because every women body is different, but child birth is never easy u will have some pain.  (That's way men can never be as strong as women LOL)

Answer 11

I'm pregnant with my first and I asked my friend (mom of three), the exact question yesterday. Heres what I remember of her response:

Baby 1 - "average" labor, contractions started at home, water broke at the receptionists desk at the hospital, took pain medication, first son was born 12 hours from when contractions started.

Baby 2 - "easy" labor, contractions started, rushed to the hospital, was too late for pain medication, 2ed son was born in only 2 hours.

Baby 3 - "h**l" labor, contractions started strong, baby was head-first but facing the wrong way (back labor), very painful, medication didn't help, baby girl born after 26 hours.

I was told that had the difficult labor she had with her last child occured when she had her first, then she would never of had any more children.

From this information I gleam, basically, it seems like a c**p shoot. Good luck!

Answer 12

yeah it is easier my aunts first took a long time and her secong one came out easikly so she told me

Answer 13

Not always. It's different for everyone. My sister was only in labor for 3 hours with her first and with her second she was in labor for 18 hours! Usually it's easier the second time around, but there is no for sure answer here. It depends alllll on your babay! Congrats by the way!