How Long (or Short) Was Your Labor?

106 hours of “active labor”! Woot! Woot! Three cheers for us marathon laborers! Our babies must be EXTRA special! :)

I teach preschool in Brooklyn and EVERY YEAR there is at least one baby born at home or in a car due to the speed of labor.

I have only one baby so far, and I had lesser contractions for about 4 hours before the big ones started to come. From that point I continued to labor at home for another 3 hours, not wanting to be stuck in the hospital forever. I think that next time around I’ll heed the second baby advise and go sooner than later! All said and done, about 14 from the big contractions (including nearly 3 hours of pushing-hmph)

Here’s hoping for a SAFE and speedy-ish delivery, Joanna! Best of luck!

I’m the eldest child, and according to my mother, she was in labor for 14 hours with me. My sister (the second child) was born in half the time.

I’ve never had a baby, but my mom was in labor with me for 48 hours, and then had to get a C-section!!! I’ve apologized to her so many times…I feel terrible about it hahaha.

first and foremost, wishing you a happy, healthy & quick (but not too quick) delivery.

i was induced with my second after 9 days (we were moving in a week, and I didn’t want to get picked up from the hospital in a moving van). By the time I felt like i was “in labor”, as compared to my first delivery, I was already 7 cm, and baby was in my arms less than 30 minutes later. i went so quick i didn’t have time for an epidural.

you’re going to do great (even if you do it in your living room)

I delivered my first baby last July. I woke up feeling a little crampy around 1AM, woke my husband up around 4AM, called my doctor at 5AM, got to the hospital at 6AM, & our baby boy was born at 9AM after about four pushes. It was very quick for a first labor. I was expecting to be in labor for hours and hours.

Best of luck to you for a fast and easy time!

My parents were living in Queens when my mom went into labor with me in the wee morning hours. They managed to get a cab to the city even though the cab driver was off duty. When they arrived at the hospital the midwives told my mom it would be about 4 hours. They vanished to another room or section of the hospital. About ten minutes later my mom started to deliver. My young frantic father ran into the hall, yelling for someone to come. No one came. He ran back into the room and within minutes they delivered me without anyone from the hospital present. They were so dazed from the events that I don’t even have an exact time of birth. Oh, the joys of NYC in the 80s!

(I’m a second child.)

Another fascinating thing I learned the second time around: my midwife said that years ago, when she was a labor & delivery nurse, she overheard an experienced nurse say, “watch out for those Type A (blood) mama’s, they deliver FAST.” She wasn’t kidding – with my second baby we showed up to the hospital at 8 & I delivered baby June by 9. I laugh when I think about how I looked, hanging onto the intake desk for dear life as my husband got us checked in.

But take heart, I labored at home (mildly) for a while before the drama of the active part of labor.

My first labor was 30+ hours. I ended up having to be induced with my second, which I did NOT want. After a false start (the induction didn’t work the first day, which is apparently somewhat common) being induced actually ended up being a great experience. I was still able to deliver naturally without any pain medication. Total labor time was around 6 hours. My midwives and the hospital nurses were very supportive of my desire to have a “natural” birth even though I was being induced. I like to tell my story just so people know that it’s possible. (Don’t put stock in the common belief that induced “pitocin” contractions are stronger/more intense than regular ones. They felt about the same.)

Yikes! My mom, a third baby, was born in the hospital parking lot, and her third nearly was. Good luck!

Why not choose a home birth? The birth of my son was so relaxed in our own home. I don’t even want to think of having contractions in a car. Good luck this coming week(s)!

My second arrived in barely enough time to get to the hospital. The rumors are true! The difference for me was that I was shaky from the start of labor the second time around, much like when you begin transitional labor. Listen to your bod. If something feels diff’t you know the baby is coming fast. Good luck! You’ll be fine.

I’ve been lucky – I come from a line of women with fast labors! My first was about 6 hours, and 2nd and 3rd babies were about 3 hours. #4 is due in August and my husband is SOOO nervous we won’t get there in time! :) I think we’ll be just fine, but we can’t forget the story of my youngest sibling (my mom’s 6th child) who was born in our station wagon on the way to the hospital! Ah! I’m sure that won’t happen to you – best wishes for a safe delivery.

I was in labor for 16 hours, the first 2 or 3 merely uncomfortable, the last 13-14 with intense back labor. Water broke at hour 15, emergency c-section at hour 16. :( Disappointing, but I’m hoping #2 will work out better!

Good luck! I was super nervous about not getting to the hospital in time. We moved while I was pregnant and my hospital ended up being 45 mins (with no traffic) away from the hospital. In the end it all turned out ok. I was in labor for 22 hours before the doctor decided I should have a c-section. Hopefully baby number 2 will be easier.

Good luck Jo
My first labour was 13 hrs, second exactly half 6.5 hrs.
Third labour was the complicated one :)
Can’t wait to read your good news and find out bub’s gender.
Enjoy your last days as a family of three x x

Baby #1 = 12 hours (a beautiful boy – Frederik) ♥ Baby #2 = 5 hours (a beautiful girl – Nadia) ♥ Baby #3 = 7 hours (yet another beautiful girl – Rosa) ♥ Giving birth is the craziest but most giving and wonderful experience of my life… nothing compares… nothing as wonderful ♥ Wishing you all the best!

My first labour was 42 hours long (10 hours from 6cm to baby in my arms), and I pushed for an hour and a half. My second daughter was about 10 hours in total, but only 3 hours of noticeable “yep I’m in labour” type contractions, only 45 minutes from 6cm – baby in arms (i very nearly had her in the hallway between the first “observation room” they take you to when you get to the hospital & the labor room), and only 2 pushes and she was out. Dont mess around this time!

My first baby, born less than four weeks ago, arrived in under four hours! I didn’t believe this was really, truly labor until the urge to push arrived – while I was still at home, in the bathtub. The paramedics were called, the bedroom was set up for a homebirth, but the shock and fear slowed the labor enough that I could be transported by ambulance to the hospital. Baby girl arrived 45 minutes later – which is longer than it could have been; I still couldn’t believe it was time to push!

My sister-in-law gave birth to her second in the front seat of their car as my brother drove frantically down the highway to the hospital. It was a precipitous birth and (obviously!) unexpected – she labored 24 hours with her first child. Women are heroes. You may have seen the video of a NY woman who delivered in a cab. She is super calm and even asks the fireman to unwrap the baby for skin-to-skin contact. Amazing. All the best to you guys!