[Nevyn]

Depends on the type of induction used and how urgently the baby has to come out.
I was 10 days over on my second, 41+3 and had labour start and stop when I was booked in and I was told that once I booked in the next morning the baby would be born that day.

It kicked of at 9:30 am when I had the gel applied to the mucus plug and when there was no movement by 11am I had my waters broken but not even a twinge. By 1pm I was on the oxy drip which by 2:30pm had me sore with contractions, 3pm I was brought to the labour suite and she was delivered at 4:15pm.

[January]

I didn't need the gel but they broke my waters at 11.30am and by 12 they had me hooked up to a syntocin drip, contractions were coming thick and fast but by 6pm I was still only 2cms and baby was getting distressed so they done the section.

[crazy cat lady]

Originally Posted by grindelwald

Just wondering on average how long is a natural labour?


anglefire9 was in labour for a few days with her 2nd, with my first i was in labour for 30+ hours, my mother was in labour for a whole week with her first (who was 2 months early).

So how long is an induced labour? does it beat a week?

Tears happen regardless, i tore with all 3 and i wasn't induced and i got one of the worse tears out there. I also got an infection after my first was born and that lasted 3 weeks.


You never know whats going to happen, With all the scare stories one might hold off being induced and it might work out fine, but then again it might not. I personally would not put the baby at risk of the placenta failing and would opt for an induction.

An average natural labour will last about 8 hours. Obviously there are those that will be shorter and those that are longer. And this is working from the definition of active labour having commenced as soon as the cervix is 1cm dilated. 30 hour labours do not 'exist' here in Ireland as 'pre-labour' is not considered labour. It doesn't matter how much pain you are in or for how long, they are not considered labour pains until that pesky cervix starts to dilate. Who would have guessed that obstetrics is a male dominated discipline

As labour and birth is very medicalised and managed here in Ireland, a labour will not last longer than 12 hours as a rule. The Active Management of Labour was establised in the 60's I think by the Master of the NMH at the time (O'Driscoll) and I think in partnership with the masters of the other Dublin maternity hospitals. It was set up to manage labour supposedly with the purpose of delivering a better birthing experience. The only positive thing in my opinion that has come out of AML is the 1-1 support of a midwife throughout labour.

The AML supports the use of interventions to sped up labour if a woman does not dilate naturally at a rate of 1cm per hour. In the past women were too reserved to question AML, and things such as the internet did not exist as it does today to gain information. Women are attracted by the prospect of labour not lasting longer than 12 hours, without really questioning how this would be achieved or what the possible adverse outcomes of all the interventions may be.

AML has completely medicalised a very natural human process. If it were that great I'm sure other countries would adopt its use, but as far as I'm aware, any countries that did use AML have now stopped in favour of a more 'woman centred' approach to childbirth. One day Ireland might catch up with the rest of the developed world, but while there is such high demand on maternity services here, I think to keep using AML is convenient

[SanFran07]

Originally Posted by lonestargirl

Could being the inmportant part of this sentence for me. I agree that a straightforward natural birth is best for mam + baby but since there is no way to guarantee this will happen I have opted for an elective C-Section.


I am prepared to put myself at extra risk to prevent some of the (very rare) risks of a natural birth to my baby. Not a chance I would have birth without an epidural either way, so this is not an issue specific to a CS.

I feel this is an issue that every woman must decide for themselves, in consultation with their doctor, and I hope everyone gets the kind of birth they would prefer.

Just looking at the bigger picture here in that having an elective caesarean is not risk free for your baby. It's a case of swapping one set of risks for another (surgical cuts, forcep bruising, lung immaturity are a few).

Routine interventions don't make for safer births for babies. Midwife Led Units in Ireland and Midwife Led care in other countries have similar if not better outcomes for babies without all of the routine interventions...

http://www.hse.ie/eng/services/newsc...MidUstudy.html

[cynder]

Originally Posted by crazy cat lady

An average natural labour will last about 8 hours. Obviously there are those that will be shorter and those that are longer. And this is working from the definition of active labour having commenced as soon as the cervix is 1cm dilated. 30 hour labours do not 'exist' here in Ireland as 'pre-labour' is not considered labour. It doesn't matter how much pain you are in or for how long, they are not considered labour pains until that pesky cervix starts to dilate. Who would have guessed that obstetrics is a male dominated discipline

With my first i was in the clinic and my bp was very high so they sent me to limerick i went home picked up my bag and was driven in by my father in law.

My contractions started on the way in every 5 mins, when i got there i was 1cm dilated and that was the start, it was between 1pm and 3pm that i arrived at the hospital on the Wednesday (no later than 3). 5 mins contractions all through the day and night had no sleep at all.

I was sent to the labour ward at 9am on thursday morning, i was 4cm dilated (already done 18hours -20 hours of 5 min's contractions and walked the corridors all night)

At 4pm on the Thursday i was only 5cm dilated so they put me on a drip and broke my waters to speed up things, i got contraction upon contraction one was half way through when the other started, i refused the epidural all along but at that point i agreed approx 5pm (i was in tears over it as i really didn't want it, but was in so much pain i needed it) also i was vomiting (thanks to my ever continuing morning sickness).

I started pushing at around 8pm and she arrived at 8.51 pm to me that is a 30hour+ labour as i was already dilated when i arrived at the hospital. (i spent just under 12 hours in the labour ward)

As far as im am aware anglefire9 was 2cm dilated but contractions were far apart.


Thankfully my 2nd was premature and that was quick my waters broke while i was asleep ( 2am), my bp spiked and contractions were 20 mins apart they were down to 5 mins apart at 5am so off to the hospital and i was 4m when i got there and contractions 2 mins apart, the contractions stayed at 2 mins apart so when it came to push him out i had to wait for the contractions so he arrived after 5 pushes (but that was still 20 mins) at 10.15 am he was born (8 hours of labour). i had the epidural at 9 and it never kicked in so i felt everything.

3rd guy i woke at 3am with contractions every 20 mins left for the hospital at 5am bp spiked again, had the epidural at 8 and it kicked in just before i started to push, he was born at 9.20am, they didnt want to give me the epidural because they thought it wasnt going to kick in on time and the guy who administers it was going home. But he stayed around just for me. (labour just over 6 hours)

[Cat Melodeon]

Originally Posted by crazy cat lady

... this is working from the definition of active labour having commenced as soon as the cervix is 1cm dilated. 30 hour labours do not 'exist' here in Ireland as 'pre-labour' is not considered labour.

How does this work with regard to women on a second or subsequent birth who may be 1-2 cm dilated a number of weeks before labour begins? As far as I'm aware, it is quite common for the cervix to remain wider once a woman has had a baby - does this affect how her labour is managed?

[angelfire9]

Originally Posted by crazy cat lady

An average natural labour will last about 8 hours. Obviously there are those that will be shorter and those that are longer. And this is working from the definition of active labour having commenced as soon as the cervix is 1cm dilated. 30 hour labours do not 'exist' here in Ireland as 'pre-labour' is not considered labour. It doesn't matter how much pain you are in or for how long, they are not considered labour pains until that pesky cervix starts to dilate. Who would have guessed that obstetrics is a male dominated discipline

As labour and birth is very medicalised and managed here in Ireland, a labour will not last longer than 12 hours as a rule. The Active Management of Labour was establised in the 60's I think by the Master of the NMH at the time (O'Driscoll) and I think in partnership with the masters of the other Dublin maternity hospitals. It was set up to manage labour supposedly with the purpose of delivering a better birthing experience. The only positive thing in my opinion that has come out of AML is the 1-1 support of a midwife throughout labour.

Funnily enough, as I think grindelwald said, I was 2cm dilated when I was examined on the 16th of December and the babs wasn't born til the morning of the 20th which is circa 96 hours of labour according to your definition
Which is well over the 12 hour "rule"

For the record when they discovered I was already dilated they did a sweep but I was REFUSED a full induction and was told that I couldn't be induced until EDD+10 days if things didn't progress naturally!

[crazy cat lady]

Ok '1cm dilated' is a very basic definition, but a very important factor in determining active labour.

Obviously a doctor/midwife looks at the bigger picture before diagnosing labour. Is the woman having contractions? If so are they regular? Are they close? Are they lasting 40-50 seconds? Do the pains stop her dead in her tracks? You could answer yes to all of these questions but if the cervix hasn't started to dilate then labour isn't considered 'active'. However you could answer no to all of these questions and the cervix may be starting to dilate. The way a woman looks and sounds in labour is also quite distinctive.

If a woman has already had a baby, the cervix does remain open slightly. But it still needs to migrate forward and efface with each labour, and the cervix would be assessed in conjunction with the questions above and also considering the last labour and how fast/slow etc... it was.

Also, vaginal examinations are very subjective. What I might assess as 3cm another midwife might say is 5. That is why its always best to try and keep the same midwife.

Honestly the dignosis of labour is something that can't really be done on a forum on the internet. Its something that comes with training and experience. Every woman is different, as is every labour, that is why there are always exceptions to the rule!