Hello!

Just wondering how long labour lasted for, especially with induced pregnancies before the baby was delivered. Also, how long did it take you to recover physically after labour?

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  • I went into labour naturally at 35 weeks (but was given oxytocin from the start as I’d PreProm 5 weeks earlier 30 weeks) after 18 hours and only 3cms more widening (3-6cms) they decided an emergency c-section was needed as I’d started to bleed. Recovered well from it but would still have preferred to have had my son naturally.


  • Not induced – 8hrs. I was told that it was 10hrs less than average 1st birth


  • With my first pregnancy, I was in labour for 3 days!
    I had to stay in hospital for 3 days, get moved to a major hospital in Melbourne for surgery and stay there for another 10 days.
    Took me 3 years to fully recover and to this day (5 years later) I am still in quite a lot of pain.
    My second was a planned c-section (I’m unable to have a natural birth again due to the damage that was caused with my firstborn).
    6 days in hospital and about 3-5 months before my wound fully healed.


  • First was induced, undiagnosed breach. Labour was only 2 hours and 40 mins. Pretty quick considering he was my first and a breach. Second, not really sure as I can’t pinpoint exactly when labour started, it was overnight tho. All natural, head first, harder and longer than my first


  • Both natural.. 4 hours and 2 hours


  • Slight back pain at about 9pm.. Then baby at 5.30 pm .. Was quite easy though..


  • I was induced, it took 17 hours for my baby to arrive after induction began.
    (she was 4 days overdue and my water broke 59 hours before she was delivered)

    It took about a week to feel better, I was quite sick after having her, though.

    Just remember everyone is different so don’t put high expectations on yourself.
    The birth and recovery process may take longer or be super quick

    Hope it all goes well!


  • 3 hr labour and after delivery, about a week to get back into the swing.


  • I think it all depends on what interventions you have regarding healing times but natural births are fairly quick healing times providing no damage was done in the process


  • I had two natural births – one 20 hours and the second 4 hours. For the second I had my waters broken as I was two weeks overdue (although had contractions on and off for a couple of days before that)
    I recovered quickly (although no intervention, tearing etc) so was up and about within an hour or two


  • 3 days of trying to induce me with gel, and only dialating 3cm, then a baloon only dialating 1 to then braking my waters with a hook.. to then 12.5 hours of hard labour, from gas to then 2 epidurals that turned spinal and went into my lungs, to another sort of spinal injection which failed completely to then being put to sleep and having an emergency c-section after the cord wrapped around his neck.. but the end result i can’t complain with


  • 9-1/2hrs with my first as she got stuck and 2hr for my second and third. All three babies were born at 41 weeks and I had stitches with all three. Recovery time was about 2-3 weeks.


  • 11 hours. With my first contraction I thought I was going to die, then they were every 3 mins for the whole 11 hours. As soon aa my eyes hit my baby girl, every single gut wrenching contraction was worth it and I would have done it all over again straight away if I had needed to for her. ♡


  • 1st time 6 hours after induction drip started, 2nd time 7.5, 3rd time 5 hours, 4th time 7hours. I was fine within a couple of hours after the birth. The 3rd time I got a sore tailbone which lasted a while but otherwise I was up and about within a couple of hours


  • My first labour I went 2 weeks early and my son was a large baby I’m glad he came early. I was in labour for around 70 hours and that was full on labour. In hindsight I should of had a cesarean. I had bad tears. Physically and emotionally I was traumatised. But it’s not all bad stories with my second who was a girl. I went into labour on my due date she was born in 3 hours. It hurt but like it waa meant to. My midwife was a man and I wish I had him for my first he was amazing!


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