Image: iStock
First things first, congratulations are in order! Welcoming a second baby into the family can be exciting and a little daunting. But hey, at least you have another set of little helping hands when the baby finally gets here. But speaking of the delivery, sometimes anxiety and excitement can go hand in hand. On one hand, you’ve done this before and know the drill so you’re way more prepared mentally and physically, but on the other hand, no one can predict how things will pan out the second time around. Or can we? Sure each baby and birth is special and different, and there’s no saying if your delivery journey will be the same as last time or look completely different altogether. But many women do report having an easier and shorter delivery than they did with their first baby. But is this really true? Does the second baby come earlier than expected? If you’d like these questions answered then keep on reading!
Do Second Babies Come Early?
Image: IStock
Not necessarily. The second baby is still expected to stay put in the mother’s womb for a full-term pregnancy, which typically lasts 39-40 weeks (1). However, according to anecdotal reports, a majority of mothers claim that their baby arrived before the due date they had been given. And this is stated in comparison with the first baby’s term. A 2001 study found that first-time mothers experienced longer pregnancies, while mothers with childbirth experience had following offspring born a day or two earlier (2). Isn’t that something! Another study suggests that the duration of the second pregnancy is shorter than the first for most mothers (3). It was also observed that 20% of the participating mothers who had a pregnancy gap of under a year delivered their second baby a day earlier than expected.
Image: IStock
However, in a recent survey done in 2022, the pregnancy duration for first, second, and third time moms indicated that the second baby arrives around the same time as the first one did (4). Further, about 56.2% of the mothers had their babies on or earlier than the due date. So the statistics available to us right now regarding the topic show us that there is no concrete rule about the second baby coming sooner than expected. Your second baby may arrive exactly on time or may get impatient and turn up earlier. It’s important to not panic in either case, after all, each pregnancy is unique. As long as the little one is healthy when they arrive, the question of when shouldn’t be much of an issue.
Is Labor Quicker The Second Time Around?
Image: IStock
Yes, many women have shared that their second pregnancy lasted half the duration of their first one. So that’s definitely something to look forward to. Usually, during your first pregnancy, labor can last an average of anywhere between 12-18 hours while averaging only 6-8 hours in the next pregnancy (5). This is partially because of your first pregnancy. The first time you gave birth, it probably took around 8-12 hours for you to be completely dilated, allowing the cervix to open wide enough to fit the baby’s head through. But for the second pregnancy, it may take just about 5 hours (6). And the best news is that you may be required to exert less energy in pushing the second baby out as well. Now that’s a reason to celebrate! This is likely because your pelvic tissues have been stretched before already. Besides, you now have the experience, so you’ll be more confident instead of second-guessing everything you’re asked to do along the way.
Irrespective of if it’s your second baby or your fourth, labor is still taxing. So make sure you rest up and give your body the time it needs to recover. We hope you have a fabulous second pregnancy and a safe delivery!
