A member asked:
Is it true that delivery of your second child is usually easier and faster than the first? ive heard that delivering a second child is usually quicker than the first child. is this true? why?
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in

Dr. Melissa Rankinanswered
Obstetrics and Gynecology 33 years experience
Yes, : Yes, if your first birth was vaginal, delivering a second child is almost always quicker because the first baby paved the way through the virgin pelvis and stretched things out a bit, making the second baby’s ride through the labor tunnel more german sedan, less beater jalopy. After your first birth, the muscles relax, the vagina widens, and even the cartilage around the bones can become more lax, making it easier to fit a second baby through the birth canal. Second babies also have a tendency to come a wee bit earlier, so your second baby may be smaller than your first. Consider your first labor the literal rite of passage, and don’t be surprised if your second child comes so quickly, you wind up looking like those lucky pregnant women in the movies, who barely labor and make it to the hospital just in time for the baby to slide out.
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5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Last updated Oct 3, 2016
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