Quick Labours, how to prepare

Quick labour – expected and how to prepare

After two long labours with her two sons, a friend of mine reckoned she was in for the long haul with her third delivery. Amazingly, however, her little girl literally ‘dropped out’ as Joanne was waiting for the bath to fill for her water birth!

So what effect does a quick labour have?

Well, first of all it’s important to consider what is classed as a ‘quick or fast labour’. Many women talk about an '18-hour labour' because it is reasonable to count from the first contractions you have. However, in the early stages of your contractions, you may even be able still to busy yourself with ironing, cooking or another activity to take your mind off the aches and pains you are feeling. To imagine that 'labour' is 18 hours of constant sweating, intense contraction pain, controlled breathing and pushing would, in many cases, be completely wrong.


Given the choice, many women would probably opt for the quicker option, but this is not always advantageous for either mum or baby. It is vital, for example, that baby doesn’t pass through the birth canal too quickly as this can cause oxygen deprivation. Also, in order to ensure that baby’s body doesn’t have to undergo any undue physical stress, the midwife managing the birth needs to be able to gently manoeuvre baby's head and shoulders out of the vagina.

There are disadvantages for mum too. A birth that happens too quickly can often cause unneccessary tearing to the vagina or perineum (the tissue between the vagina and anus). This can often require stitches and - in some cases - can take months to heal properly.


If you do feel that your labour is happening too quickly, don't panic! Simply call your midwife or healthcare professional. They can advise you as to whether or not you should head for the hospital or whether they should send someone for you. If you are planning a home birth, your midwife should also be contacted immediately, just to make sure the progress is being managed.

A really fast labour can mean going from nothing to fully dilated in ten or fifteen minutes. Think of what that entails.

  • You have no time to acclimatize to the fact that you are in labour.
  • You may have no one to look after other children. 
  • You may have no time for the pain relief that you may have wanted.

You can, however, prepare yourself for this eventuality. For a start, make sure that all relevant phone numbers are prominently displayed near the phone. Ask someone – your mum, your friend – to be a substitute birthing partner in case you cannot get hold of your partner. Make sure your hospital bag is ready, packed and somewhere handy, if you are going to hospital.

Without sending you into warp drive six in the anxiety stakes, don’t go too far from home in the last few weeks of pregnancy – you just never know!

Some useful links

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