How long did you push for?

Just been having a flick through my hospital notes - i was actively pushing for 2hrs 35minutes. Seems excessively long - have quite a few friends with babies who have told me they pushed for 20minutes then they intervened, and one that pushed for 45 minutes and was told if she didnt get the baby out by 60minutes pushing she would have to have a c-section. I am curious if they have warped memories of the birth, if the fact i had an independent midwife and they all used hospital midwifes made a difference, or because i'd made such a big deal about wanting no intervention like forceps in my birth plan. It has even been said to me that hospital policy was that if no progress was made after 30 minutes actively pushing then they would intervene in some way.

Anyone else push for such a long time with no intervention//know anything re: the time youre 'allowed' to push for?

#1 - 45mins
#2 - 6mins.

Over 2 hours! Fark that - to put it delicately of course!

I've heard 2 hours is the time limit for first-time labours from quite a few people, but that might just be in our DHB? Plenty of people go shorter than that of course, but that's how long they let you go without interfering unless there is any other indication that you or the baby need things to go quicker.

My first is down as 50 mins but I was feeling pushy a good 10-20 mins before then but my midwife hadn't arrived yet.

2nd I'm honestly not sure, I pushed her out in 3-4 contractions and labour at the hospital was only 1/2 an hour all up. I'd say 5-10 mins.

I've also heard up to 2 hours is normal for a first time mum.

It'll be written in your notes under stage 2 labour.

First one was 22 mins & 2nd was 8 mins.

I got told that it could either take me 10 mins or 2 hours with #1 and I thought f**k that & listened to what my MW said about how to push & she came out fast, It is quite hard to get your head around where you need to push so once I got that right she didn't take long, second time around I knew what I was doing so he was faster.

2.5hrs. The 'limit' is 2hrs here but the on call doc was busy so I kept pushing and got him out.

Mine was just shy of 2 hours but I had difficult circumstances. I'd had an epidural gone wrong, pethadine, and syntocin all leading to me having no feeling from the waist down, I couldn't feel when to push or how I was pushing.

When I could feel sensation he was born 30 minutes later, 2 minutes after an episiotomy.

Oh. Mine was about 3 hours!
We both suffered for it though, thankfully her only short term but me for the rest of my life!
I blame the hospital entirely - they should have sent me for an emergency C-Section far earlier than they did. I had an independant midwife who is fantastic but once she calls the DRs in she has absolutely no say (Middlemore). One DR poked his head in and had a very quick look, then said to leave me pushing. Great aye!
Had to have an EC/S for DD2.

ETA: Oh and she was born completely purple from not breathing

Edited by MuppetsMama

I pushed for around 3 hours on and off, because she was stuck.

Towards the end they were threatening me with a c-section because i'd run out of steam by then!

10 mins with my first but then had a c-section so it doesn't really count.

55 mins with my second, the OB on duty said he only wanted me to push for 30 mins and then he wanted to intervene with a c-section (he was the OB that did my crash c-section the year before and remembered me so I think he was concerned given my history) but I had made it abundantly clear to my MW that I didn't want a c-section so I kept going and thankfully the OB got caught up and didn't come back until she was just about out (after an episiotomy). To be honest, knowing that if he came back he'd make me have a c-section gave me the extra oomph to push her out

Edited by MrsEmma