By Lori Mork
You’ve probably heard stories about someone giving birth on their closet floor or in their car on the way to the hospital. It goes something like this: Contractions came on fast and furious, and before they knew it, the baby made a sudden and dramatic debut. It sounds like a scene out of a movie, but what are the odds of actually experiencing precipitous labour (aka RAPID LABOUR)?
I call it “fast and furious birth” because it is just that! Fast…. And furious! (and not the kind that involves hotties like Vin Diesel and the Rock!) This one starts and progresses very quickly! It’s about the length of a Fast and Furious movie too!
Medically, it’s considered precipitous labour if a baby is born within three hours of contractions starting. It happens in about 3 percent of all births. To put that in perspective, a ‘typical’ labour—from start to finish lasts approximately 6 to 18 hours, first timers can run upwards of 36 hours.
Who is this likely to happen to?
There are some variables that may make you more susceptible to precipitous labour, but it doesn’t mean it’s definitely going to happen to you!
- You’ve had a past precipitous labour
- You are younger than 20
- Your baby has a low birth weight
- You have preeclampsia or gestational hypertension
- You have high blood pressure
But again – having one or more of these factors in play doesn’t mean you’ll definitely have precipitous labor. And on the flip side, you could have a precipitous labour without any of these being true!
Signs or Symptoms of precipitous labour:
- Sudden onset of very strong contractions that are very close together. One might happen right after the other will very little rest or recovery in between.
- Intense pain that feels like one long contraction
- Suddenly feeling the urge to push without warning! This can feel like pelvic pressure or simply the feeling like you have to poop.
While the fast and furious sounds like the ‘better’ labour, it has the word ‘furious’ in it for a reason! It’s freaking fast and hard! Harder and more intense than the lengthy labours.
Risks and Complications:
- Higher instances of placental abruption
- Higher instances of shoulder dystocia
- Increased risk of postpartum hemorrhage
- Increased risk of tearing and laceration
- Increased possibility of retained placenta.
- Risk of birth trauma that leads to postpartum mental health challenges.
To give you an idea – here are two birth stories I have been a part of.
Precipitous Labour
9am – contractions ‘kind of’ start. Client says she feels cramping and isn’t sure.
1030am – water breaks and client calls me to say contractions are super close together, but short.
1055am – Her husband is now calling me because it seems she isn’t getting breaks between them. I am rushing to their home. (home birth was planned) (midwives called)
1129am – I arrive at their place. She seems to be coping, but there aren’t really breaks to contractions 1139am – she turns to me and says it is ‘burning’ so I tell her husband to call midwives to say maybe get here quickly… and ask her if I can help talk off her tight yoga pants for comfort and for when midwives arrive to check her. As I stand behind her to pull down pants, I am glancing at a baby’s head fully out and looking back at me. Within 10 seconds I am holding a fully born baby at 1140am!
That’s 2.5 hours from the start of first contractions till birth!
‘Typical’ Physiological Labour (with no interventions)
Friday – 9am – contractions start ‘kind of’ everyone rests.
Sat 1am – Active labour starts – more intense contractions often closer together but with around 1 minute or so between each one.
Sat 10am – Pushing stage of labour.
Sat 1145am – Baby is delivered.
In this scenario it’s 26 hours from the start of first contractions till birth! The more ‘common’ scenario.
Whether precipitous labour sounds like a dream or your worst nightmare, I hope you at least have a better understanding of what it’s all about! As a Doula I hadn’t even heard much mention of this rapid labour. Sure, you hear old-wives’ tales of the 2-hour births, but it’s something I had never been a part of… until I was, and now I have seen a few, and been the one to catch the baby (which no Doula wants to NOT have medical providers present! We comfort, care, and support, we are not the medical crew!)
If you ever end up in this scenario (or with the birthing person who is) try to get lower to the ground to ensure someone can catch the baby, or you can catch the baby yourself (it’s slippery!). Have clean, warm towels or blankets close by to keep the baby and mama warm. Leave the cord intact and placenta inside the birthing person and wait for 911 medical help, or midwives to arrive.
Happy birthing!
Lori
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