We use data for the whole Norwegian population to investigate associations between mode of delivery of the first child and progression to a second birth among first-time mothers of liveborn singleton babies born between 2007 and 2017. Unlike most previous studies, we account for socio-demographic characteristics of the mother and the baby’s father, mother’s pre-pregnancy health, pregnancy complications, and neonatal birth weight and prematurity, all of which may be associated both with mode of delivery and subsequent fecundity and fertility. Additionally, we consider post-natal health and partnership dissolution, which may mediate associations between childbirth experiences and future fertility. Results adjusted for all these factors showed that mothers whose first child was delivered by caesarean section were substantially less likely to have a second child in the follow-up period. Norway has a low rate of caesarean section deliveries, so implications for parity progression may be more pronounced in other settings.