To induce or not? Epidural?

JenMatt2010

Does anyone have any resources re: inductions for a VBAC and how getting induced affects your chances of succeeding? My OB will induce if I am ripe for induction at 41 weeks, using certain methods (breaking water, I think a bulb catheter. Pretty sure no pitocin, etc)

Also, any resources on whether getting an epidural affects your chances of having a successful VBAC?

Thanks!!

PinupMomma08

My doctor said absolutely no induction. But now I never even thought about inducing without pitocin. I'll have to ask. As far as epi's go in my world, it seems to help some of my girlfriends along and stall others. I'm sure someone has some literature.

emecox

I don't have any sources to point to off-hand but I have talked to both my doula and my midwife about epis and they both said that the issue with epis is that while most babies handle them fine, some - possibly up to 10% - don't and then you have a plummeting heart rate and a c-section. Also most types of epis keep you bed bound so that means no moving around to help the baby down the canal. This is me just totally quoting what they said- i never even dilated with my last birth and the baby certainly never dropped into my pelvis, so I'm the farthest thing form an expert on this. But my plan at this point is to do everything I can to not have an epidural this time - i just want to give myself the best statistical shot at avoiding a RCS. (assuming i even go into labor this time- fingers crossed!)

JenMatt2010

Thanks!!

meggie0109

I've heard mixed reviews on the epidural.  With my last one, baby's heart rate plummeted just after the epi, so of course I attribute it to that...and we ended up with a c-section.  My plan is to try to avoid an epi this time, but my midwife said that this does not necessarily have to be the case.  She said that different anesthesiologists use different doses in the epidural and if this is a big concern, but that we decide that I should get an epidural, we can ask them to start with a really low dose and only increase it if necessary.  She also said that babies' heart rates do drop a lot after an epi (and during labor in general), but that most of the time, babies have enough oxygen to get them through a brief drop.  She cited some research about how as fetal monitoring has become more prevalent, the incidence of fetal demise (during labor/delivery) has not decreased, but the c-section rate has increased. 

On the other hand, I know 2 people in real life who have successfully VBACed babies and both had epidurals.  One of them had a midwife who recommended it because she was so tense in her first labor, she didn't dilate efficiently.  She says the epidural definitely helped her to relax and she thinks that is why she was able to be successful.