Vbac

rockkandi

Any Mamas looking to have. VBAC this go round? My son was breeched so we had to do c section but my Dr said as long as all goes well this time (and not breeched) that I'm a great candidate for it. Any thoughts?

mom2case

I had a VBAC after my breech baby. I was a "perfect candidate" too. It was such a different experience and although I preferred it, I don't care what type of birth I have this time around. I just remember being bed bound for 12-24 hrs with my c-section. My son was a 28 week preemie so they whisked him off right after birth. I was taking a shower, ALONE, within 30 minutes of his birth. Quite different!

liladelphia215

I have no idea what I want to do. All I got out of my doc last time was that it was up to me, but they won't induce a vbac. I need to have a pros and cons talk at an upcoming apt.

rockkandi

Awesome @mom2case‌ I have read about the fear of rupturing the uterus. Did you feel any threat from this? Any advice on how to prepare?

mom2case

It's a fear but honestly, the risks of a RCS are just as significant as trying for a VBAC. If your new baby's placenta isn't near your scar, the risk is far less. They can check the scar area via ultrasound to see if it's too thin or more prone to rupture. My experience with DD was that I went in to labor the day before my planned c-section. Within 45 minutes of the first contraction, I was fully dilated. So we knew I could dilate on my own. Labor with DS was slightly slower but he was born an hour after my water broke (which is what started my contractions both times).

mmooki

I posted this in another thread but my dr said I am a good candidate for a vbac this time around as my reason for a c/s was breech baby.  We never discussed options last time because DD was early, but I really don't have a preference.  I think I'd like to try a vbac because it is something different than what I previously experienced.  Although I did not have a bad recovery from my c/s, I also didn't have a newborn to care for immediately after.  I was able to rest and heal while she was still in the hospital.  I don't know what a recovery with a newborn AND a toddler would be like.  

Jen524

I had a VBAC for #2 and much prefer that over a csection. Make sure you have a supportive provider. I feel better about going for a VBAC this time because part of the issue leading up to DD2's birth was me questioning if I could even do it. However, if a csection is needed , I am not against that happening, but I definitely liked the VBAC experience better.

rachel+family

My original plans were to try a VBAC but I'll be totally honest, I'm scared. I know it's just nerves but my last labor was 30 hours of back labor and ended in emergency c section. I'm terrified of that happening again. Though I am getting a midwife and doula this time around so that may help. Best of luck to all of us no matter how the baby comes out!

Mdm159

I had a VBAC with DS2 and it was a great experience! Definitely hoping to repeat it this time around even though I have to travel 25 mins to a VBAC-friendly hospital (my local hospital is 2 blocks from my house!). I totally understand being scared-- had that moment of "oh shit this is really happening, it's really up to me to get this baby out" last time but it was SO worth it!! Good luck!

liladelphia215

mom2case said:

It's a fear but honestly, the risks of a RCS are just as significant as trying for a VBAC. If your new baby's placenta isn't near your scar, the risk is far less. They can check the scar area via ultrasound to see if it's too thin or more prone to rupture. My experience with DD was that I went in to labor the day before my planned c-section. Within 45 minutes of the first contraction, I was fully dilated. So we knew I could dilate on my own. Labor with DS was slightly slower but he was born an hour after my water broke (which is what started my contractions both times).

Your first DD's labor sounds like mine. I went into labor the morning of my scheduled C-Section. I was due at the hospital at 8am - went into labor around 1am. I resisted going to the hospital but finally let my H call when the contractions started coming fast around 3am. I got to the hospital 5cm dilated. By the time the anesthesiologist got there, I would have almost been ready to push. The problem however, was that the doctor on call was not one of the four that was in my practice so she knew nothing about me, so she just went with the plan, which I was okay with. I kind of wonder if one of my doctors were there if I they would have let me go vaginally.. it is what it is. But I know I can go into labor on my own, and it would have been almost four years since my C-Section, so I am kind of leaning toward trying for VBAC. 

My reason for C-Section ultimately was Big Baby, and my doc said if the baby turns out to be as big as the ultrasound said, my recovery from a vaginal could be just as hard as a c-section. I know some women are very adamant about giving birth vaginally, but I'm not, so I just went with it - so anyway, I'm pretty sure I'm a good candidate for VBAC.

pleirey

I hope I'm a good candidate for VBAC. My DS had a 99th percentile head circumference and I just wasn't able to push that noggin through my pelvis. Hoping this baby is smaller than DS so we can try the VBAC.

LadyXaverian

I'm waiting until I'm further along to decide. If this pregnancy progresses differently from my previous one, I will try for a vbac, but if it mirrors my last one, I will opt for RCS.

britb618

I'm really looking forward to my repeat c section- second one! May be in the minority here but my recovery was fine and I already have the scar-
I like getting to pick my babies birthday and having control of when it happens personally...and I hated pitocin so at least I can just go in and have the surgery this time rather than putting my body through forced contractions - that was just my experience though.

nursemarie925

I'm planning on having a vbac. I've had two vaginal deliveries then a c section due to baby being breech. Ob thinks I'm an excellent candidate for a vbac. With my c I had an anxiety attack on the table (not a usual occurrence) and vomited the whole first day. Not wanting to repeat that. Either way I'm extremely nervous and just hoping for a healthy baby.

UberBiz

Does anyone have statistics (@sassquatch maybe? Love what you posted, the increased/decreasing risk factors) for risks of having a VBA2C?

mal2cuties

I'm also wanting to VBAC! My new Dr is super supportive but it waiting for my records to see what happened last time. She's already said she'd let me go 41.6 and induce if needed.

My first just didn't progress. I was stuck at a 7 forever and my Dr said she couldn't give me any more pitocin and so they needed to get him out (it had only been 17). Anyway, when they were pulling him out they said he had just been slightly turned so that was probably why he wasn't coming down. I'm glad DS is fine and here but I feel robbed and like a lot was their fault for bullying me to induce at 40.6

firespirit717

I am trying for a vbac. My son was breech and had a short cord so he kind of got stuck breech up in my ribs. My dr had even tried to manually turn him (a version) and he wouldn't/couldn't budge. My new dr is very supportive of my vbac choice and will let me go to 42 weeks, but she doesn't like to induce labor for vbacs.

On the c/s topic, I think it's selfish to want one so you can pick your child's birthday, and you should let you baby stay inside to as close as 40 weeks as possible. My hospital did not let me choose my sons c/s date, which I was thankfully for because I don't want to pick something so important that nature chooses for you. My hospital called me and told me what day and time to show up to L&D triage.

UberBiz

firespirit717 said:

I am trying for a vbac. My son was breech and had a short cord so he kind of got stuck breech up in my ribs. My dr had even tried to manually turn him (a version) and he wouldn't/couldn't budge. My new dr is very supportive of my vbac choice and will let me go to 42 weeks, but she doesn't like to induce labor for vbacs. On the c/s topic, I think it's selfish to want one so you can pick your child's birthday, and you should let you baby stay inside to as close as 40 weeks as possible. My hospital did not let me choose my sons c/s date, which I was thankfully for because I don't want to pick something so important that nature chooses for you. My hospital called me and told me what day and time to show up to L&D triage.

DS's EDD was April 22, and they scheduled the c-section for the 17th. FI asked if they could do it on 4/20, and I think they would have said yes, but they don't schedule surgeries on the weekends, lol.

CanukMam

Boo @Firespirit717 she was just trying to look at the positives of a RCS. Nothing about being pregnant and our labour choices are selfish. 

Also, having the hospital pick the date for you is no more "natural" then you picking the date. My OB wants to push my c-section to be as close to 40 weeks as possible as well, but even then I still have a choice between two or three days and I have to pick whatever works best for my family.

mom2case

I have a friend who had 4 c-sections and loved knowing exactly when the baby was coming.  My DD came the day before the planned c-section so I didn't have much choice in that.  And while I agree that babies should stay in as long as possible, there are some women (like me) that have fast labors and may not make it to the hospital if there isn't a c-section scheduled.  Since my DD decided to come a little early, the doctors planned to kickstart my VBAC by breaking my water at 38 weeks if I was already dilated (I was at 4cm with DD by 34 weeks).  If I had another breech baby, they were going to do a RCS at 38 weeks.  My next baby came at 28 weeks so none of that mattered, but I am just pointing out the other side. 

firespirit717

I'm not saying it wasn't nice to know when I'd get to meet my son, but I don't see picking the birth date as a positive. I did not want to pick my son's birthday and was happy they picked it and thankfully didn't pick my sister's birthday that was 2 days later. There are still plenty of doctors out there that are all for c/s and not promoting vbacs which should be more the norm if the person is a good candidate. I've seen too many babies born before 39 weeks just because mom wanted a c/s so they can pick baby's birthday. It's sad.

karbarr

I'm on my third csection and that ican.org visual is now making me scared!

karbarr

sassquatch said:

karbarr said:

I'm on my third csection and that ican.org visual is now making me scared!

I'm sorry, @karbarr‌, I didn't post it trying to scare anyone. And I didn't post it trying to change anyone's mind either. I'm supportive of any method a woman chooses to have her baby.

No, it's good to be informed! It's just that the facts are sometimes scary. I'm glad you posted the visual because I now have things to discuss with my OB

rockkandi

Wow great feedback ladies. With my son, he came at 36 weeks and I was 6.5cm dilated and contractions were 1.5 min apart. I felt great and so very much wanted to go naturally and hated that it wasn't an option (due to his being breached). Does anyone know if preterm labor is a reason they would avoid trying VBAC if that were to happen again?

NatureLovers

rockkandi said:

Wow great feedback ladies. With my son, he came at 36 weeks and I was 6.5cm dilated and contractions were 1.5 min apart. I felt great and so very much wanted to go naturally and hated that it wasn't an option (due to his being breached). Does anyone know if preterm labor is a reason they would avoid trying VBAC if that were to happen again?

That's going to be on a case by case basis, dependent upon the condition of the baby, how well he's tolerating labor, degree of prematurity, etc.

mom2case

rockkandi said:

Wow great feedback ladies. With my son, he came at 36 weeks and I was 6.5cm dilated and contractions were 1.5 min apart. I felt great and so very much wanted to go naturally and hated that it wasn't an option (due to his being breached). Does anyone know if preterm labor is a reason they would avoid trying VBAC if that were to happen again?

Considering my son was born VBAC at 28 weeks, I'd have to say no.

jennyhatt

@karbarr‌ my SIL had 4 RCS- all is fine! It is good to be informed but statistics can be skewed. You don't know any of the stats medical history that leads up to those facts.

nickicl

I've been thinking about VBAC and having that convo with my Dr next time but I'm really neither very optimistic nor set on it. 

Last time I was overdue and never progressed. On the up side my c section recovery was quite alright. I was thinking maybe the plan would be that if I go into labor on my own before scheduled date, go for it but I just have a feeling it's not going to happen.  

My mom had a c section and her mom had 2 vaginal births where they in her words, "had to cut [her] wide open" + 1 c section. We are all quite petite. Not sure if any of those factors play a role but I started thinking about it after last time went the way it did for me...

britb618

@firespirit717‌ thanks for your opinion on my selfishness but I'll stick with my plan- I am not having a c section to pick my child's birth date I just said that's a perk- not a reason to have one...but with my mom living four hours away it is def nice that she will know when to come so she can take care of my daughter for me...nothing about child birth is selfish- I have many reasons for not wanting to vbac bc of my experience with labor and pitocin which I thought was way worst for me and my baby then having the emergency c- and to avoid another emergency c I'll trust my doctors and schedule this one when they say the baby is healthy to come out. And as I said in my first post this was just MY experience and therefore my plan for
me - many people don't have the same reaction to pitocin or to natural labor and are able to deliver the second time vbac and that's there decision- no judgement here as long as your baby is healthy and so are you