VBAC

brittanispears

Have any of you ladies experienced VBAC? Or are you planning to? I had a C-section (FTM) because I'd gotten a temperature. I'm going to speak with my doctor about the possibility of delivering vaginally with my next baby. I know there are risks associated (rupturing) but I really would like to experience a vaginal birth.

danniellemichelle

I had an emergency C section after 31 hours of labor and my experience was awful  
my epidural wore off during surgery and I could feel the doctors putting me back together so they had to give me morphine which knocked me out. I have photos of them holding my daughter next to my face after she was born and I don't even remember it. Even when I saw her in the recovery room I couldn't focus on her or pay attention because I was so out of it. I couldn't do anything for her in the hospital and couldn't even see her get her first bath   

I would love to try and have a VBAC and my doctor said she would let me try .. My only fear is to go through ALL of it again just to have an emergency C section AGAIN instead of possibly a scheduled C section which is hear is a lot more peaceful and the recovery is a little easier since your body didn't go trough labor on top of all of it. 

MrsN092714

I am planning to attempt a VBAC.  We ended up CS after 12 hour of labour with zero progress only to discover he was breech.  I hated my c section experience and am really hoping for a VBAC next time.  If I do end up CS again, I'm going in with a better plan of how I want it to go.  My only concern is the spacing between pregnancies... We were hoping to start trying again around August... I haven't had the opportunity to talk to my Dr regarding it. 
Not to hack your post but has anyone had a VBAC with their kids somewhat close together?  If we were to get pregnant in August that would put them approx 19 months apart.

helloaustin123

Curious about spacing too! Following ... 

zetlopez

Curious about spacing too. For the record I do not plan on doing VBAC. I'm planning on scheduling my CS. I was told during delivery my pelvis was too small and since I got a fever we ended up doing an emergency CS. Since I had a fever, baby had to be in the NICU for 2 days. I've since learned that the pelvis too small excuse is bs and it's supposed to stretch. Still, since I am small I'm not risking it. I'm not spending 20 hrs in labor again only to wind up with a CS and baby in NICU. That's my personal experience. I'd rather deal with me recovering from cs than baby in nicu. If the hospital would have let the baby stay with me I might consider VBAC.

clbailey5

I had a VBAC with this one wasn't planning on it but got to the hospital and I was at a 10. My kids are 17 months apart and I had no complication. My dr did recommend I wait at least 12 months but things just didn't work out that way. 

LULULEM0N

My OB told me to wait 9 months after csection.  I had hoped for a vbac the second time, but had to delivery early due to high BP.  So I had a repeat cs.  I had a terrible first experience (felt a ton of pain during surgery - epidural did not work).  With the second they did a spinal and I felt nothing.  And even got to do skin to skin immediately after baby was born.  She latched on while I was still on table being put back together. I am still sad I didn't get to do vbac but this second birth was really great. It's a lot easier when it's planned surgery versus emergency. I found it fairly easy to bounce back but that's just me.  Even my doctor was surprised.  I was able to be discharged from hospital in less than 48 hours. 

OliveOyl2014

My doctor was ok with a vbac because the spacing was at least nine months. I attempted it and needed a csection after 31 hours in labor. I was dilated to a nine and started pushing, but his dad just wasn't in the right position to come thru. It was disappointing but I'm glad I tried.

LaurenBee24

I have read that it takes 12 months for the uterus to heal, and that you shouldn't attempt pregnancy before a year. It puts you assert greater risk of uterine rupture, and decreases the likelihood that your doctor will let you attempt a vbac. 

Lbloom

I have had 2 VBACS now. My first baby was an emergency  c-section and we lost her. My second baby was conceived 8 months after my stillbirth. We were cleared by my doctor to start trying earlier (I healed amazingly well) but emotionally were not ready to start until 6 months postpartum. My pregnancy and birth were textbook with my 2nd child. I had to go further to find a hospital that could deliver me vaginally, but my doctor was wonderful. He checked my scar (on the inside) after my baby was born, but it was fine, he said that's standard procedure just to make sure everything healed properly and that the pregnancy didn't put too much stress on it. My 3rd baby was also a vbac, I even gave birth unmedicated this time and was induced. He wouldn't have done that with my first vbac, I labored naturally that time but then got an epidural as a precaution in case something went wrong, I wanted to be awake. This time around, he was just afraid things would go fast, and it did, and he wanted me to already be there. My advice is to talk to your doctor about whether or not your are even a good candidate for vbac. Many factors will come into play, your medical condition and your past labor experience to name a few. Then, find a doctor who has a lot of experience with VBACS in a hospital that allows them. You'll want someone you are very comfortable with and who knows what they are doing. Confidence helps when you start to have doubts. It can be dangerous if you're not a good candidate and there's a risk even when you are. But if it is a risk that you are willing to take then it can be a wonderful to experience birth vaginally, especially after a traumatic or disappointing surgery. I am so happy that I got the chance to try, more so than the fact that I was successful. At the end of the day, I wanted a crying baby in my arms. That was more important to me than how they got there. But it was also important to me that I got to try if I could, and I'm so happy I did.

Lbloom

And I have read that it takes a full 24 months for a woman's body to be fully ready to tackle another pregnancy and birth. But those kind of blanket statements can only be subjective because they do not take an individual's health and physiology into account. Every woman's body is different and heals differently. Only the individual woman, her body, and possibly her care provider can estimate when another pregnancy should be attempted. In my case, my 2nd and 3rd babies are 3 years apart. That timing worked for our family, my 2nd was quite demanding. My body knew it thanks to baby-led weaning and breastfeeding amenorrhea I didn't even get my cycles back until my 2nd baby was 2 years old. My body bounced back quickly after my first was stillborn and I am thankful for that because my empty arms yearned for someone to hold. So my first successful vbac would probably be considered "unsafely" spaced to some "professionals" and my 2nd successful vbac would probably be considered "safe" spacing to those same people. Take that for whatever it is worth. Sometimes you may be ready sooner and sometimes things just happen. Your care provider can help you figure out the best timing for you.

brittanispears

@danniellemichellexox Poor thing. Fortunately I was awake and coherent for the duration of the operation. My epidural started to fade before they began working but I told them in enough time while they prepped. Plus, they gave me something for nausea. I was a mess, LOL. But that's good your doctor is letting you go for it. My next checkup is at the end of this month. I'll be discussing my chances with her. My whole pregnancy was normal so I'm hoping it looks good.

brittanispears

@clbailey5 Did your active labor seem really different with this pregnancy from your previous? I'm curious how you progressed so quickly. LOL. I want!

danniellemichelle

@brittanispears I hope so too !!  

spnobbe

I have had two c-sections. I was 6 months PP when we got pregnant with the second. My doctor said to wait six months but I healed really well. After having DS he said to wait at least another 6 months but he would like longer. I know most doctors say at least a year but I healed really well with both of my c-sections.

jegoffin

My October was a vba2c. My others are 5yo (breech) and 2yo (repeat c/s). My son was born after only 4 1/2 hours of natural labor at 41 weeks and 3 days. It was amazing and certainly filled the void for me. ETA: I researched and switched to the most vbac friendly practice and hospital in my area and hired a well known doula. Those things were instrumental in my success.

tate62610

I attempted a vbac and my uterus ruptured. It was absolutely the worst pain I've ever felt in my life. I'm still glad I tried though. 

MrsN092714

tate62610 said:

I attempted a vbac and my uterus ruptured. It was absolutely the worst pain I've ever felt in my life. I'm still glad I tried though. 

Your a warrior!  And to still be happy you attempted.  How long between your pregnancies?   What do they do once it's ruptured if you don't mind me asking?

clbailey5

I was induced with the first. So yeah pretty different. This time was weird I felt nothing and then all of a sudden full on contractions like 2 minutes apart, hardly made it to the hospital!