March 2019 Moms
mamaoftwomonkeys
member
VBAC
mamaoftwomonkeys
member
Anyone else contemplating a VBAC? (Or had a VBAC before?) I had a c section due to breech presentation with my first and I’m already a ball of nerves this early on with #2 and can’t make up my mind to attempt the VBAC or go for the repeat c section. Thoughts?
Re: VBAC
with my first I wanted a natural birth so badly, but had to have an emergency C when his vitals suddenly dropped wile being monitored. The entired situation was very scary, not to mention many, many hours of terrible pain wile they tried to get me to dialate, wile on petocin... it was a whole thing. Won’t go into it here but.. it makes me just want to do another C section because of how awful and scary the original situation was. I don’t know what the odds are of all that happening again but... at the time it felt like my body literally didn’t understand how to give birth, and then baby was put it danger because of it.
So just ugh....
But then another side of me is like... Could I do it? I still am amazed anyone can squeeze a tiny human out of them!! And a part of me weirdly wants to do it
I actually didn’t know doulas existed until I went to a workshop run by some at a baby store. There were two and I loved one of them and when we left, my DH said so is that our doula? She had to end up having a c-section herself, but I think with a doula’s help it can either be avoided or maybe done sooner to avoid unnecessary pain. I know someone who pushed for three hours, only to find baby hadn’t even descended! You can search find a doula online and there are search engines that show certified doulas. Our hospital also had doulas for hire, but since they are hired through the hospital they don’t come to your home first, which I think can be really valuable. My doula met with us for hours to get to know us, her package included a Prenatal massage and birthing class, as well as lactation consultation once we got home. I still talk to her about any issues I have. I’ve noticed if someone chooses that path as a career they’re usually so sweet and caring. I’d recommend meeting a few and it might be very obvious who you connect with. She was an integral part of my labor and delivery and I wouldn’t take it back for the world!
My 2nd baby was a planned and successful VBAC. My OB agreed I was a good candidate to attempt it because of the type of incision, there was no history of stalled labor or breech baby. Although I did have to go to a hospital that was an hour away because only one with a 24-hour surgery team would accept me. The dr. I was referred to (I was transferred in my 3rd trimester) had delivered many babies in VBAC situations before. He suggested I have an epidural so that just in case things went wrong and I needed another C-section, at least this time I could be awake for it. I labored at home all day, and went to the hospital at 6-7cm dilated and my water broke right as the nurse tried to check me after I was admitted. Epidural put in place, no problem, and my daughter was born a few hours shy of her due date. My 2nd DD was 8lbs 9oz.
My 2nd VBAC, was different in that my dr. (same one, same hospital) suggested that I could come in, he'd break my water to get labor started and see how things went. My due date was that same week and I agreed as my baby had been riding very low in my pelvis for months, he feared my labor would go quickly and he didn't want me to have a baby in the car en route to the hospital an hour away. (In hindsight, I would have chosen to let labor start spontaneously but oh well). I went in early morning, water broken not easily (bag of steel he called it) and then labor didn't pick up all day. in the afternoon they wanted to "touch" me with pitcocin just to get things moving and they'd up the dose a little at a time. Things started happening around 4 or 5 and then they really started steamrolling and labor was hard and fast (more so than I remember it being the last time). I made it to transition without pain meds and my dr. helped to talk me through my moments of wanting to give up and after a half hour of pushing she was here by 7pm. I just remember my thinking how intense it was. VERY intense. The ring of fire is no joke. I just lay there kind of winded, thinking what the heck did I just do? She was an ounce shy of 9 lbs.
Things of note, my recovery after the med-free birth was quicker and easier. I didn't tear as much either, of course being my 2nd VBAC could have something to do with that. With my epidural VBAC, I tore only as her shoulders were coming out, he said it was kind of strange and just the way I'm made, it was a pretty bad 3rd degree tear. I wonder, since I didn't feel the contractions with the epidural maybe I pushed too fast. My spontaneous labor was easier than the induced labor. Also, as a general rule, Drs. don't usually like to use induction drugs in VBAC situation because of the chance of uterine rupture going up. I guess since I'd done it before they were more confident in the integrity of my uterus.
This time, I hope to let labor start on it's own and birth without meds again. That's my hope, but I know all too well that things don't always go as planned. My advice is to do your research, talk to your care provider and make the best decision for you. But be flexible. Some will let you have a "trial of labor" at the very least. I think it's good to let your body go into labor. You'd be surprised what you're capable of! Good luck to all of you trying for a VBAC, I sincerely hope you get the birth that you want.
Long story short, I don’t know if I am a good candidate for VBAC but I would really like to try.
Between labor not starting naturally, a stalled labor, and a 10.5 pound baby that never even entered the birthing canal, I am not sure that I will be given the option.
Recovering from the c-section was awful, especially after 48h of labor. I cried every night for two weeks because I couldn’t deliver her vaginally, and my milk didn’t come in for a week, which caused it’s own issues.
I would love to try for a vaginal delivery, but part of me just wants to schedule the c-section to avoid the same disappointment. I chose a hospital with an 80% VBAC success rate, so I will trust the opinion of my midwife/OB.
Thanks @Lbloom For sharing how it went for you! It really helps to hear personal experience of how it went :-)
BFP on 7/2/2013
My doctor was on board with my RCS because I had two abdominal surgeries prior to my first C-section, and there was some concern about a long or difficult labor causing other issues related to prior surgeries.
My 2nd was a failed/unattempted VBAC. At 41 weeks I was showing no signs of labour and they decided to call it and do a csection 12 hours later. I was heartbroken. The c section went really well though and the healing was so much better than the 1st.
I feel like I've been cheated and would love to try VBAC once again
1. Join your local ICAN or VBAC support Facebook group and read up. See if other people are recommending your doctor as VBAC supportive. My first doctor/practice claimed to be supportive but even early in my pregnancy they were setting way more arbitrary conditions than I was comfortable with. “We’ll support you IF...” baby weighs less than a certain number based on ultrasound (ridiculously unreliable), you go in to labor on your own by 39 weeks, etc. I switched to midwife care at 20w and never looked back.
2. Hire a doula!! I’m pretty sure I would’ve given up without mine.
My husband seemed concerned that the doula would take his place as the “coach”. Did you find your birthing partner still got to play an active role, even with the doula?
@maggiemadeit TBH my husband is kind of a terrible coach
They were both so important to my success. My DH was there for me the whole time but didn’t like seeing me in so much pain. When I wanted to give up, my doula kept reminding me that the pain is part
of the process and reassuring me that I could do it.
My CS was due to “failure to progress”, but it was unnecessary. I place blame on a lot of people, but usually the nurses for convincing me to break my water and get an epidural. I was left with a lot of trauma even though it went textbook normal. They forgot to let my husband in before they took baby out, then forgot to show her to me...just over all unpleasantness.
With my second, I choose homebirth because I didn’t want to have a mandatory IV and continuous monitoring, plus the best place/practice for vbac was who I had my CS with, and I still had a lot of old feelings that I was processing. It was absolutely amazing and one of the best days of my life (shouldn’t that apply to the birth of each child??
So this time I’m doing it again. I told my midwife I was pregnant before I told my husband and I’ve already started nesting (figuring out how I’m going to set up my birth space).
Some others have mentioned this still too, but I need to add that if you want a VBAC, and really want it, you need to find a provider who supports it. If they said they will talk about it later, then they don’t really support it. Supportive practices start with just assuming you will have a VBAC unless your circumstances were such that a vaginal birth would be a concern. Most doctors give moms all sorts of requirements (epidural/no epidural, labor starts on its own before 39,40,41 weeks or automatic CS, no option to induce if needed, mandatory IV, etc), but of course they don’t tell moms this until 34+ weeks when you will be less likely to change providers.
So, today, reach out to your local ICAN chapter or local VBAC support group to learn who the real good providers are and interview them before deciding.
Also, get educated. If you don’t know your options, you don’t have any. This is my favorite article to start with
Good luck mamas!
thank you!
She also listened really carefully to the horror story of my first labor and asked questions, then pointed out all the positive things that happened that pointed to the possibility of a successful VBAC. I feel very happy and supported!
Now here’s hoping I don’t make another 10+ pound baby to try to squeeze out...
I had a c-section with my first after a 6-day failed induction for high BP at 39 weeks. I was told my induction could take anywhere from 1-3 days because I hadn't started to dilate yet, but was completely surprised (not in a good way) when on day 3 I had still only dilated to a 2 and they began telling me I needed a c-section. Meanwhile, they were monitoring baby the whole time (she was fine) as well as my BP- which was higher than normal, but not alarmingly high, which even the nurses agreed. They tried all different induction drugs & methods over a 5-day period (Mon -Fri) including many extremely painful internal exams and kept pushing for the c-section from the morning of day 3 on. By Saturday morning (day 6) I finally broke down and went forward with the c-section. I was physically and mentally exhausted from being in a hospital room for 5 days, and seeing so many other moms come and go having their babies while I was still basically in the same position as day 1. I did have a quick and easy c-section with no complications, and actually left the hospital 2 days later (typically at my hospital they want you to stay for 4 days after a c-section, not sure if this is the norm?) I basically told me OB there was no way I was staying any longer and I had no problems at home with my recovery.
I was driving again the next week and physically felt fine after only a few days. Mentally I was pretty upset for awhile about my experience, with none of my medical providers telling me that an induction could fail, and that I could be in the hospital for 8 days, even though my only issue was slightly elevated BP. Not to mention, my husband wasted 7 out of 10 paternity leave days in the hospital with me, and only had a few days home with my daughter before he had to return to work.
This time around, my OB has moved practices and I dont think I will switch to her new practice. While I liked her, I dont like what she put me through without giving me all of the information I think she should have. My first appt with my new OB is 8/8 and I will discuss her opinion on VBAC then. I am not 100% sure I want to try VBAC because even after all I went through, my C-section and recovery went really well. I also am hoping for 4 children (this will be #2), and don't know how my OB feels about multiple c-sections. Has anyone else discussed this with their OB?
Its really helpful reading others stories and experiences as well and being able to use that info to help in making my decision.
I'm also torn... there's like 60-80% success rate of you attempt labor after C-section (if your OB says you're a good candidate)... but there's still that 1% chance of uterine rupture that kinda freaks me out.
I had a really positive C-section experience (immediate skin to skin, awake the whole time, partner in the room, photos of us as a family, quick healing... and most importantly healthy baby!) the whole reason I'd choose VBAC is to make future births easier, what if I end up risking my fertility for that, even if it's a tiny risk?
Definitely something I'll discuss with my doctor at the first appointment. I'm hoping I'm a good candidate and that this baby is more cooperative than the last. I'd like to at least attempt labor.
https://vbacfacts.com/2012/04/03/confusing-fact-only-6-of-uterine-ruptures-are-catastrophic/
https://www.acog.org/-/media/ACOG-Today/acogToday0810.pdf?dmc=1&ts=20180803T1401528945
There’s also this calculator which I found helpful as well.