Birth Stories
AJ410
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Have you had a VBAC?
AJ410
member
I really want to try a VBAC. My doctor said they are to risky. I know others have had them. I want to know if you had one how did it go?
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Re: Have you had a VBAC?
My daughter was transverse. I had no other problems. My only fear is uterine rupture."You could rip open" is what my doctor said. I have been to a lot web sites, they all say less than 1%. I just wanted to see if others had a good VBAC. Thank you for telling me about yours.
Crap, what I typed went away.
My concern was that the risks of a repeat c-section were greater than the risk of VBAC to me, my baby and as a cause of risk to future pregnancies, if we decided to have other children. I used a midwife and doula for my birth with an OB back up. I did my research and would recomend The Thinking WOman's Guide to Childbirth & Pushed. I had to see an OB to sign the consent to VBAC and it was definitely worded to seem far more scary than the statistics show it is. Here's my birth story and I hope it motivates you. Please send me a PM if you want to discuss anything more- I don't always check this board but wish you loads of luck in preparing to VBAC!
I was checked at my 38 week appointment and was 2-3 cms, 50% effaced. One week later, I was 2-3 cms, 70% effaced, -2/-1 station. My pregnancy had been uncomplicated and the only issue with my VBAC at that point was that I was almost past my due date. I expected to go at least a week past since DS was born at 40 w 6 d. My due date was 9/29.
I saw a midwife on 10/6/08 when I was 1 week past due after getting an ultrasound to check fluid levels and a NST to check baby?s well-being. I passed both with flying colors and the only sign of issue was my slightly higher blood pressure (140/88) up from the previous week, but without any sign of headache, protein in the urine or swelling. I was 3 cms dilated, 80% effaced, -1 station and my membranes were stripped for the 3rd time at that appointment. The midwife had talked with the dr who performed my previous c-section and both were anxious to schedule a c-section for the next 1-2 days. I was pretty shocked and felt like I?d been kicked in the stomach. I challenged her that the previous week, she?d said I could come in and have my water broken to see if that started labor on its own. She agreed that we could do that and also augment with Pitocin if it was necessary after some pattern of labor started. So, I was scheduled to go in at 4pm on 10/8 for an induction.
I talked with my doula for about an hour following that appointment. We went over every possible alternative for natural induction that I hadn?t already been trying. She also suggested a homeopathic remedy that might be enough to get my contractions coming regularly and more strong. She also said that it may be a good idea to really talk with her, meditate, pray and really focus on anything that might be mentally holding up my labor. I started trying everything I could as soon as I got home- pineapple, Scalini?s parm sauce, a spicy chicken sandwich from Wendy?s and started taking the homeopathic remedy at about 8:30 pm and continued with that every 4 hours through the night. At 4am, I woke up and couldn?t get back to sleep. I started with nipple stimulation to help the contractions along. At about 6am, I started getting them every 5 minutes and of relatively strong intensity, but I knew it wasn?t strong enough to be labor yet. But, I told DH that he needed to not go to class for the day and we should take DS to school so that we could focus on trying to get labor going strong. At 8, I called my mom to tell her to head over from Ohio because whether it was today or Thurs, it was about time and it made sense for her to come. I showered at about 9am to see if the contractions would continue through the shower. While I showered, I had a long talk with God about my delivery and putting it all in His hands. After my shower, DH and I took a walk for about 30 mins around the neighborhood. Contractions were still strong but I could walk and talk through them, every 4-5 minutes. I was still drinking my red raspberry leaf tea as we walked.
We left to get lunch about 11:30 (another spicy chicken sandwich). My contractions slowed a bit after we ate which my doula said was normal, but at this point, I knew I was in labor. By 12:30, they were coming stronger and every 5 minutes apart. At 2pm, I got in the bath to help manage through the contractions. They were still about every 4-5 minutes, painful but not as strong as they were during my labor with my son. By 4pm when we left to pick up DS, they were and I was focusing on moaning/breathing through them. We got DS who then laughed following each contraction as we drove the 45 mins to the hospital. My doula met us there as did my mom and my friend who was picking up DS. My original plan was to take him to her house then come back to the hospital, but I knew that wasn?t a good idea about 15 mins in to the trip to the hospital. I thought that I couldn?t be past 7 cms because I hadn?t thrown up or gotten the chills. 5 mins from the hospital, I started to get chilly and told DH that if I was still at 3 cms when they checked me at triage, I?d die. At 5:15, I was checked in triage and was 8-9 cms (HOORAY!!!). My midwife and nurse read my birth plan and said everything should be fine except they wanted to put in a Hep Lock just in case I needed anything which I agreed to. I was given the option to walk/go in the bed to my labor & delivery room and I walked. My mom, doula and DH were with me at that point.
Once in L&D, they put in the Hep Lock and took some blood (took a while because my veins weren?t cooperating). I had to sit on the bed through that b/c I don?t do well with blood draws and was nervous I?d pass out or move. We had brought a birth ball and I got on that as soon as I was able to. Very shortly after that (a few more contractions), my water broke. When it did, there was a slight color to it, indicating she?d had a bowel movement. My midwife said that the NICU dr would attend the birth and may need to suction out her lungs. Of course, this made me really nervous because DS?s birth was one where there was meconium and he had a collapsed lung (potentially a complication from suctioning his lungs after the c-section). I told her to tell him to please be careful as I had thoughts immediately of not being able to hold this baby either. (DS was in the oxygen tent for 3 days.) She comforted me as did my doulas saying if she cried, the dr wouldn?t have to do anything and she?d be okay.
My doulas and midwives started talking about how I should push. The contractions were intense and I was wanting to push, but not wanting to move off the birth ball. They draped DH with pads and I sat on his lap with my feet supported one by each of my doulas. That was perfect. I was able to hear him talking to me, encouraging me and supporting me through each push. I started pushing at 6:30pm. It took a few pushes and some coaching from my doulas to help me get the right muscles going and keep her moving down. At 6:51 pm, she was born & the feeling was amazing. I got to hold her immediately while she screamed and was so, so pink. DH got to cut the actual cord (as opposed to trimming it after the c-section with DS). It was unreal. The emotions I felt are completely indescribable. The NICU dr took her and checked her briefly, said she was great and my doulas requested the nurse not blanket her, but bring her back with skin-to-skin contact. I birthed the placenta while I started nursing her. My midwife showed me the placenta then, also showing me the sack she?d been in these 9+ months. She then repaired my tear (not sure of ?degree? but she said it wasn?t severe, typical for a first time delivery and it wasn?t too painful). I got in to bed following that. It was about an hour I was there, nursing my baby, having them check bleeding/my uterus, just enjoy the time with my husband looking at our new baby. They weighed her after she had nursed for a good 30-45 minutes. At that point, the nurse wanted me to try and get out of bed. I passed out so they kept me in L&D a little longer and watched for hemorrhage but that wasn?t an issue. At 9:30, they took me to our couplet care room and DH went with DD to the nursery so they could get her length, do a bath and warm her. I was checked hourly until 2am. She was perfect at 8lbs 2 oz, 21? long. (Note: The u/s on 10/6 said she was 9lbs 2 oz.) Her APGARs were 9 and 9.
There?s nothing that really compares the experience between my first and second births. Having had such a beautiful experience with my daughter, I realize now even more how much I missed with my son being born sick. I feel so connected to her and DH and empowered by the experience itself. In terms of recovery, there?s also no comparison. Not having the recovery of surgery on top of adjusting to life with a newborn and a toddler has been so good for me. I am still sore, tired and have to take things more easily than I was before. But my overall sense of well being and health is so much greater than before.
Not a problem! Reading all the VBAC stories really encouraged me as I went along my way so I'm happy to help others in any way I can. I hope you're able to have the birth you want this time!