Quick introductions?
I thought it'd be nice to get to know each other over here a bit more. I know some of us have had heard each others' stories from the VBAC e-mail list and the other boards, but it'd be nice to get a better idea on here where I'll have the siggie pics and avatars to remember who is who (I'm bad with names!).
I'll start - Hi, I'm papagena. Have a 2 yr old DS and pg with my 2nd, hopefully VBAC baby. Hoping for a hospital VBAC, but have changed doctors, going with a doula this time, and really excited (and, admittedly, sometimes freaked out a bit) about the process. I was so looking forward to experiencing childbirth last time, and ended up with a c/s before I even felt a real contraction. Hoping for a different story this time around!
Really excited to get to know you gals! Some of you have been so supportive on other boards when I've needed it, and for that I am eternally greatful!
Re: Quick introductions?
I'm Mrs.tlcS, people usually just leave off the Mrs part when they're paging/referring to me.
I have a 2 and a half year old DD and a 10 month old DS. DS's birth was planned as a med-free VBAC, but both ended up being born via c/s. I am posting here anyway as I am a major advocate for VBAC and for greater access to birth choices in general. I am also here to offer support to anyone who has planned a VBAC, but for whatever reason was not able to achieve it. I'm looking forward to cheering for you as you all prepare for your VBACs, to celebrate the good stories, and to hold e-hands and offer an ear and a shoulder when things don't go according to plan.
Good luck to all of you preparing for your births!
Hi there. I have a two year old DS and a three month old DS was was born with a VBAC. I was really lucky to have very supportive doctors and nurses who helped me with my very long labor and didn't let me give up on having a VBAC.
I'm hoping this will give me a bit more oomph to achieve my vbac!
I have a 2 year old, and am expecting my second in 6 weeks (ack!). DS was an 'emergency' c/s due to failure to progress. I have so many issues wtih that - I was exhauted after 2.5 days of labour, but the MWs didn't help overmuch, pushing drugs that I was too tired to refuse, and keeping me laying down to monitor the baby. I've been told since that it was more that he was back-to-back and got wedged partly transverse, as well as me just having long, slow labours, but I'm nervous about going back to the same hospital and actually achieving a vbac. (I don't have a choice about hospitals really.) I'm actually only 'allowed' a trial, and they will set a time limit, based on my progress, before deciding to intervene.
Anyway, I'm so glad we've got this. Maybe I can build up a backbone and insist on things more this time. Or just get some luck for a faster labour!
Hi!
My daughter was born two years ago by unplanned cesarean after a long induction that led to the whole cascade of interventions. Basically, my OB failed to recognize that my daughter was persistent occiput posterior position, despite obvious signs, and when I wasn't making much progress pushing, told me I needed a section. She then threw the cephalopelvic disproportion diagnosis at me.
Since then, I've learned a lot about "CPD" and how many cases are misdiagnosed because of fetal malpositions like my daughter had. I've read a lot about how to prevent or fix malpositions and how epidurals and pushing on your back can really complicate things. I have also read that women who had a primary cesarean for CPD still have VBAC delivery rates of 60%, so that gives me hope.
I am 12 weeks pregnant with our second and hoping for a VBAC. My new doctor does a lot of VBACs. He thinks my CPD diagnosis is BS and told me to put it out of my mind, and says that OP babies can usually come out vaginally--it just takes longer and may require changing positions, etc. So I am hoping for a med-free birth, preferably with an anterior baby!
Right now I also have a complete placenta previa, but it's very early and there is a good chance it will resolve itself on its own. I am trying not to stress about that.
double post
Hi, as mentioned below DD is 21mos and we hope to TTC in 2011. I am extremely petite, DH is the opposite, and I believe our OB wrote us off as CPD upon our first meeting. I was warned/scared into the 'big baby" thinking throughout my entire pregnancy. An ultrasound the day before DD's birth revealed her to be more than a pound larger than she actually was. After the results of the ultrasound the OB felt scheduling a C-section two days later, one day before my due date, was the best option. I ended up going into labor that night and having an uneccesary "emergency" C-section the day before the scheduled surgery. I was too worn out and uneducated about the risks to fight it and trusted that my OB was making the right call. I was sorely dissapointed to find out that DD weighed 7lbs 14oz when she arrived and was not the HUGE baby I was led to believe she was. My recovery was long and horrible and if I think about it too much I will never TTC.
Having a VBAC will most likely mean switching hospitals and OBs which makes me nervous. However, the other hospital offers a VBAC class, allows wireless monitoring, and doesn't require a woman to labor strapped down to a bed. I wouldn't feel comfortable birthing at home although I plan to stay home for as long as possible. This makes the other hospital my best option and this is where I am with my VBAC hopes thus far.
Ahh! I'm so excited that they finally put a VBAC board up! I've wanted the bump to have one for the longest time. I'm a huge advocate for VBAC's and women laboring/delivering how they choose in general.
My DS is 4 1/2 now and was born via c/s after a long failed induction- I was in labor for 48 hours and pushed for 3 (he was also posterior) and then they told me I had to have a c/s- talk about dissapointment, everything happens for a reason though. After a lot of research, preperation, and a care provider switch I had my all natural birth that I had longed for with my DD two years later. I just had my second VBAC 2 weeks ago and it went even better than the last- 3 hour labor and delivery start to finish!
Hi ladies! I have a 19 month old DS who was born via c-section after 25 hours of labor due to a number of different things that all happened at once, his HR went down and wouldnt recover, mine spiked and wouldnt come down and I developed a fever, they said after that DS's cord was stuck between his head and my pelvic bone and he was a big baby (over 8lbs at 37 weeks), after the c-section I ended up needing a d&c and blood transfussion due to extreme blood loss.
I am hoping to avoid all of those things this time and get my VBAC, I changed OB's and the practice and hospital have a high rate of VBAC's. Fingers crossed for all of us!
Hey all, I wish they had this board a few weeks/months ago, but it's okay, hee hee.
I had a c-section with my DS1 for posterior positioning (I think there's some crazy stat about how many OP babies end up as c-sections - like, well over 30%). His positioning was totally missed by my MWs, and I pushed for 4+ hours before having the section.
DS2 was just born a week and a half ago, and was a succesful hospital VBAC - his labor was a bit faster, and I also stayed home until pushing (pretty unintentional on my part, bc I didn't realize how far along I was!). I'm happy to lend support to anyone who's attempting a VBAC - this last pregnancy was pretty anxiety-filled for me, in that I worried worried worried about even attempting a vaginal birth again...
Thanks to iris for spearheading the campaign for the board, too!
DS2 - Oct 2010 (my VBAC baby!)
Hi, I'm Hiker and I have an almost 17 month old DD. I had a failed induction 10 days past her EDD due to her size, position, and failure to progress past 4cm. I never got to the point of pushing. I am hoping for a VBAC w/DS.
I have already met obstacles to my VBAC as the backup OBs with my midwives office, who would attend the birth, have a new policy that they will not "allow" a trial of labor VBAC after 40 weeks. My midwives have set my EDD based on the most liberal method that will give me 3 extra days and I have already advised them that I will not be going to the hospital until I reach 41 weeks or go in labor on my own. I am already anxious and a little discouraged that I may not even have the opportunity to attempt the birth experience I really want.
I'm glad this board is here!
TTC #1 Cycle 14 - IUI#1=BFN, IUI#2=BFP | TTC #2 Cycle 8=BFP!!
Hi! I'm ABM. I had my first DS via c/s after 22 hours of awful labor. His head was gigantic (and still is!) and he never dropped. I sat at 10cm for 2 hours and he never even tried to come out! I had planned a VBAC for my 2nd child but at 38 weeks my doctors felt he was too large and we scheduled a c/s. To be honest the scheduled c/s was a wonderful experience. I'm not against trying a VBAC for the next baby but I'm not sure yet. My doctor says that my tailbone juts forward very drastically and there isn't a good chance of anything over a few pounds passing through. I may get a second opinion for my next pregnancy but I had such a perfect experience with my scehduled c/s that I'm not 100% sure yet.
Good luck to all of you that are currently expecting! I hope you get the birth experience you want.
Oh I hear ya!
I think my retelling of the tale has been able to get consistently shorter over time - it's really only after two years that I can be tell the story without getting too emotional. It's such an emotional topic (at least for me). Why I'm so happy this board is here!
I'm happy to see this board exists!
DS is almost 2 and we're TTC #2.
My c/s was for "failure to progress." I was induced with pitocin at 40w, epidural at 3cm and c/s 12 hours later. They also told me (after DS was born) he would have been "too big" to deliver vaginally. He was 9lbs 4oz, so I suppose I'll have to bare that battle with #2.
I plan to have a med-free birth with a midwife with #2.
Hi, I'm Erika. I have a 17 month old DD, Alyson and am due at the beginning of April with our 2nd.
DD was born via c/s due to her posterior position. I was in labor for 53 hours and tried unsuccessfully to get her to turn. I started out in an in-hospital birth center, but my midwives encouraged me to go to L&D for Pit. I was so tired by then that I agreed, though I really wish I wouldn't have. By the time I had pushed for 3 hours and the OB on call had tried two vacuum attempts, they said I needed a c/s, because DD's heart rate was dropping significantly. I was heart-broken, but I felt there was nothing I could do.
I've spent the last 17 months researching VBAC, and am confident that it is an option for me. The biggest problem I'm having is we are moving out of state and I need to find another practice that will be as supportive as where I was going here.
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Hi Im Kassie ~ Aka Spookster
My beautiful girl was born on 8-27-10 by C-sec. I had excess amniotic fluid and she wouldnt stay head down, so the day I turned 40 weeks she was breech and they told me to choose version or c-sec, it took me 5 hours to decide. I wanted a normal birth but it didnt work out that way, the ob that did my c-sec said she didnt know if I could have had her normally anyways.
Anyways nice to be here:-)
EDD- 06/13/2017
**Stinkerbelle-8-27-10 * Mr.P's 2nd Mama 7-27-07**
I go back and forth on whether to have a third, let alone whether to VBAC, but thought I'd say hi.
My first DD was an induced vaginal birth (due to pre-e) at 41w.
DD2 was breech from 30 weeks on, and despite every trick in the book, was stubbornly breech right up until my water broke at 38w5d. We found out later she had no cord issues or anything preventing her from turning, she just didn't.
We had a version attempt scheduled for two days later, with a c/s to follow immediately if she didn't flip, but that went out the window when my water broke. Headed for the hospital as contractions started, and she was born via c/s a few hours later.
I have no regrets about doing the c/s for a breech presentation, but it was definitely a long and really rough recovery. My OB's office will do VBACs and I've been told that I'm a very good candidate, having had one successful vaginal birth already.
I would love to avoid another c/s recovery, but I have a lot of research to do before I'm 100% comfortable with a VBAC -- but I'll probably be lurking here frequently.
DD1, 1/5/2008 ~~~ DD2, 3/17/2010
Hello all! I'm so happy we finally have this board.
DS was born via c/s after a relatively brief labor (less than 12 hours). He was OP, which nobody apparently noticed until the c/s. I went med free up until the c/s became inevitable, when I had "failed to progress" for a couple hours. Then DS went into fetal distress and it was all downhill from there.
I did a lot of research after DS was born and learned that basically the whole L&D experience was BS. I've struggled to accept the fact that I allowed all the medical interventions due to my own lack of knowledge, and I am determined to VBAC this time. After a few discouraging appointments with my OB, I switched to a homebirth midwife and I am thrilled. I am so excited to labor again and deliver this baby! I am trying to prepare myself for the possibility of another c/s if it becomes necessary-I do think if I KNOW it is medically necessary, I'll feel a lot better about it.
Hi! Im laurncui812.0 and I am trying for a VBAC this December after delivering my twin boys by c-section since one had passed away. I am hoping for a much better experience overall this time.
Hi. I had my DD in Jan 09 after a failed induction at 41 weeks. I didn't progress past 5 cm and DD failed to really engage. Found out that DD was facing forward (posterior?) and that is why she didn't progress. I was very upset about having to have a C-section and mad that they couldn't tell that she was not in the right position...
I have gone back and forth between a vbac but I think I have finally decided to try but will not be induced. My Dr. is on board with it and I think she was the one that convinced me to try.
Hey everybody! I'm Brytany. I have an 8 month old, Lia. She was born February 23 via c-section after a failed induction. I was 41w5d. I was in labor for 18 hours, and stalled at a 4 for about 4 hours. At 11:30, my doctor told me I needed a c-section. Not knowing too much, since she was my first, I thought since my doctor told me I needed it that I really did. Lia was born 20 minutes later. She was sunny side up, and I am convinced that if I had labored longer I could have delivered vaginally.After she was born, my doctor said that we had my due date wrong, as she had no signs of being late. I really think that she just wasn't ready to come yet.
Her birth was really traumatic for me. I felt like I had failed as a woman, at the one thing that women are supposed to do. It led to mild PPD that I luckily recovered from very quickly. Since then, I have been researching VBACs. I moved to another city, and I found a birthing center here. The CNM is wonderful and is very supportive of my trying a VBAC next time.
We are TTC starting in November and I will be going through the birthing center this time instead of a hospital. My husband and I are very excited, and I am hoping and praying for the natural waterbirth that I want this time around. Can't wait to get to know everyone!
M/C Dec 2010 - 5w5d Missing my sweet angel baby.
My name is marge and I had an emergency c/s w/ DS at 37 weeks due to HELLP. He was also breech so I was already preparing for the possibility of a c/s when I ended up in my emergent situation. My bp was through the roof, my blood clotting factor was around 70,000, and my liver started going wonky. Because of the blood clotting factor, I had to be put under general anesthesia because there was too much of a risk of bleeding.
DS's birth was pretty traumatic. I never had a chance to labor or anything associated with a traditional birth. I just went into the hospital feeling awful and went home 6 days later with my baby. I had such a long hospital stay b/c of my bp issues.
I am not ttc yet but just interested in information on VBACs. The last I checked, I have a 25% chance of getting some form of PIH again. If that happens, I would have to have a repeat c/s. I would like to get the vaginal birth experience and to go pain med free. But I am setting my bar low. Next time, I'd just like to be awake to experience it.
**waves at erbear**
Hi, I'm Soon2BMrsN and my son Henry is almost 16 months old. He was born via c/s after 22 hours of labor + 2 hours of pushing. After going into spontaneous labor and making it to 10cm (but not without an epi, a little pitocin, and oxygen--ugh!) and pushing, my midwife had to comply with the on-call doctor's decision to do a c/s due to fetal distress. I was devestated that my plans for an ideal birth had gone out the window and had a pretty tough recovery.
We found out when DS was one month old that he had craniosynostosis, which basically means that the sutures in his skull were already fused. He would have never fit through my pelvis no matter how long I pushed. He had surgery at just under 3 months of age which was a million times more traumatic than the c/s.
We are not PG or even TTC #2 yet, but I am seriously considering a VBAC. I need to find a new doctor or midwife who will take me as a patient (the practice I was with for DS does not do VBACs). In the meantime, I am really happy to have this board. I'd like to find out if I'm actually a good candidate for a VBAC next time around.
Another cranio baby! How's he doing?
K had surgery at 8 months...one year ago October 15! I can't believe so much time has gone by
Hi everyone-I have a 7 month old DD and we haven't yet started trying for a 2nd but will probably when she is over a year...
Pregnancy and labor went perfectly smoothly until I stopped progressing at 7 cm. Water broke at home (at almost 41 weeks) and when we got to the hospital, they started me on pitocin and I got the epidural at some point. DD was born at 8lbs 9oz and has her father's head which didn't want to descend...I was devastated when my Dr. told me that she wasn't going to come out vaginally and that I would need a CS.
I too, have thought a lot about why things went the way they did and really want to have the chance to have things go differently the next time. When I was making my decision to have the CS, my OB (the one who delivered DD) was very pro-VBAC and supportive of me having one but at my 6 week check-up was singing a different tune. He basically told me that I have to have a much smaller baby and deliver him/her earlier than 40 weeks. Well neither of which are things that I have control over and my first child was large and late. Doesn't bode well for me!
I have been a lurker for many months and never posted at all but I had to write and say that I am really glad to have this board as I look forward to TTC and having our 2nd. Thanks for pushing for it!
Hi. DD turns 2 in January, 1 week after my EDD with #2.
My water broke at home at 37 weeks. After 12 hours of labor, my contractions never regulated, so I was started on pit. I got the epi 3 hours later, and started pushing 2 hours after that. I pushed for 3 hours, of which, DD made no progress during the last two. Neither she nor I were in distress at any point during pushing, but the doctor offered a c/s before that changed and it became an emergency situation. Exhaused and frightened of that prospect, I took it. And I have never been given a reason why DD never progressed, which will always bother me. DH and I feel it was related to her position. Yes, she was a big baby at 8lb 6oz at 37 weeks, but she wasn't huge.
The OB and related group that delivered DD does not do VBACs so I have switched practices. Even if I wanted a repeat c/s, I probably would have switched anyway, due to the fact the OB could not give me a reason why I needed a c/s. I live in a fairly rural area and have only two choices when it comes to OB, and unfortunately, neither of them have MWs on staff.
I'm glad this board is here for support and information, and am looking forward to sharing this journey with you all!