had a vbac - barely

welshgirl · December 2010

My water broke at 3:45 on the 5th, and I had no contractions for 12 hours. We went in to have it checked, and were told to give it 24 hours. If nothing had happened, we could either have a prost pessary (not an option in my opinion based on the higher risk of scar rupture) or another section.

Luckily within 24 hours I was having contractions every min or so - so 3 in 10 min and I couldn't do anything through them. We got into the hospital around 5am (in a blizzard) and I was 4cm, so was offered an epidural - considering how hard it was (over 12 hours) to get to 4cm, I thought it was best if I took it to conserve energy. Around noon, I'd stalled, so was given oxytocin on a drip, which helped get me to 8cm. They were preparing me that I might need another section, unless I could get the contractions stronger again, to get my body working. Long story of failed epi later, at 245pm they were re-siting it as I went thru transition. DD's heart-rate dropped to 75bpm, they examined me and I was ready to go - finally, and then before the epi got a chance to even work, they threw my feet into stirrups and got teh forceps out and DD was born 10 min later.

I was in such shock that it had actually happened I couldn't stop shaking so violently I could barely hold her.

Anyway, I had my vbac. It's been painful - forceps and an episiotomy, but so worth it to have that experience, and to be able to go home so much quicker and be with DS.

GL!