Red flags

Brownie_222

With a lot of us interviewing providers (me included), I thought it might be good to have a post about red flags during a conversation. Please add on here. Your first baby was "big" - grow a smaller baby or your odds aren't good. Your pelvis is too small. I don't know what my VBAC success rate is. (or disclosed success rate under national average of 60-80%) You will need to dilate at x rate/hr or be limited to pushing for x amount of time (without regard to baby's tolerance of labor) Provider presents risks of VBAC but does not discuss risks of RCS. Provider shares a scary story about VBAC but not about RCS. Overall demeanor non-comittal or not optimistic Responds to questions with statements like, "we will discuss that later in your pregnancy" What else? ETA: sorry for formatting, I'm on my phone.

nosoup4u

Having to go into labor by x weeks.

I know a woman whose doctor told her she would only be allowed to labor in bed when she showed up at the hospital, she wouldn't have been allowed to move around or anything because she was "high risk" (she switched providers!).

userdeleted

Yes I agree - even if they say they'll "allow" you to try for a VBAC, if they only talk about the risks of VBAC and put them in the harshest terms possible ("like getting onto a plane that has a 1% chance of having a bomb on it"), that is not a good sign.

Also, if you ask for recommendations of good resources for more info, and they say "That's me." 

Brownie_222

Rach03k:

Yes I agree - even if they say they'll "allow" you to try for a VBAC, if they only talk about the risks of VBAC and put them in the harshest terms possible ("like getting onto a plane that has a 1% chance of having a bomb on it"), that is not a good sign.

Also, if you ask for recommendations of good resources for more info, and they say "That's me." 

Whoa!  I also agree the word "allow" is usually not a good sign.  I would say the same thing for "trial" in most cases as well.

preg_amy

My red flag would be if a provider told me they would "let me try."  I wouldn't want someone who says that.  I would prefer someone told me that they would try to get me my VBAC, rather than being so passive and negative about it.

 

With the having to go into labor on your own by a certain time... I don't think there are many places that don't have some sort of guideline with that.  Aside from someone trying for a UBAC or an HBAC.

cwifekmom

The overall attitude about it is huge for me.  My doctor read my chart, talked with me, told me what he would have done differently with the birth of my DD and said, you can have a VBAC.  At every appointment since then when it comes up, he says that I can.

 He said that the biggest thing that stops patients from having a successful VBAC is not believing that they can do and letting their body do it.

 Another thing for me, is that he supports midwives and the work that they do.  Even though I want a hospital birth, I like knowing that he supports other ways.  He's actually the consulting OB for several midwives.

It is important to me to also not have the requirements of having to go into labor by a certain time.  My OB induces after 42 weeks but he's let people go to 43. 

I think your OB needs to want you to VBAC and understand your desire for one.

rena5498

2 red flags when I first had my appt and I never returned:

 doctor told me they dont allow you to move around during labor you have to stay in bed the entire time to be monitored.

As she was giving my yearly pap at the same time of my 1st prenatal appt she started feeling around and said "oh I just wanted to check and see if there was enough room for  a baby to come out"...

As we all know you cant predetermine if a baby can or cannot come out vaginally by feeling around in a patients vagina...never returned went to a midwife and I have a 90% chance of having a VBAC.

cwifekmom

My old OB actually told me the "would you put your whole family, because it affects everyone, on a plane with a 1% chance of a bomb?"

 I decided to find a new OB.