My failed VBAC birth story

kim1730

I just wanted to share my story since even though I did end up with another c-section, I thought it was all a very positive experience and I'm so happy I was able to be given the chance to have a VBAC.

My first pregnancy I had pre-eclampsia and then a severe placental abruption at 35 wks while in the hospital which led to world's fastest c-section under general.  Traumatizing to say the least.  This time around I saw several drs, my regular ob, high risk drs, and the drs which eventually delivered me.  Maybe its where I live, but every single one of the drs I saw was all for the vbac.  The high risk dr that I was transferred to for delivery was even pressuring me to try for the vbac.  I was very non-committed to it the entire time mainly I think because I thought I would end up disappointed and things would just happen the way they were going to anyway.  Because of the complications I had last time and my other issues that made me high risk, I decided that I wanted to schedule a c-section and try for the vbac if I went into labor on my own before then.  I had my scheduled c-section set for thursday march 24 at 39w2d.  As this day came closer, I began to want the vbac more everyday and was so hoping I would go into labor, even just to experience labor.  Early tuesday morning, 2 days before my scheduled c-section, I got my  wish.  I woke up to my water breaking at 430 am.  This excitement quickly turned to panic when I saw all of the blood that followed.  Having had a placental abruption last pregnancy, my dr told me over and over to call at any sign of blood.  There was so much blood I almost wanted to call 911.  I called my dr and they had me come to the hospital right away.  They very quickly determined that everything was just fine, and yes my water had broken.  My contractions had just started and were 2 minutes apart. The baby was very low - at 0 station when my water broke.  The bad news was I was only 50% effaced and a fingertip dilated.  I had told them I was going to try for the vbac.  Over the next several hours I was monitored, and progressing, although very slowly.  All of the drs and nurses were very supportive.  I remember them telling me how my body and my baby were handling labor very well and things were looking excellent for a vaginal birth.  They even started setting up everything in the room for the baby.  My contractions were right on top of each other all day, but things were still moving slowly.  I knew I was on my own and my drs would not give me any drugs to help me dilate since they believed it would increase the risk of uterine rupture.  I was fine with this.  Eventually though, I ran out of time.  They gave me about 26 hours  after my water broke, but the bigger issue was that I stalled at 8cm for over 3 hours.  The baby had dropped to +2 and his heart rate was beginning to affected by the contractions.  So c-section it was and Joshua Matthew was born shortly after.  I was so happy to be awake to experience it this time and hear  his first cry.  I had a lot of 'what ifs' for the drs after the delivery - if anything I could have done could have help me progressed further such as if I didnt get an epidural, if I had tried some different positions, etc .. I was assured that none of that would have made a difference

One more thing ... If any of you are delivering at a different hospital this time around, double check, triple check, that your doctor and your hospital has your operative report from your last c-section.  I had a mini-meltdown 12 hours into labor when they told me that the hospital where I last delivered had never sent it over and I would have had to have a c-section right away over missing paperwork.  By some miracle, somebody was able to pull some strings and get my records sent over right away.

 

bensbabe

I'm glad you were able to have a good experience, even though it didn't turn out in the way you'd hoped....

Congrats on your son!

Brytany09

I'm so glad you were able to have a positive experience! Congratulations on your new son!

rdhmama79

Congrats on your new baby!

ShangriLaRose

kim1730:

I just wanted to share my story since even though I did end up with another c-section, I thought it was all a very positive experience and I'm so happy I was able to be given the chance to have a VBAC.

My first pregnancy I had pre-eclampsia and then a severe placental abruption at 35 wks while in the hospital which led to world's fastest c-section under general.  Traumatizing to say the least.  This time around I saw several drs, my regular ob, high risk drs, and the drs which eventually delivered me.  Maybe its where I live, but every single one of the drs I saw was all for the vbac.  The high risk dr that I was transferred to for delivery was even pressuring me to try for the vbac.  I was very non-committed to it the entire time mainly I think because I thought I would end up disappointed and things would just happen the way they were going to anyway.  Because of the complications I had last time and my other issues that made me high risk, I decided that I wanted to schedule a c-section and try for the vbac if I went into labor on my own before then.  I had my scheduled c-section set for thursday march 24 at 39w2d.  As this day came closer, I began to want the vbac more everyday and was so hoping I would go into labor, even just to experience labor.  Early tuesday morning, 2 days before my scheduled c-section, I got my  wish.  I woke up to my water breaking at 430 am.  This excitement quickly turned to panic when I saw all of the blood that followed.  Having had a placental abruption last pregnancy, my dr told me over and over to call at any sign of blood.  There was so much blood I almost wanted to call 911.  I called my dr and they had me come to the hospital right away.  They very quickly determined that everything was just fine, and yes my water had broken.  My contractions had just started and were 2 minutes apart. The baby was very low - at 0 station when my water broke.  The bad news was I was only 50% effaced and a fingertip dilated.  I had told them I was going to try for the vbac.  Over the next several hours I was monitored, and progressing, although very slowly.  All of the drs and nurses were very supportive.  I remember them telling me how my body and my baby were handling labor very well and things were looking excellent for a vaginal birth.  They even started setting up everything in the room for the baby.  My contractions were right on top of each other all day, but things were still moving slowly.  I knew I was on my own and my drs would not give me any drugs to help me dilate since they believed it would increase the risk of uterine rupture.  I was fine with this.  Eventually though, I ran out of time.  They gave me about 26 hours  after my water broke, but the bigger issue was that I stalled at 8cm for over 3 hours.  The baby had dropped to +2 and his heart rate was beginning to affected by the contractions.  So c-section it was and Joshua Matthew was born shortly after.  I was so happy to be awake to experience it this time and hear  his first cry.  I had a lot of 'what ifs' for the drs after the delivery - if anything I could have done could have help me progressed further such as if I didnt get an epidural, if I had tried some different positions, etc .. I was assured that none of that would have made a difference

One more thing ... If any of you are delivering at a different hospital this time around, double check, triple check, that your doctor and your hospital has your operative report from your last c-section.  I had a mini-meltdown 12 hours into labor when they told me that the hospital where I last delivered had never sent it over and I would have had to have a c-section right away over missing paperwork.  By some miracle, somebody was able to pull some strings and get my records sent over right away.

 

 

Congratulations on a healthy baby boy! I'm looking into a VBAC myself, and my consult for it, and also to schedule a c-section just in case, is at the end of April. My OB told me that my operative report from my c-sec w/ DS was not in my records for some reason, so I had to have it sent down this week.  They won't even consult on a VBAC here without it. If she hadn't have asked me about it, I wouldn't have known, as it was something I wouldn't have thought of, so I was glad to see someone else posted about it!

MAprincess

Congrats on your healthy baby boy!  I am glad you were able to hear his first cry and be present for the birth this time!

iris427

Congrats on your new baby!  I'm glad you got to experience labor like you wanted and that you got to be awake for this baby's birth!  Thanks for sharing your story with us.

chicsub

Congrats!  How great that he chose his own birthday too!

Gina1221

I'm so glad to hear that you had a better birth experience this time around and were able to be awake to hear your baby's first cries.  My C-section was also under general, and while I'd love to VBAC, I'll just be so happy to be awake for my baby's birth this time.  The biggest thing that haunts me about my son's birth is not getting to hear his first cry when he was born.  I've watched a million birth stories prior to and after DS's birth and cry tears of happiness every time that baby comes out and cries, but yet I didn't get to hear my own son cry when he was born.  So glad that you will now get to have that memory : )