Unmedicated VBAC Birth Story

beckynick04 · May 2011

I hoped to post this much earlier - it's incredible how fast time flies with two little ones at home!

Short version:

Kate Lillian was born by successful vbac with no meds and no interventions just after midnight on 5/2 (38 w 2 d). Although labor started at 4:00 am on 5/1, active labor really began at 8:00 pm and just took 4 1/2 hours. She was 6 lbs 12 oz and 19.5 inches - the same size as DS. We had a hospital birth with a midwife and a doula. It was absolutely perfect and I wouldn't change a thing!

Super long version:

Due date was 5/13. At 4:00 am on 5/1 (38 w 2 d) I woke up with contractions. They were fairly regular and I just knew that labor was beginning. I dozed through them and finally woke up my husband at 6:00 am. He was a little surprised and wanted to know what to do and I just suggested we go about our day as normal for now and let our doula and my MIL know around 8:00 am as there was no sense in waking people up - it was still early.

We had to take DS to urgent care, as he'd been complaining about his ear hurting the night before and I was pretty sure the cold he'd had turned into an ear infection. Around 7:30 my water broke, but it was just a fairly steady trickle and was clear. We took DS to urgent care and called our doula and MIL to put her on standby to take care of DS.

Around 8:00 am contractions started to get farther apart. We continued our errands and got home around 10:30. Contractions were really irregular now so I just kept in touch with our doula and continued the day as normal, trying to eat and rest as much as I could.

By 5:30pm I was starting to get nervous because contractions hadn't really picked up again. I had not yet called the midwives yet because they wanted me to come to the hospital as soon as my water broke and I wasn't ready to go yet. I wanted to see what my body had in store and my doula assured me that it isn't uncommon for labor to begin, stall out and then start again later in the day or evening. She said often for second time moms labor picks up after you put your first little one to sleep, as if your body has the okay to move forward once your first is taken care of.

We had my MIL come over around 6:30 pm so that DS would see her for a bit before bed so he wouldn't be surprised if she was here when he got up in the morning. He was super excited to see her for the first half hour or so and then he got really emotional. We had been telling him all day that today would likely be baby sister's birthday and I think it finally hit him. He was crying and super clingy and said he was sad for me and he didn't want me to go to the doctor. That was the hardest part and made me super emotional too. Life was about to change for our family of three and it was a little scary.

Around 7:00 contractions started again but weren't too bad - like bad menstrual cramps. Then around 8:00pm they really started to pick up quick and were super intense. I asked our doula to come over and from there things went super fast! By 9:00 pm I couldn't really talk through contractions and had to get down on my hands and knees and vocalize to get through them. DH was getting nervous and really wanted us to go to the hospital. I finally called the midwives and let them know I was in labor and would be heading in.

Then our doula arrived and suggested I try a shower and have something to eat. She helped provide counter pressure and massage until about 10:30 when I decided I was ready to go to the hospital. The car ride was awful! I hated being buckled in.

We got to the hospital around 11:00pm and thank goodness we did! They were about to give my room away as they were completely full and diverting patients to a hospital 40 minutes away that does not do vbacs. I got the last room. I don't know what I would have done if they had diverted us, although I have a feeling I would have told them I'd be having my baby in the hall or the ER! I can't imagine having to get back in the car...

I was dilated to 7 cm when they initially checked me and then I had my moment of weakness and told DH and our doula that I wanted an epidural. Thank goodness for our doula and DH! They both reminded me that I wanted to go med-free and our doula reminded me that I'd have to get a bag of fluid first, etc. and that I was in transition - the shortest but most painful part. I'm so glad they gave me the boost I needed to keep going.

Once I got checked into the room they filled the tub for me while the nurse put in the heplock. The tub was piping hot and was pure heaven! It was just what I needed too - 10 minutes later I was fully dilated and +1 station. The midwife had me get out of the tub to push. 30 minutes of pushing later and our little girl was born at 12:27 am on 5/2 - just 45 minutes after getting into our room!

It was absolutely incredible and I would do it again in a heartbeat. It was so intense but I just kind of went into my own little world and got through it. It was the most amazing feeling when she was born - as soon as she slipped out all of the pain immediately stopped.

Nursing is going well after a slow start and life is good. It's a completely different experience from my c/s with ds and I'm so thankful that I got to experience birth both ways.

Good luck to all of you who are working towards vbac. You can do it!