What would your next step be?
I'm 41 years old and 12 weeks pregnant. This will be my fourth child. All my other kids are adults. My first child, born in 1989, was via c-section. The other two children, born in 1992 and 1993 were uneventful VBACs. When going in for delivery with child #2 I was given the option of another c-section and declined it. With child #3 a c-section wasn't even offered.
Using the same OB who works out of the same hospital as before, I'm now told that policy is non-bending. No VBACs for anyone, no exceptions. The OB told me that in my case he fully supports a VBAC but the hospital no longer allows them. When asked if I just "showed up" at emergency in labor would they force me into a c-section, and he said pretty much that they would.
He gave me a list of four doctors in two other hospitals that he thought I should check into, thinking that they might be able to help me. One doctor will do VBACs on a "case by case" basis, telling me that I need to provide records for the previous births despite the fact that they are 20 years old. Back to my OB, who no longer has records, and told me to go to the actual hospital. The hospital purged everything from 2000 backwards, but suggested that they "might" be able to contact an office out of state for records (not sure what that office does or is to this hospital), but that it was unlikely that they'd have anything from the early 90s, etc. By my social security number, they could pull up only that I had been in their hospital, but apparently there is nothing attached to those dates indicating what I was in the hospital for or whom I saw.
I asked if they'd check this out of state place anyway (they seemed so pessimistic about it, I'm not sure if they'd follow through) and if they come up with nothing if I could at least have something on the hospital letterhead stating that their records were purged.
I do *not* wish to be forced into a needless c-section. What should my next step be?
Re: What would your next step be?
What a nightmare!
I'm sorry you're dealing with this inanity.
Keep on them about contacting the off-site document place. If you don't hear from them, ask again.
Ask your current OB if he would be willing to talk to or write a letter to the one requesting records. Perhaps he could just give all the relevant info to the new doc firsthand.
You might consider writing a letter to the editor of your local newspaper and/or to the hospital administration, just to show that an outright ban on VBACs is so ridiculous. I'm not sure I'd have had that kind of energy when I was pregnant myself
but some people are good at that kind of thing!
DS2 - Oct 2010 (my VBAC baby!)
Ugh, how ridiculous! VBAC bans are so f-ing stupid and this is a perfect example of why. I'm sorry you have to deal with this.
I'd keep looking for a doctor and in the meantime, I'd do what lorry suggested. You might want to call some doulas or childbirth educators in your area and talk to them--they usually know which doctors will support VBAC. Are there any midwives or family practice physicians in your area that do deliveries? I also think a doula might be a good idea for you in this kind of situation to help you advocate for yourself.
Finally, not sure how you feel about this, but I might look into home birth or a birth center too. I just had a great VBAC at home.
GL! Keep us posted on how things work out.
This whole situation is crazy and I am infuriated for you. The fact that you have already HAD two VBACs should make this one a no-brainer for these people. I agree to keep looking for a supportive provider. And you sound like a good candidate for a homebirth if you so chose. I can't believe your doctor said they'd force you into a c/s if you showed up at the hospital. The CAN'T do that. When will they get that much through their heads????
I hope you find a supportive provider- they are out there. Check out midwives- they are wonderful. Good luck to you!
YES! What Iris427 said