New here.....Why is VBAC better?

emathis2 · June 2011

I had a c/s with DS. My pregnancy was healthy and I progressed during labor but pushed for 4 hours and couldn't get him out. He was 9lb 9oz. I am 105lb and a size zero hips. He needed a helmet to correct his head shape because he was physically stuck in my birth canal and they had trouble getting him out during c/s. I still am interested in considering it and wonder if I would be a good canidate. I really don't want next child to wear a helmet and that is one of my hesitations. Also I'm afraid of an even bigger baby next time.

What are reasons that VBAC is better than RCS? I've heard there are benefits but am unclear. TIA

MAprincess · June 2011

Hi there! There is at least one person on here who will link all of the articles that show the benefits of VBAC, so I'll leave that to them. I just wanted to add that the size of your hips pre-preg. has nothing to do with whether you can birth a baby. I was 110 and a size 0 prior to both of my births. DS was over 10 lbs but that was not the cause of the c/s (they believed I could have pushed him out) and DD was 8 lbs 5 oz. But regardless of pp size, your body adjusts to birth. It is possible your son was in a bad position prior to birth. I understand your hesitation based on what you went through, but the helmet was likely due to your son being stuck in one postion for a long time while you were pregnant, not just the pushing. So a VBAC or c/s won't change that next time around.

Based on what you wrote, it is possible your OB wouldn't be excited about a VBAC because they'll claim you "grow big babies" (that is what I was told). But it didn't stop me from a VBAC.

novilise · June 2011

I'm a lot like you- great pregnancies, small hips...(which in my case also does seem to equal small pelvis/pubic bone, though that isn't necessarily always the case), baby stuck in pelvis, baby's head needing to be pulled out of pelvis (but he must not have been stuck there too long because it didn't affect the shape.)

I'm almost 37 weeks pregnant and I've never been able to totally commit to either a RCS or a VBAC! They both sound good; they both can have drawbacks. So, I am scheduled for a RCS in my 40th week, but if I go into labor before that, I will probably VBAC. (Also, they said I can cancel my RCS if I truly decide just for VBAC.)

VBAC is great if it can be attained...but you don't know that unless you try! It is better for mom (in regards to mortality, not always in regards to morbitity) and it is better for future pregnancies. And...it can be more dangerous for the present baby (again, in regards to mortality, not always morbitity), but....if you are safe and your doctors, it is still a great choice and can be very safe. Occasionally, people will still slightly induce, but to me..and my doctors....we won't induce at all....that does seem to dramatically decrease the risks. Also, do you have the low horizontal incision on your uterus? Most do now, I believe. If you do, those are even safer. It's just a much better place to have a scar than the old, classical scar...though people have had vaginial births after those, too.

iris427 · June 2011

VBAC carries a lot fewer risks for the mother. A repeat c/s increases the mother's risk of:

-death

-infection

-postpartum hemorrhage

-emergency hysterectomy

-placenta previa in future pregnancies

-placenta accreta in future pregnancies

VBAC carries the risk of uterine rupture, which is serious but rare. The risk of UR in a mother who has one low transverse incision is around 0.7%. This is about the same risk of an emergency occurring during any other labor. Otherwise VBAC carries the same risks as any other vaginal birth.

I was also a size 0 and my first c/s was also because I pushed and baby didn't come out. I had a VBAC and no issues pushing my second out. So you just never know how things are going to go. Average VBAC success rates are around 75%.

Here's a couple good link for you to look at:

https://givingbirthwithconfidence.org/2-2/a-womans-guide-to-vbac/

https://www.childbirthconnection.org/article.asp?ck=10210