How do you get over the fear of not progressing in TOL?

jnealet

Here's my back story:  DD was breech pretty much my enitre pregnancy, when I finally convinced my OB that she was breech and she ordered a u/s to confirm there wasn't enough fluid to attempt a version.  My c/s wasn't all that bad, except it was a major surgery, as you all know. 

My OB is totally supportive of a VBAC, in fact she was the one who brought it up and is kind of pushing for it.  My biggest worry is that I'll go into labor and not progress and end up with a c/s anyways.  I asked my OB to look in her crystal ball and tell me what's going to happen and she refused!  Jerk. 

If I look to my close family members to see how their TOLs went - my mom had two breech babies and two c/s.  My sister had a very difficult labor with her first and they were threatening a c/s but she managed to push through.  Her second baby was breech, she had a failed version and ended up with a c/s.

I know that I can recover from a c/s, I know that I'll be ok from labor.  I know its going to be twice the trouble recovering from labor and a c/s and I have a toddler at home to worry about. Any words of wisdom?

lostaspen

I just finished reading Ina May's Guide to Childbirth and was really encouraged!  Women's bodies are amazing things, and accomplish amazing feats in childbirth.  It also really solidified my determination for a VBAC--the risks involved with RCS are scary to me and DH.  Also, last time it took me a full 6+ weeks to recover, and I do not want to go through that again with a toddler and newborn!

Sam78

I disagree that it is so much more difficult to recover after going through labor and then having a c/s.  Either way you are tired and sore and either way you are adjusting to having a new baby to take care of while taking care of yourself.  If that is all you are worried about, you should try the VBAC.  Fwiw, I went into labor twice and ended up with a c/s twice; I don't have anything to compare it to, but I had recovered from the labor part the next day in both cases (I think the part you'd have to recover from when dealing with labor is any damage done as the baby comes out which doesn't obviously occur if you end up with a c/s, but I don't know for sure).

MrsVictoriaB

My first c-section was from breech presentation too so that encouraged me and my doctor to try for a VBAC. I knew that if I tried everything in my power to VBAC and ended up in surgery, I wouldn't have any regrets or what ifs because I'll know I did everything I could have