VBAC regrets?

bluejayway

Just curious of anyone's VBAC delivery/recovery was worse than your c-section one? So much so that you actually regret having a VBAC?

I have read some birth stories as of late that involved a lot of tearing...like "sex didn't feel good for a year afterwards..." "I couldn't sit for weeks..." etc. I know that's not normal, but my c-section recovery was not bad at all....I was up slowly walking around 12 hours later and feeling pretty normal later that week, but I'm going for a VBAC this time.

With DD I was induced with Propess at 42+1, which was fairly gentle (as compared to pitocin). I labored all night, and contractions continued once the prostaglandin was out. However, DD's heart rate was plummeting and there was blood and meconium and all kinds of not-good things, so I had an emergency c/s. This time, I know they won't induce with pitocin or hormones, so I'm just going to wait and see how it plays out. 

MAprincess

I tore during my VBAC and my recovery was still lightyears better than my c/s recovery.  I was up and walking 12 hours after the c/s but it took the full6-8 weeks before I started to feel like myself again.  With my VBAC, I was up and changing into my comfy clothes and ready to go home within the hour.  By the end of the week I felt great.

FWIW, I know people who lost nerve feeling during sex because of c/s too.  While this is rare, it does happen.  I have now had a c/s and a vaginal birth and everything is just fine "down there" :-)

Someone posted a few posts down asking a similar question and there are lots of responses there.

mama31

7 weeks ago I would have said I regretted it.  I had a 2nd degree tear and the pain was awful.  I finally started feeling better at 3 weeks.  I also had a great recovery with the CS.  Now that I am 7 weeks pp I am glad I did the VBAC.  Also we have only tried sex once (at 6 weeks pp) and it hurt due to the tear even though my OB said the tear has healed.

Klmorgan83

My VBAC recovery was significally worse and more traumatic, but it's not because of something directly related to the VBAC itself. 

When I showed up at the hospital 6-7 cm and contracting every 2 minutes, it's safe to say I was in pain!  In order to give me pain relief as quickly as possible anesthesia did a combined spinal/epidural (without my knowledge)  The spinal accesses your spinal fluid, making it possible to get a spinal headache.  Since I didn't know it was done, and apparently none of the nurses paid attention either, I sat up immediately after delivery causing my spinal fluid to leak and giving me the spinal headache.

I was unable to care for my son at all, doing anything but laying down caused an extreme headache.  I had one procedure done that fixed it and was sent home.  The headache came back, so I was readmitted after a second procedure and spent 24 hours on complete bedrest away from my newborn, and only after a third procedure did they finally fix it.  After the headache was gone I was sore and unable to move or lift either of my children for more than a week, because on top of all of that my orignial epidural moved during labor and they had to reposition it...it took them 5 tries...so I had a total of 9 needles in my back over 2-3 days.  Not fun!

But even after all that was over, my VBAC was still easier.  What happened to me is always a possibility if you have a c/s since they do spinals for those.

nosoup4u

I had a second degree tear with my VBAC, and was pretty beat up afterwards, but I was still able to get around within a day or two of birth.

I felt significantly better by three weeks postpartum, whereas my c-section recovery took longer than that. My VBAC baby was huge, which I think contributed to my recovery taking a bit more time.

BlinkingLight1

No regrets from me. I had a 2nd degree tear. Sex didn't hurt the first time and I was a little sore (overall), but nothing Ibuprofen couldn't fix. It was so, SO much less painful than recovering from the c/s.

hailcamp

Zero regrets.  I had a 2nd degree tear and was super sore for awhile, but it gradually got better and better as the swelling went down.  Ibuprofen helped a lot.  Most importantly, I was able to pick up my 2 year old right away.  My daughter would've had a very hard with sharing Mommy if I couldn't at least still pick her up sometimes! 

Brownie_222

I don't have any regrets.  Recovery hasn't been a breeze, but it has been better than my c/s.  Also, my emotional high from having an empowered birth has me feeling so much happier this time (I say empowered because even if I would have had another c/s I feel it would have put me and baby in the center, rather than the periphery and that would have been respectful).  

Recovery is a real component to consider when looking at VBAC vs RCS. However, there are other benefits (health benefits for mom and baby of a physiological birth, to name one). 

Would your provider induce you with foley bulb if need be?  I was induced with #1 at 41 weeks and had my c/s for failure to progress.  #2 I was given until 42 weeks and went into labor at 41 weeks, 1 day - had DD the next morning.  Remember that every pregnancy and labor is different.  Some moms/babies do just have longer gestations, so if you decide on VBAC, how long will they "let" you go? 

Brownie_222

Also, another way to think of it is by considering the knowns and unknowns.

A known of a RCS is a recovery from major surgery.  It may be the same or easier than the first time, or you could have complications.  With a VBAC, you may tear. You may not.  I think with RCS you know your body will experience a certain degree of trauma/pain, whereas with a VBAC it is harder to predict.  

I had a second degree tear and would do a VBAC again if I ever have another baby. 

GL! 

LindseyJW

i had a pretty easy physical recovery from my c/s. i did have scar issues for a while (itchy, burning tissues), but it was the emotional recovery that really threw me for a loop. that took several years. 

my physical recovery from my vbac took longer than i thought, b/c i tore and it didn't heal quickly. sex was a bit uncomfortable for a while, we just took it really slow and i wasn't afraid to ask him to stop if it became painful. 

for me and my family, vbac was the only option. i can't speak about what it is/should be for others, but it is the best and safest option for me. i have no regrets at all.  

bluejayway

Brownie_222:

Also, another way to think of it is by considering the knowns and unknowns.

A known of a RCS is a recovery from major surgery.  It may be the same or easier than the first time, or you could have complications.  With a VBAC, you may tear. You may not.  I think with RCS you know your body will experience a certain degree of trauma/pain, whereas with a VBAC it is harder to predict.  

I had a second degree tear and would do a VBAC again if I ever have another baby. 

GL! 

 

That's a good point. And I checked out the lower post. Thanks for your input all.