Why VBAC? No offense... just weighing options

SLHurst11

Genuine curiosity here... No offense to anyone, and I don't mean to rub in my good experience if yours was rough.

Background:  I LOVED my c-section.  I recovered quickly and had very little pain afterward (just some throwing up for about an hour right after due to meds).  Mild pinching and trouble getting around for a couple weeks, but other than that... I don't think birth could've been any better.  It was really nice!

Questions:  Is it odd that I recovered so quickly?  Do most women hate their c-section experience?  Is that why people want VBAC's, do they think it will be easier?

TIA.

MrsVictoriaB

I wanted a VBAC not because of my past c-section experience, but because of the future. Each time you have major surgery, you risk a whole host of issues, but the big thing for me is the risk to each subsequent pregnancy. Every future c-section puts you and your baby's life at a little more risk, so if I could avoid that, I wanted to try.

kelly321

My c/s was also not that bad. The spinal was easy, the anesthesiologist was great and talked me through everything, and I had no nausea at all. The only complication I had was a moderately serious one, I got a muscular thrombosis in my calf about a week after delivery (a few days after I was released), but I don't connect that with a "bad" c/s experience.

Still, I want to VBAC, and here's why:

1) Open abdominal surgery comes with a host of risks that are greater than the risks of VBACing (for the mom).

2) For many women, there is a limit to how many c/s's you can have because your uterine lining is affected. This isn't true for everyone, but your dr may open you up for your 3rd c/s, deliver the baby, and then tell you that's it - the risk of uterine rupture would be too high with any further pregnancies. We would like 3-4 kids, and I don't want to have the number dictated by things like c/s's.

3) You say you had problems moving around for a couple of weeks. I think that's normal after a c/s, and with the first baby I think it's maybe not such a big deal. But I have no idea how in the world I would handle a c/s recovery with a 19 month old running around out of control. I live in a different country, so nowhere close to my parents, and my MIL would drive me up the wall if she tried to help, although we may have to resort to asking her if I end up with a RCS.

In short, my c/s itself was easy, although recovery was not so much fun. I think a VBAC will be much more difficult in terms of labor and delivery, but I'm hoping the recovery would be better and I'm all for decreasing the risk to me.

 

nosoup4u

I had an unplanned c-section, and I was very stressed out by the experience (I had been laboring for awhile, it was 5 am, I was starving and exhausted). My DS was also hospitalized unexpectedly after he was born, and that alone colored my c/s experience - I associated his entire birth with sadness/stress/etc. My physical recovery was normal, but it took awhile for me to deal with what happened afterwards.

Some of my big reasons for planning a VBAC were that I wanted a straightforward, non-dramatic birth and just didn't want surgery again. We're also not necessarily done having kids, and I'm personally not comfortable with the risks of three c-sections.

If you want more than two, I would definitely take risks into consideration. hth!

MAprincess

Your c/s recovery sounds like mine (only I didn't throw up- I would have HATED that).  My VBAC recovery was an hour-tops.  I was up, and ready to go home then.  I was a little sore for a day or so and then fine. 

There are restictions after a c/s including not being able to pick up your older child.  I didn't want that.  Plus, there are many risks to major surgery- especially when it is done repeatedly.  I didn't like those risks.  For me, a VBAC was safer and easier.  So that is what I went with!

cchill01

I agree with everything said above....but I would also add that I want the "normal" birth experience.  I know this offends some.   But to me, a c-section is just not natural, it's a medical procedure that should be avoided when possible.  I've had several medical procedures that weren't so bad, but I'd rather not repeat them.  For instance....loved the catheter....but I don't want to pee into a bag for the rest of my life. 

annabelle.27

I had a great c-section as well. I still vbac'd. For one, statistically it's safer to vbac than have a repeat c-section. For two, I knew that although I was lucky to heal so well from my c-section, I was not guaranteed to be so lucky the next time around. I know plenty of people who have had rough recoveries. Third, I felt that it would make sibling rivalry worse for my older son if I could pick up baby but not pick him up, etc. Fourth, I was not allowed to be with my baby (hospital policy: mom to recovery, baby to nursery) and it broke my heart not to see him during that time. I wasn't about to sign up for that voluntarily by agreeing to an unnecessary c-section. Finally, I just generally felt that natural is (generally) better, and that there are all kind of mechanisms in play during labour and birth that get baby prepared to breathe, etc, and felt that that was important for baby.

I did go back and forth early in my pregnancy, as, like you, I didn't regret my c-section experience and it certainly seemed easier to sign up for one again.

ChristinaDawn

My c-section was completely necessary and went very well.  I was able to get up to use the bathroom by the next morning (4:00pm section) The spinal was not nearly as bad as I had worked it up in my mind to be and they explained everything that was going on as I had told them that helps me. The two OB surgeons thanked me for being so skinny and in shape because it made their job easier and since baby and I both did fine they were ableto take their time closing me up with some special stitching to give me a good shot at a VBAC.  I lost the least amount of blood either ha ever seen lost in a c-section and really it couldnt have gone more perfectly.

For me I just would really like to experience true labor and the great satisfaction ofpushing baby out and being able to hold baby right away and breastfeed right away.  I did not get to do these thing, it was about an hour before I got out of recovery so I missed the whole first hour of my baby's life (DH was awesome and Kangarooed Alex that entire time, keepin the formula wielding nurses away until I got there an could try to breast feed).  

Aside from wanting the experience and more importantly as previous posters have stated, the risks with a VBAC are much lower and I cannot imagine not being abke to play with my son and hold him while I'm recovering again.  If I can avoid it i'd very much like to, this is my last pregnancy so I would really like to be ableto have the natural labor I always thought I'd have.

Jen524

I had a relatively easy C-Section recovery, but I wanted a VBAC because a section is a major surgery. We don't know if we want 3 or 4 kids and I didn't want to put my body through 4 c-sections if I didn't have to.  I also had a 2 year old at home and wanted to be able to function with her and a newborn.  I had a 2nd, almost 3rd degree tear with my VBAC and the recovery has been a million times better than with my "easy" c-section recovery. 

But each person does have to make the choice that is best for them and their family.

lostaspen

I had wanted a natural birth with my first, but was induced, then had a c/s.  It was a text book surgery and recovery, but I hated it.  It took the whole 8 weeks for my body to feel comfortable and capable again.  I never wanted to go through any part of it again unless it was for an actual emergency.

I recently had a VBAC at home and it was 100 times better than my hospital and surgery experience.

I went that route for many reasons, but the biggest are that I had NO health reason to have a c/s (I don't count having a previous c/s as a reason to have a second).  Also, the risk of maternal death, long term damage from surgery, and recovery length are smaller with a VBAC. 

Harper'smom

I had a long awful recovery. The maternal death risk is higher in a RCS than a VBAC and I have a daughter so I'm not comfortable with the riskier option even if the increased risk is very small.

hopecounts

1) A RCS is 3 times more likely to result in maternal death or serious complication. DH and DD need me so I want the safest option for me.

2) I'm a SAHM I have to be able to take care of DD, who is a Mama's girl. I can't wait 2-6 weeks to pick her up, she'd go crazy. And there is no way I could chase after her at 4 weeks post CS once all our help has left/gone back to work  

3) going into labor naturally promotes BFing and is healthier for baby than delivering early at 39 weeks, not all babies are ready at that point better to let them pick their Bday when they are ready. 

zubenescamali

well my c/s was awful, but that is not the only reason i chose to vbac.  i had infections, blood loss, and mild ppd. i felt robbed of the birth experience.  even so, i know that a scheduled c/s usually is an easier recovery than an emergency c/s.  despite this, and figuring in both the medical risks and the psychological, a vbac was the best option for me.  the recovery did not even compare.  and having to take care of a toddler too, even with a picture perfect c/s would have been too difficult for me. good luck in your decision!

Luvmy2sons

In addition to what all of the other ladies have said, I vbac'ed with my DS2 because I wanted to know I could do it. A c/s is "easy" in my eyes, you don't have to work to do anything. I wanted to know that I could birth my own child. It was something I dreamed about doing, and when I finally did it I felt like a more accomplished person. Judge me if you want, but that's how I felt. There's something about laboring for hours, working through the contractions, working with your DH or doula, then working to push your own child out that is just... amazing and I had never felt like such a strong woman. Especially when people come up to you and commend you on doing a vbac.

Amy&Anthony

Wow, I didn't know a CS could go so well. Mine suked major A$$. It was a crash C after 23 hours of labor.  I was in the hospital for 6 days, in bed for three, the pain was manageable when I was in the hospital, but pretty tough when the drugs wore off. I still felt crappy when I went back to work. I am trying for a VBAC, my dr is giving me up to 14 days after my due date to get my body to go into labor (never happended last time)

Aside from the health risks of RCS I just can't see managing a 4 year old and a new born while my body tries to glue itself back together.

HSartteach

Luvmy2sons:

In addition to what all of the other ladies have said, I vbac'ed with my DS2 because I wanted to know I could do it. A c/s is "easy" in my eyes, you don't have to work to do anything. I wanted to know that I could birth my own child. It was something I dreamed about doing, and when I finally did it I felt like a more accomplished person. Judge me if you want, but that's how I felt. There's something about laboring for hours, working through the contractions, working with your DH or doula, then working to push your own child out that is just... amazing and I had never felt like such a strong woman. Especially when people come up to you and commend you on doing a vbac.

This was my reasoning as well.  And, hands down, my vbac experience was sooooo much better than my c/s.  I was home sooner.  I felt better sooner.  bf-ing actually happened this time.