anyone's VBAC recovery worse than c-section?

mobiz

my doctor said we will make the call late in my pregnancy if i'm a VBAC candidate.  DS was on the 'bigger' side, but never descended and i stalled at 7cm for hours and hours resulting in a c-section.  if this baby looks like it's dropping, maybe not as big, etc. then i'll look like more of a candidate.

my biggest fear is laboring, pushing, then having a c-section anyway.  i feel like i'd recover better just walking in and having a c-section if i wind up with one regardless.

but i'm also scared if i have a successful VBAC that it could wind up with forceps/vacum/horrible tearing and in the end i'll regret not just opting for the RCS.

there's no way to predict obviously.....but is there anyone that had a VBAC that wishes they didn't? just curious

hopecounts

What do you mean by "make the call if I'm a VBAC candidate" the only things that would disqualify you would be a non-lower transverse scar or a medical issue (placenta previa for example). Outside of that it's your choice whether to try for a VBAC or not.

Also keep in mind that you can decide at any point in labor to have a c/s, if you get to a point and then stall then all you have to do is tell your doctor you want to have a RCS. Believe me he won't argue with you. But the opposite isn't true of a RCS, once you make that decision it's hard to go back. 

So you can take it bit by bit. How would you feel if the Dr. scares you into a RCS because the baby is "big" but then turns out not to be? Don't let fear keep you from trying for a VBAC if you really want one.

Keep in mind that u/s weights are guesses that can be 1-2 lbs off, most babies don't drop until labor in 2nd time moms, and position has way more to do with a baby fitting than weight.

For example I 'know' a mom on another VBAC board that vbac'd a 10 lb 3 oz baby but had been labeled CPD/FTP with her first who was 8 lb 2 oz but turned slightly off from AO position.

My first recommendation would be if you truly want to VBAC find a new more supportive Dr. or at least get a 2nd opinion with a more supportive Dr. so you have a better picture of what you're looking at.

Oh, and I've rarely heard of anyone regreting a VBAC attempt/success, most that I've talked to are glad they tried whether they were successful or not. And all have said that their VBAC recovery was far better than a c/s even if they tore.

mobiz

hopecounts:

What do you mean by "make the call if I'm a VBAC candidate" the only things that would disqualify you would be a non-lower transverse scar or a medical issue (placenta previa for example). Outside of that it's your choice whether to try for a VBAC or not.

Also keep in mind that you can decide at any point in labor to have a c/s, if you get to a point and then stall then all you have to do is tell your doctor you want to have a RCS. Believe me he won't argue with you. But the opposite isn't true of a RCS, once you make that decision it's hard to go back. 

So you can take it bit by bit. How would you feel if the Dr. scares you into a RCS because the baby is "big" but then turns out not to be? Don't let fear keep you from trying for a VBAC if you really want one.

Keep in mind that u/s weights are guesses that can be 1-2 lbs off, most babies don't drop until labor in 2nd time moms, and position has way more to do with a baby fitting than weight.

For example I 'know' a mom on another VBAC board that vbac'd a 10 lb 3 oz baby but had been labeled CPD/FTP with her first who was 8 lb 2 oz but turned slightly off from AO position.

My first recommendation would be if you truly want to VBAC find a new more supportive Dr. or at least get a 2nd opinion with a more supportive Dr. so you have a better picture of what you're looking at.

Oh, and I've rarely heard of anyone regreting a VBAC attempt/success, most that I've talked to are glad they tried whether they were successful or not. And all have said that their VBAC recovery was far better than a c/s even if they tore.

i guess i didn't mean officially a 'candidate'...but he was saying if it looks any more promising than last time. since DS never dropped, was OP, etc. but i totally hear what you're saying.  thanks for the input

hopecounts

Thanks for taking it the way I intended :-) it's a lot longer and preachier than I meant for it to be.

cchill01

Maybe Jan312 would have some insight.  She had a 4th degree tear - posted about it last week.  She didn't say, but I was wondering if she might have regretted her VBAC. 

KSimone619

I had a third degree tear with my VBAC and I would still say vaginal was easier.  I had a harder time sitting and walking in the first week but after abou 10 days I was driving, cooking, light cleaning, up and down stairs, lifting my 2 1/2 year old, etc.  by 3 weeks I was takin strenuous walks (hills, pushing 2 kids in a double stroller) of 2-3 miles.  I did have to take things slow at first but my recovery this time has been much faster and less painful.

 I do understand your concerns about laboring and ending in a CS.  I actually had consented to a RCS and went into labor 4 days before the scheduled date, and I am SO glad I gave VBAC a try... I think even if I had required a RCS I wouldn't have been disappointed b/c I didn't get my hopes up.  I had wanted to VBAC all along but my doctor did push for a RCS and I was scared of the "failure" aspect.  If you have a good support system and realistic expectations, I don't think the "failure" should scare you.  Best wishes in this decision...

iris427

I had a very easy c/s recovery, so I would say my VBAC recovery was about equal.  They were definitely different so it is hard to compare in some ways.  I had a minor tear, no stitches, but I felt pretty sore and swollen for a couple weeks.  

I worried about having a terrible recovery and regretting the VBAC.  But I knew that if I didn't try, it was 100% guaranteed I would regret not trying.  So I opted for the possibility of a difficult vaginal birth vs. the certainty of always regretting not trying a VBAC.  Hope that I am making sense here.

MrsVictoriaB

I had a 1-2 degree tear and hemorrhoids from hell from pushing (sorry if TMI!) so recovering from that and the swelling took a good week before I was 100%. I thought with a vaginal birth I'd be up and about walking like normal and everything right away so I was a bit naive. So in that aspect a VBAC recovery for me was harder than I expected. BUT it was still 1000% better than my c-section recovery! I didn't have to worry about tearing my scar and all my insides coming out everytime I twisted at a weird angle, I could eat right away after delivering which helped my morale and energy a lot, and while I walked slowly, I could walk right away and I enjoyed that freedom. I have no regrets at all

annabelle.27

iris427:

I had a very easy c/s recovery, so I would say my VBAC recovery was about equal.  They were definitely different so it is hard to compare in some ways.  I had a minor tear, no stitches, but I felt pretty sore and swollen for a couple weeks.  

I agree with this. It's hard to compare, really. I had an easy c-section recovery (was out driving, shopping, lunch with friends, etc on day 5) and I had an "easy" vbac (no tearing, no injury). But I was actually really sore after my vbac- and, six weeks later, I'm actually still a little tender. I was swollen like crazy and I couldn't walk around much without feeling like I was straining my perineal area for weeks. But, I could lift my almost-four-year-old son, get myself in and out of bed without help, be useful around the house, and generally felt less confined after my vbac. But really, it's hard to compare. I've come to the conclusion that there is no good way to get the baby out and you just gotta suck it up and do it...

penguinem

I had a third degree tear and I was miserable. I couldnt sit down for weeks except on the boppy and ice packs, I slept changing the ice pack every few hours, I felt mutilated and sore, and I lost a ton of blood which caused passing out at the hospital and required me to take iron supplements that led to, even with taking a lot of meds to prevent, extreme constipation and pain trying to remedy it, what with the rectal tear. If you asked me week 1, 2, 3.... I wouldn't have been able to say recovery was better, but I was happy I could pick up DD, she could climb ib my lap,I could lay down and get in and out of bed comfortably. About week 4, things really improved, and at eight weeks now, I feel great. At eight weeks after DD I was barely feeling fine but work was a struggle. SO, even with the pain and tear I preferred the VBaC recovery in the end. Then of course, recovery aside, having the Vaginal birth experience was so important to me I really didn't care about recovery. My VBAC was luckily perfect in every way and gave me the experience I felt robbed of. I would not trade it for anything. Hth!

Leap08

I agree that the recovery is completely different. I had an easy c-section recovery. I was out and about within days and, while I was sore, I never thought it was awful. I had a vacuum assist with my VBAC and had 3rd degree tears. I was swollen and sore for weeks, but I could lift and carry my toddler and I could laugh and cough without pain. I don't for one minute regret my VBAC.

Jena503

I do not think your OB truly supports vbac. I really don't.

2nd babies often do not drop until you are in labor, that in itself is an unrealistic "goal" that you have to meet to get to attempt vbac.

I stalled out at 7cm too... OB said nothing was going to change, it'd been so long... have to do a c/s. I'd been in labor for 19 hours when I had my c/s and baby was never distressed.  For my vbac, I stalled out again for hours and hours. New OB said lets wait and see. He wa smuch more patient than even I was... and I had my vbac after 29 hours of labor.

I had a 2nd degree tear and no regrets.

nosoup4u

Jena503:

I do not think your OB truly supports vbac. I really don't.

2nd babies often do not drop until you are in labor, that in itself is an unrealistic "goal" that you have to meet to get to attempt vbac.

I stalled out at 7cm too... OB said nothing was going to change, it'd been so long... have to do a c/s. I'd been in labor for 19 hours when I had my c/s and baby was never distressed.  For my vbac, I stalled out again for hours and hours. New OB said lets wait and see. He wa smuch more patient than even I was... and I had my vbac after 29 hours of labor.

I had a 2nd degree tear and no regrets.

I have to agree with this. I live in Chicago and had a great VBAC experience with the midwives at UIC - it has the best VBAC success rate in the city. There's other places that are truly pro-VBAC, too. PM me if you want more info.

My VBAC recovery was a lot faster than my c/s, even though I was beat up afterwards, and had a second degree tear. 

MAprincess

I had a great VBAC recovery and I tore.

A friend of mine had a terrible first vaginal delivery and opted for a c/s as a result for the second.  I have never personally heard of a person regretting a VBAC.

catrinawaves

I had a 3rd degree tear, but I don't regret my VBAC one bit. The recovery was a ton easier for me than my C/S, which was important since this time around I also had a toddler to chase after.

They did have to use the vacuum for my VBAC, since DD's cord was wrapped around her shoulder, and it was presented to me as "Cesarean or vacuum".  Once I heard the word "cesarean", I pushed with all my might, and got her out in under 30 minutes. My doula thought the only reason I tore so much was because the pushing stage was a bit rushed due to DD's heart rate dropping.

byrne15

Granted I had a episiotomy and not a tear (for ds #1, which ended in emergency c-section)....my episiotomy healed way faster and felt better sooner than my c-section incision.

I personally rather tear than have another c-section.