Questions/thoughts...

blondie42107

I am planning for a VBAC and my OB is on board.  She did not do my previous labor/attempted vaginal deliver/csection.  

The report from the previous OB that did my emergency csection (I had midwives for prenatal care, induction, attempted vaginal delivery) stated: Induction at 39 weeks 6 days d/t borderline pre-e, dilated to 10cm, pushed for two hours and that baby never descended into the birth canal.  Also once LO arrived it was obvious that he was not positioned well as he had a small cone on his head but off to the side, not centered where it should be.  LO was 8lbs 9oz and 19.5inches.

The OB that did the csection made the comment that if LO would have been a little smaller, I likely would not have had any problems with a vaginal delivery.

My OB wants to do an ultrasound to check fluid levels and look at baby's size around 38.5 weeks, if I haven't already gone into labor.  My DH and I are not against the ultrasound but also have heard how weights can still be off.  I don't want to decline the ultrasound but I'm not really sure at what point we should really consider the size to be a problem.

Thoughts?  I really want to attempt a VBAC.

 

hopecounts

ACOG says suspected big baby isn't a reason to not VBAC, if that helps.

I would probably not do the size u/s to avoid an issue with the OB.

It sounds like your issue was baby being poorly positioned not size so O would focus more on doing spinningbabies.com exercises to get baby into a good position. 

RumbleLina

I would decline to check the size of the baby to avoid any potential disagreements with OB. Or make sure that no matter what they weight comes out to be that you will be VBACing. Obviously, as you know, measurements can be way off and your OB knows that as well. A potential big baby is not a valid reason to have a RCS.

nosoup4u

Personally, I would skip it. My first labor was similar to yours, though I wasn't induced. I dilated fine, and then pushed for 4+ hours without DS1 getting past about +2 or so (he was OP, so also not a good position). He was just over 8 lbs. DS2 was 10.5 lbs, and two inches longer than his brother, and was a successful VBAC with no complications.

I turned down the u/s portion of the NST the day before I went into labor - I ended up signing an AMA form for it, and I had to defend my reasoning with the MW on call, but it wasn't too bad, they were very polite about the whole thing.

I think positioning has a lot to do with how easily babies come out, more so than size, especially considering an u/s is such an imperfect tool. hth and good luck!

 

Cooper81

My MW has suggested a chiropractor to make sure everything is lined up right so baby can get in a good position.  Might be worth a try.

Ceefome

Your C/S story sounds almost exactly like mine, except my water broke and I need pit to get contractions going and I pushed for 3.5 hours.  I also had a "bigger" baby that was not positioned right.  I had a successful VBAC 2 years later, with a baby that was only slightly smaller, but obviously better positioned.  (7lb12oz vs the 8lb6oz of my first, and my first was pumped full of IV fluids thanks to the pit). 

I switched practices for my second birth to a provider that would do VBACs.   I declined the 38week u/s for growth.  I talked to one of the doctors in the practice and she said that if I didn't want it, I didn't have to have it.  I declined for 2 reasons - I could tell that the baby was smaller, and even if the baby was the same size or large, I didnt' want to put doubt in anyone's mind, including my own, about my ability to deliver that baby vaginally.  As for my feelings about size, the OB that I talked to about declining the u/s told me that mother's perception is more accurate than the u/s or any manipulations the doctors do.  

My short answer, I don't think  you should really consider the size a problem.  8lb9oz is NOT a big baby.