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C-sections
I don't want to do this again....
Hi ladies,
I know I am on the c section message board. I had a c section with my DS, never went into labor. Dr said he was going to be a big baby. 10lbs 4 oz.
I talked to my dr about a VBAC with this baby and he pretty much scared the poo out of me. He used the word Catostrophic if I had a uterin rupture, no induction. etc.
I am scared to death to have another c section. I hear i have 3 times more of a chance of dying, blood clots, etc. Recovery was awful for me.
DH thinks I should just go the C section route.
Im freaking out about this whole ordeal. I dread being in that operating room again.
Any advice or thoughts??????
This discussion has been closed.
Re: I don't want to do this again....
Statistics are a misleading thing. Maybe you're 3xs more likely to die/have blood clots from another c-section. The reality is that statistically, it's extremely rare to die during childbirth--only 16 people out of 100,000 will die. That's far less than 1%.
I wouldn't make a decision out of fear. There are benefits to vbac and benefits to a RCS.
I am right there with you. I never expected to have a c-section. Was induced, got to 10cm, pushed for over 2 hours. Cord was wrapped around twice and she was on her side, brutal. Although everybody (everyone who hasn't had a csection) says 'oh don't worry, look on the bright side.. look at your beautiful baby" my response is always, OBVIOUSLY... but I had a different vision of how everything would happen. In fact I didn't even read about c-sections while pregnant because I just never thought that was going to be me.
I too had a not so fun recovery... leaking incision for almost a month, post partum pre eclampsia with so much swelling and high blood pressure. I wanted to do a vaginal birth and sometimes I do feel like the whole "birth experience" was robbed a bit for me. Anyway, I asked my doctor about VBAC and he too scared me with things like your incision may rupture, endangering your baby...blah blah blah... and now I feel like I will always be a c-section mama. Which is fine I guess... but some days I think about it and get a little upset.
I would say do whatever you're comfortable with...worst case you end up having a Csection again. I know many people who have done VBAC's with no problem- I haven't met one personally.. but I know they're out there.
It sounds like you were given a c-section because of baby's expected size? A doctor who does that is not likely going to be supportive of VBAC. If you want to try for a VBAC, you need another Dr.
My first was also 10lb 4oz, my second was 10lb 15oz. Both were c-sections but with the first I did labor for 27 hours. The kid was just not coming out. I was glad I made the decision to do a repeat section because DS2's head was/is HUGE (off the charts) and it probably would not have worked for me.
But then, my cousin delivered an 11lb 3oz baby with three pushes, so you really never know!
I just wanted to say your current doctor is not likely going to give you an unbiased opinion.
1%. That's the chance of a uterine rupture. 1%. And a rupture does not = death.
You should have asked him what the risks of having a RCS are. They are worse than a VBAC. That normally shuts up the docs.
Do some research (ACOG is a great place to start) get yourself loaded up with info and do back guns blazing.
If you think a VBAC is still in the cards for you (which it is, the size of a baby is a terrible reason to force a mom into a c/s or a RCS)... then getting a second opinion or getting a new doctor might be a good idea!
Good luck.
A uterine rupture happens in less than 1% of all VBAC attempts. Only 5-10% of those uterine ruptures are catastrophic. If it's important to you, switch doctors. Ask for recommendations from friends, find someone who is willing to work with you or at least review your records to see if you're a good candidate for a VBAC.
There are also risks to c/s - both the first time & each subsequent time. Those risks may increase with each c/s, I don't know - I don't bother to read statistics, because they're basically meaningless, especially without knowing quite a bit about the study that the statistics came from.
Ultimately, there are risks/disadvantages & advantages to whatever you choose. And you don't have to make a decision right now.
FWIW, I had a scheduled c/s with DS for medical reasons, had an incredibly easy recovery, and elected another scheduled c/s for this one.
I would not make a decision this early in your pregnancy. Can't you just see how this baby grows? If baby is smaller, maybe you could try for a VBAC?
If not, you will be ok. Risks are reduced when you are educated, which it sounds like you are (walking early reduces risk of DVT, things like that).
DS born via unplanned C-section at 40w6d
Your doctor is trying to scare you out of a VBAC. He is overstating the risk of VBAC - RCS and VBAC are both reasonable options. With every CS, your risk of complications goes up, and your risk with subsequent pregnancies after multiple CS go up, too. So if you want to have more than two kids, doing VBAC is safer overall.
If you are serious about planning one, find a new doctor.
Good luck!
DS2 - Oct 2010 (my VBAC baby!)
This! I asked my dr because I legitimately wanted to know so that I could feel like I was making the best most informed decision. She stopped talking and essentially ended the appointment.
The next dr I spoke to was beyond supportive of a VBAC even telling me that as a 2nd time mom I had a better chance of a successful VBAC than FTM.
I chose to schedule a RCS for many reasons, but one of the big ones is that I don't want to go through 18+hours of labor again to end up in a c/s again. That is important to me - you need to decide what is important to you and make your decision from that starting point.