Pain-med free vbac?

RayRay007

I wanted a med/intervention free birth with DD and ended up with a c/s. I didn't have any fears about the pain. Would like a med-free vbac next time, but I'm scared that contractions will be especially painful because of my 'damaged' ute and scar tissue, adhesions etc that may be there. Who here's had a pain-med free vbac?

MAprincess

I didn't go totally med free (I tried to get an epi but it failed, for the most part).  My contractions hurt more for my VBAC because I was induced with pit and pit contractions are terrible.  I haven't heard from anyone that their contractions hurt more because of the scar.  In fact, if the scar really hurts during labor, that is a bad thing.

There are many here that had med-free VBACs, so it is possible!

nosoup4u

I attempted med-free with DS1, and had a med-free VBAC with DS2. If anything, it was easier the second time around because I remembered what it was going to be like, and it was easier to deal with contractions as they came (though transition was ugly - I was convinced I wasn't really prepared for med-free for a good hour or so before I started pushing!). 

My sister also had a VBAC, and she did have some weird "echo/extra" contractions when she was close to pushing, but it's not clear if that was related to her c/s scar.

Are you pregnant? If so, congrats!

 

RayRay007

Not pg, but just trying to get my ducks in a row.

My c/s was emergency and I didn't experience labour before (although, on the NST they said I had contractions, and I was like, if those are contractions I've been having them for 5 days.... but that's here nor there). So I don't really know what contractions/labour feels like.

annabelle.27

I did, in a homebirth at that. I dont think the scar made any difference.

tlew12778

I did but not by choice. I had a precipitous labour so there was no time for an epi.

With DD my contractions were bearable bc I had a break between them. With DS they were one on top of the other and it was a nightmare. The MW hospital birth said its common with vbacs. No idea of that's true or not but my contractions were really strong right from the getgo I dilated from 110 in 90 minutes.

I'd just keep an open mind about it. While I'd take a VBAC over a RCS any day, there are a lot more details that come into play including faster labor for multipara which has nothing to do with VBAC obviously. I don't think my scar had anything to do with my labor... At most it may have influenced my anterior placenta. DS presented LOA regardless.

Ceefome

I had an unintentionally med-free VBAC.  I went into it with the midset to hold off as long as possible on the epi to keep myself up and out of bed.  I went from 6cm-10cm in less than 2 hours, and was in transition before I asked for the epi.  With DD#1, I had pit induced contractions which just piggy backed and I got very little relief/rest before I got the epi.  I do not think my med-free labor was worse than my pit w/o epi labor, even with my ute scar. 

iris427

I had a med-free VBAC. I did not have any issues with scar or adhesion pain.  In fact my labor was less painful than my first one, when I had Pitocin and an OP baby.  It was still intense, but never more than I could handle.  Laboring in the shower/tub with hot water helped make the pain more manageable, and overall I really liked laboring without meds because I felt more in control.  If I have a third, I will try to deliver without meds again.

Squirrel29

My VBAC was med free and of my three labors / births (successful induction with narcotics, cs for fetal distress and med-free VBAC) it was the most manageable.  I think the reason that this one was easier for me was because I had done a ton of research and knew a lot more about the process of birth.  I was very set on going natural so I had more copeing mechanisms in place.  I had done regular chiropractic visits so LO was well positioned.  And probably the most beneficial of all, I labored / birthed in the water.  I was actually amazed by the fact that I had no pain at all between contractions because both of my first two babies were sunny side up and I had back pain throughout both of those labors.  You can do this!!!