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VBAC
VBAC success
Just wanted to share my story briefly. First baby born via C-section a year and a halg ago due to failure of descent. I pushed for 3 hours and then had a c-section - recovery was not pretty. I was in pain for 4 weeks and took forever to feel normal again.
Many of the OBs I talked to were quite negative about VBAC, not outright forbidding it, but just saying they wouldn't encourage it with my history, asking me at every visit if I wanted to schedule a c-section. I did eventually schedule a c-section for 3 days after my due date but thankfully went into labor before that.
One OB I saw about a week before I was due (regular OD on vacay) was actually quite encouraging and said she saw no reason not to try, felt more encourage after that.
Anyhow - I started having twinges of contractions 2 days before my due date. At first I though maybe it was just pressure in my bladder. (first baby I never went into labor as my water broke first and then I was induced so wasn't sure how contractions felt). Over the evening, they got stronger and I knew this was it! I was able to relax, take a shower, watch some light TV, as they got stronger though I did get nervous since it was a VBAC and I really didn't want to take any stupid risks. Fortunately we live 10 minutes from the hospital so I felt OK staying at home. I called the OB, who said I should stay at home until the contractions were a lot more painful and closer.
I think staying at home really was key to having the VBAC - I know if I rushed to the hospital I would have been induced sooner and have a lot more problems. Stayed at home over night, didn't sleep, but it was so nice to be able to move around my own house, make tea, lie on the couch. I knew as soon as I got to the hospital they would hook me up to monitors (vbac protocol) which make laboring so uncomfortable. We went to the hospital the next morning, and as the pain was really getting bad, I went for the epidural sooner. I'm bad at handling pain and having the epidural helped me relax and I think progress faster. As I mentioned before, having all the monitors and IV also make natural labor too hard. (for me) Ended up having my water broken, getting Pitocin - but all good in the end because after 20 minutes she popped right out!!! Had one stitch for a grade 1 laceration that happened naturally.
A week later - I feel great, almost back to normal other than a little perineal discomfort and a small hemmorhoid. So happy!!
My recs: the longer you can stay at home and avoid intervention the better, definitely hard with all the risks of VBAC in the back of your mind but it worked for me.
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Re: VBAC success
Thank you for sharing! I'm hoping that my VBAC goes as well as yours. Congratulations!!!