VBAC
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"breaking up" with your ob
Hi ladies! I'm so glad this board is here. My ds just turned one and we are thinking about ttc #2 soon. In a nutshell: I was induced last time at 41 wks 2 days, failed to progress past 6, ds's heart rate kept dropping after 18 hours of pitocin. Unlike so many stories I read before, my dr didn't pressure me into a csection. She made it very clear that she would go as long as necessary unless it became an emergency situation. In a way I blame myself for the csection, but at 1 am after it seemed like the thousandth time of stopping the pitocin bc of his heart rate, I was just scared and wanted to make the decision for myself. Anyway! I ran into a doula who told me of a vbac supportive hospital and ob group in my area...both with whom she has seen successful hospital vbacs. So finally getting to my question: for those who have done this before, did you meet with your first ob to talk vbac or did you immediately switch to a more vbac friendly provider? Tta!
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Re: "breaking up" with your ob
Well, I actually started my prenatal care for this one with my former OB, and then she said some things that made it pretty clear that she didn't think my chances were really good, so I decided to go elsewhere. The last app't I had with her, she ended up getting called to a delivery, so I never saw her. Made the break up process pretty easy - I never really had to tell her. I wonder if I'm going to get a call from the practice at some point.
In your case, though, since you're not pg, I'd go ahead and interview with the other practice and see how you feel about them. If it seems like a great fit and you have the idea that you want to switch, I'd just do it right at the beginning. I, personally, though had enough emotional issues with the way my OB handled the rather quick "You need a c/s" in a non-emergent situation to really feel confident going back to her, so perhaps in your case you feel differently.
I'd still go ahead and interview the other place first, though, and maybe find out from your local ICAN chapter if anyone has experience trying to VBAC with your current OB.
I would call and ask if your OB is Vbac friendly first since you are not pregnant yet. It may not be up to him/her either because some hospitals have policies who can and can not have vbacs, so that is another thing i would ask about as well. If hospital and OB are fine with vbac, i honestly would stay if you are comfortable with them
There is no reason why you can go to someone else ask for there opinion either.
I am switching in a couple weeks actually. I called and was told that my midwife could do VBACs again before I got pregnant. Then once I was pregnant we had the real discussion. Since she works with 4 OBs and one other midwife, it is not as straightforward as working with an independent midwife group (like the one I'm going to). Continuous monitoring, heplock, OBs are all over the board on how long they will "let" you go so she said realistically only 41 weeks, no shower/tub access while in labor.
I don't think it's a big deal to switch and my midwife actually understands how I feel and kind of agreed that I might be better off going to the more VBAC-friendly group an hour away. So I'll definitely be going back to her when I'm done being pregnant, but just not for the birth of my child.
Before I was pregnant again, but when we knew we were ready, I talked to my doctor. I had some time to mull over what he said, but when I actually got pregnant I decided it wasn't enough to insure a VBAC. I wrote him a letter saying I valued him and his care and would refer others to him, but had decided to see a midwife for this pregnancy. He actually called me and said he understood I wanted a change and that if something happened where we knew I needed a CS in advance, he would happily take me back into his practice. It was hard and emotional but I love my midwife and know I made the right decision.
I agree with PP about allowing vs supporting VBACs. It's easy to pay lip service to it without being really committed.
I asked my OB (she was new the practice that delivered DD) during my annual exam while we were TTC what is the office's stance on VBAC. She told me they don't do them, and then proceeded to try to scare me out of wanting one when I said that I would be switching practices to the other local practice that I know does them. Nice, huh? If I wasn't in an exam gown, I'd have walked out of that exam room.
I got BFP shorty after that visit, and immediately switched to the other practice. That would not have been my first choice, but merely having the option to attempt a VBAC was important to me.