VBAC after Pre-e
Has anyone had a successful VBAC after Pre-e? I'm not pregnant and won't be for quite awhile, but still find myself thinking a lot about this.
DS was born at 35 weeks after bp went out of control. They tried to induce but my body and my baby weren't ready. Combining the magnesium and pitocin was a joke. They just worked against each other. After 30 hours, only one contraction, and stroke level blood pressure, I had a c-section.
I had a terrible bout of PPD after my birth experience. I felt like my body failed me. I couldn't stay pregnant. I couldn't labor the right way. I never felt contractions. I don't remember much of the delivery with all the medication. My baby was wisked away immediately. I just felt like I had failed completely. For months all I could think about was how next time it would be different. Like somehow that would undo what had happened. And of course no one seems to get it. "Lucky me! Next time I get to schedule my delivery- how convenient!" "Why would you want to feel contractions? That's just crazy!"
I guess a year out these feelings have faded a bit, but they are still with me. I just feel doomed to have pre-e again and need an early induction. I guess I'm just hoping for some inspiration. Maybe I can have some better luck the second time around!
Owen Matthew 11/1/2009 4lbs 10oz 16.5in
Born 5 weeks early by C/S | Severe Pre-Eclampsia
BFP #2 5/1/2011 | M/C @ 7 weeks | D&C 5/25/2011
TTC #2 | HSG Clear | SA 2% Morph otherwise great
3 failed Femara/TI cycles moving on to IUI
Re: VBAC after Pre-e
I am a long-time lurker, but I understand exactly how you feel. I was induced at 36.5 weeks due to Pre-E. My induction took 3 days before I started progressing. I pushed for 3 hours and my daughther never descended. I had a c-section. I was in the hospital for a total of 10 days, on mag sulfate for most of the time. I was ordered bedrest for a month after delivery due to high blood pressure. I was on huge doses of BP meds, which made me feel terrible. I was too sick to breast feed and in general, felt like my motherhood-journey was off to a terrible start. I too, ended up with PPD (although I didn't recognize it at the time).
Fast forward to now, I am 10 weeks pregnant with #2. My daughter is 3 years old and I am hopeful for a VBAC. I found a wonderful group of hospital-midwives who are very suportive of VBAC and not terribly concerned about Pre-E again. I am found the Brewer's Diet and this seems to be a way for me to (hopefully) avoid Pre-E this time.
I am hopeful things will be different this time. But even if they aren't, I will know what to expect- instead of being blindsided. Good luck to you. It's certainly a leap of faith.
Rach03k had a VBAC after having HELLP with her first baby. Maybe she will see this post and weigh in.
Have you looked into the Brewer diet? I have a good friend who had to be hospitalized and then induced pre-term for Pre-e with her first baby. She followed the Brewer diet with her second baby and had no signs of pre-e and delivered a healthy baby at term.
Good luck to you!
I just want to reach out and hug you.
Yes, I had HELLP syndrome with my first pregnancy, and delivered at 35w by c/s. I had so many of the same feelings as you, right down to hoping that getting everything "right" the 2nd time would erase all of the painful memories of the first time, wanting to feel a contraction, but at the same time feeling like I was just bound to have it all happen again.
I ended up having a perfectly healthy pregnancy the 2nd time around. Charlie was born at 39w 4d, and while my blood pressure had started to rise, I never developed pre-e or HELLP again.
For me, the 2nd birth did kind of make me feel like I wasn't so hurt by the 1st. However, I hesitate to attribute that completely to having a successful VBAC. I think that a lot of it was the fact that this time I was more prepared for any eventuality, and I had a really supportive team around me. I think that I would have been at peace with a repeat c/s if it had become necessary.
I think you should go for it, and just go into it knowing that while anything can happen, this time will be different because you will be prepared. You have every chance of a completely healthy pregnancy though. I wish you the best
I was going to recommend the Brewer diet also. It is supposed to really help with pre-e.
I also want to say that I think your feelings are totally normal!
Thanks for all of the encouraging words! Honestly, no one really seems to get it like you guys do. It is so nice to feel understood. I just feel like there is so much I missed. I just really want to have hope it can be different next time. It is nice to know that I'm not doomed! That it is possible!
I will definitely look in to the Brewers diet. I had never heard of it before. It looks like it could help and if nothing else at least I would feel like I was doing something to get a different outcome.
This seems like a really great board. Good luck to all of you!
Owen Matthew 11/1/2009 4lbs 10oz 16.5in
Born 5 weeks early by C/S | Severe Pre-Eclampsia
BFP #2 5/1/2011 | M/C @ 7 weeks | D&C 5/25/2011
TTC #2 | HSG Clear | SA 2% Morph otherwise great
3 failed Femara/TI cycles moving on to IUI
Thank you so much for posting & asking about this!
I too could have written your post. I had high-ish BP during pg but nothing too concerning. At almost 40 weeks it went crazily high (190/110) & I was admitted to the maternity ward, induction & magnesium sulfate. I don't think I had a single contraction as they diagnosed me with HELLP, deemed me at stroke level & it was off to the OR for an emergency-c.
It took me totally by suprise. I had not planned for anything like this happening. As much as I tried to be thankful for a healthy full term baby, I felt like such a failure & was heartbroken that I didn't get a normal birth. I would have even been ok with a c-section under epidural but it was under general so I remember nothing except being a groggy mess for 2 days after!
Its taken me 4 years to start TTC-ing again. I am afraid of this happening again but at the same time I know what to expect so at least I wouldn't be so caught off guard if the worst happened!
I am not even pregnant yet but we are trying! It is good to hear of other women who have gone through this with one pregnancy & not with the next & I am very encouraged to read of the VBAC after HELLP. I also intend on looking into the Brewers Diet.
I am so glad I found this thread!