What was the key to your successful VBAC?

StaceFace09 · January 2011

Hi Mommas!

I just wanted to see if we could create a centralized post where everyone with a successful VBAC shared what they considered to be the key to their success. Feel free to share as much info about your birth as you'd like, but you can also just make a list of success secrets.

Thanks in advance and CONGRATS!

Stacy

Sazhrah · January 2011

I can't say what WAS but I can say that my conviction and positive thinking WILL make me have a successful VBAC.

nosoup4u · January 2011

The big things I did differently during my second pg (which ended in a successful VBAC) were exercising (I swam and biked quite a bit) and going to a chiropractor to help with positioning. www.spinningbabies.com is a good website about positioning. Showing up at the hospital pushing (i.e. spending most of my time laboring at home, and being upright during it) definitely didn't hurt anything, either!

lorryfach · January 2011

Sorry to say it but I had more conviction and positive thinking with my first, which ended in c/s. I also had great staff, plenty of support, etc. both times. The difference with my VBAC was Bug's position, plain and simple.

chicsub · January 2011

lorryfach:
Sorry to say it but I had more conviction and positive thinking with my first, which ended in c/s. I also had great staff, plenty of support, etc. both times. The difference with my VBAC was Bug's position, plain and simple.

I haven't had my baby yet, but I'm guessing if it's successful this will be a big factor on top of changing practitioners. I wish it was positive thinking and exercise alone, but if that was the case I wouldn't have had a c/s the first time.

erbear · January 2011

lorryfach:
Sorry to say it but I had more conviction and positive thinking with my first, which ended in c/s. I also had great staff, plenty of support, etc. both times. The difference with my VBAC was Bug's position, plain and simple.

I agree. If this VBAC is successful, it'll be because 1) baby isn't 10 pounds 2) baby isn't OP and 3) baby doesn't have a skull deformity that makes vaginal birth impossible.

Sazhrah · January 2011

I can only speak for myself on conviction and positive thinking due to the fact that my c/s was not due to medical necessity but elective due to the pain i was in from a bulging disk and sciatica. I am managing it this time with physical and massage therapy. I have had successful vaginal births so I don't see any reason why I wont be able to do it again.

Should I have had it for any other reason such as breech, sunny side up, pre-e, or anything else then I would take the appropriate steps to make sure I prepare myself for that. I am very healthy, exercise a lot and have no reason to think that I will not be successful with a great support team and wonderful hospital.

Kapalua · January 2011

The whole support of everyone involved. My husband, every single nurse on the L&D floor for the duration of my stay, every single resident and attending physician I encountered. I was overwhelmed by the support. The fact that they wanted it as badly as I did made every bit of a difference. It probably helped a bit that L&D was pretty light while I was there...but seriously....I gave birth on Easter Sunday and still, no one tried to rush me through (one resident apologized that it was taking so long and that she was sorry she couldn't give me pit...I had to assure her that it was totally fine with me!)

StaceFace09 · January 2011

Thanks for participating, everyone! I vow that I'll come on here and spread the love after MY successful VBAC, too!

Just wanted to chime in and say that I had TONS of support, belief in myself, conviction, and positive thinking on my first labor, which ended in a c/s. Positioning played a huge role in my ending up with a c/s. However, I think it's absolutely worth noting that, when other circumstances are ideal, going in with a great mindset and conviction are absoutely key!

Wishing everybody a great birth experience!

Please, keep the tips coming!!

babyike · January 2011

My own determination and desire
Educating myself
INCREDIBLE birth team (very supportive husband, hospital midwives, experienced doula, VBAC supportive hospital)
Opportunity to have a waterbirth (rare in a hospital)
Wireless fetal monitoring (essential!)
My willingness to try new things (chiropractor, acupuncture, EPO, RRLTea)
Lots and lots of patience

I had several KEYS to my successful VBAC Smile

penguingrrl · January 2011

Most important was an incredibly VBAC friendly doctor. I had mild pre eclampsia at the end of both of my pregnancies and many doctors would not be willing to consider inducing a VBAC with pre-e. In fact, when my blood pressure rose and there was protein in my urine I said that I assumed VBAC was out of the question and she said she would happily induce if I was still willing and felt my cervix was favorable. Then, after 2 1/2 hours of pushing she gave me the option of forceps instead of a section, which not many OBs are trained to do any more. I chose forceps and had a safe delivery.

I had researched to find a strongly VBAC friendly practice and was very successful. Because of my history of pre-e I did not want to risk a midwife since if I did need a section I wanted to know the doctor who performed it. But, this practice was so VBAC friendly that they went above and beyond to avoid surgery. No matter how fired up you are, if your care provider is not 100% on board your chances are not going to be great. But she was sure I could deliver and made sure it happened.

drakee · January 2011

I could say my doula, or my husband, or my very supportive hospital. Or all the books I read, Hypnobabies training, and going as long as I possibly could before getting my epi. But really, the only thing that prevented me from getting a C-section was my CNM refusing to give me a C-section after I started begging for one when my contractions got unbearable. Most people would have just started getting the OR ready for me at that point. That was the difference.

FASHIONISHA · January 2011

I've asked others this same question on another baby board and I found that the following seemed to help:

Having an experienced doula (which is why I got one). They have experience in helping malpositioned babies get into a better birth position. They know tricks for pain management and they offer support to you and your partner when things start to get a little "hairy". They help to keep the mother focused and less scared/anxious.

Laboring at home as long as possible because if you go to the hospital in early labor and don't progress according to their ideal time frame (1cm an hr or so) then they start wanting to speed things along with interventions like pitocin, breaking water bag. Pitocin can lead to more painful contractions that cause the mother to request an epidural which can sometimes stall labor. It's like a vicious cycle.

Having the ability to move about, which is why laboring at home is ideal. When you're not confined to laying on your back in the bed you stand a better chance of getting baby to move down in your pelvis. Walking, pelvic rocking, sitting on a birthing ball, squatting are supposed to be beneficial.

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