VBAC

1st OB Appt. today...feeling bummed...

Had my 1st appt. today for baby #2.  Everything looks great.  Baby's heartbeat is nice and strong.  Go in 2 weeks for now for dating ultrasound/NT scan.

Talked to OB about my desire to VBAC.  She said at this point that she is very hesitant to allow me to do so.  She looked back at my hospital records and said that DS never entered the birth canal, despite pushing for 3 hours.  She said part of this was because of his posterior position, but the medical reason listed is "cepha something" (basically that he, even at only 7 lbs. 7 oz. was too big to fit through my pelvis).  She said that since typically 2nd babies are larger than firsts, she doesn't want me to go into labor and then have the same thing happen again.

Have any of you had this "diagnosis"?  And were you able to successfully VBAC?

The plus (?) is she said she isn't 100% closing the door on the possibility and depending on this baby's size and position, I may be able to try it, but she basically told me not to get my hopes up.

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Re: 1st OB Appt. today...feeling bummed...

  • Those sound like red flags to me, IMO.

    My DS was over 10 lbs and they still never said that I couldn't have birthed him vaginally had he not been stuck in a position that compressed his cord.  DD was 2 lbs lighter.  Most of my friends have reported their second babies were SMALLER than the first.  I am sure that if we really looked, it would be more like 50/50.  That is antequated thinking to suggest that the second will be bigger than the first. 

    You might want to shop around for a different provider to get a second opinion.

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  • I agree that it sounds like you would have a hard time getting a VBAC with this doc.  There are a lot of women on here that had the same "issue" the first time around and had successful VBACs with even bigger babies.  I never got to push, but I was stuck at 9 1/2 and DS never dropped, so technically they could have given me the same diagnosis, but I just got a FTP one instead.  It doesn't hurt to contact your local ICAN chapter and have a consult with a VBAC-friendly OB/midwife.  GL!

     

    Here's a good link on it too:  https://birthingbeautifulideas.com/?p=560

     

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  • Thank you ladies.  That was the vibe I was getting too.  I think sometimes it just takes an outside opinion to shed some light on the situation.  I really appreciate it.
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  • cephalopelvic disproportion (CPD) is one of the two "scapegoat" diagnosis that doctors use to justify a c-section.  Of course it actually exists, but it is over diagnosed.   C-section rates should be about 10-15% - we're at 30% now.  Those extra 15% are pretty much all either CPD or FTP - take your pick.  I had FTP on my chart, which was really FTW (Failure to Wait).

    I agree with pp, you may want to get a second opinion.  My goal is to surround myself with positive people who believe that I can do this.  I don't need someone sitting there saying you can't do this because you couldn't do it last time.  I had negativity with my first birth, I'm not going there again.

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  • I had a c/s for cephalopelvic disproportion and then had a VBAC with a baby who was 2 oz. bigger.  Studies show that over 60% of women who had a c/s for CPD can have a VBAC.  My first OB also told me not to try for a VBAC, but I got some second opinions and found a great doctor who supported me.

    Any idea if your baby was in a funky position--sunny side-up, head tilted funny, etc.? 

    If you want a VBAC, find a new doctor. 

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  • Iris, he was sunny side up AND *I* think, tilted funny (his head was molded in an odd spot).  Poor kid had been stuck for so long that he actually lost 2 inches in height from his birth measurement to his discharge measurement once the swelling in his head went down.
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  • I was diagnosed with "CPD" as the reason for my c/s. CPD is waaaay over diagnosed. True CPD is very, very rare. Also - my 2nd baby was not bigger than my first, he was 3oz smaller.

    I agree with pp, get another opinion. 

    Perhaps this is an ignorant question, but how/why were you pushing if he hadn't entered the birth canal?

  • imageDaisy41459:
    Iris, he was sunny side up AND *I* think, tilted funny (his head was molded in an odd spot).  Poor kid had been stuck for so long that he actually lost 2 inches in height from his birth measurement to his discharge measurement once the swelling in his head went down.

    There's a good chance his position was part of the issue then.  There are studies showing that when doctors attempt to rotate OP babies manually into OA position, the c/s rate goes down significantly.  So I don't think CPD can be accurately diagnosed with a malpositioned baby, because the position itself can account for poor progress in so many cases.

    I'd look into optimal fetal positioning and how to rotate OP babies.  Staying active in labor can really help too.   

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  • My c/s was for a posterior baby with tilted head. She had a cone on the side of her head, and I had only pushed a few times (I was told not to push, but did involuntarily). It was pretty obvious by looking at her that her head was not where it should have been. They did try to turn her manually and it didn't work. The look on the doctor's face when it didn't work is something I'll never forget. She really expected it to work, but baby just wasn't coming out that way!

    25 months later, I had a perfect VBAC with a baby 1 oz. bigger but in the right position.

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