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VBAC
XP: My successful VBAC in ATL
XP from the Atlanta board. I wanted to share my VBAC birth story. Had a c-section with my daughter 3 years ago (got induced at 41 weeks because baby "was huge" and I was post date. No other medical reasons given. NSTs were clear and placenta and fluid were fine. Induction led to c-section and y'all know how the story goes). I changed practices to a midwife-led practice and it made all the difference.
I saw my midwife on Monday afternoon (9/26) and she told me I was only a fingertip dilated, but my cervix was ripe. She sent me home and I had every intention of going to work on Tuesday (my due date).
Got woken up at 2:30 a.m. by regular contrax on Tues. and timed them for an hour and a half before calling the midwife. Midwife told me to come on in and DH and I made a mad dash for the hospital. Got there around 4:45 a.m. and in triage, I was already 2 cm. By the time they got me to a L&D room, I'd made it to 4 cm and I bit the bullet and called for an epi. Anesthesiologist took FOREVER and got there at 10:30 a.m. - I was already at 6 cm.
Of course, the epi took the
effectiveness of the contrax down a notch and I got stalled at 7 cm and
70% effaced for hours. When they checked me at lunchtime, my water
broke. There was light meconium in the fluid, but my doc and midwife
were okay to let me continue laboring.
By 4 p.m., still
nothing. The midwife did something called an amniotic transfusion and
flushed IV fluids into the amniotic sac to keep the meconium from
creating any issues and to cushion the baby since things were taking so
long.
Around 5 p.m. or so, they started me on a super-light
dose of pitocin to get my contrax back up again. That did the trick and
they started getting a little stronger. Around 9 p.m., I was still at 7
cm, baby was doing okay and the midwife pulled out ANOTHER trick. She
did a cervical massage and had me do a couple practice pushes. That got
me to 8-almost 9 cm and thinned me out substantially. Then, my midwife turned off my epidural to help move things along.
Pushing
started around midnight and I finally got little man out at 1 a.m. Good
times. The maternal/fetal specialist that backs the midwife practice was even with
me helping me count and push. It was pretty awesome. He's an amazing doctor (and a darn good doula - haha).
I'm convinced that if I'd been with any other practice, I would've ended up with another c-section. This recovery has been amazing. I was able to stand on my own really quickly. I had a full meal at 7 a.m. Everything was so much different. Even DH was psyched. He was the absolute best coach ever.
Little Man was 8 lbs. 8 oz., 22" long (3 oz. smaller than DD, but a whole inch longer). He seems to be doing really well and is nursing like a champ.
Lil' G was born April 25, 2008!
Big C was born September 28, 2011!
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Re: XP: My successful VBAC in ATL
My Wedding Bio!
That is awesome!!! It sounds like we are living parallel lives. I am also in Atlanta and had an emergency c-section with my daughter 4 years ago. After feeling such pressure from my OB to schedule a repeat c/s I switched to Intown Midwifery just three weeks ago. I am so grateful that they agreed to see me and your story makes me so excited that I really will get my VBAC.
Congratulations and best of luck!!
Best of luck to you, too! Both Margaret and Anjili are stellar. And I've heard from other friends that even if you do end up with a c-section, Dr. Bootstaylor makes it seem almost like a spa experience. He practices something called a "natural" c-section. He allows you to see and experience what you want to and lets the baby stay with you.
Fingers crossed for you! Page me on the ATL board if you have any questions!