VBAC Success! Here's my LONG story...

hailcamp · November 2011

My son is already 3 months old - where does time go? I decided it was high time I share my VBAC success story. I loved reading about other VBAC experiences and always found them very encouraging. So here's mine

My due date was August 1st and my doctor did not think I should go more than a week past it because my placenta was looking a bit on the mature side. She had me schedule a c-section for August 8th just in case. I had hired a doula and she suggested I ignore the scheduled date because it would stress me out. She even said I shouldn't plan on going even if I reached that date. Having a deadline can add stress and your body just doesn't work as well under stress. Good advice - better yet, don't schedule a "just in case" appointment at all if you can avoid it. You don't want anything to shake your confidence during those final days!

I went into early labor on July 30th at 1:17AM. Contractions were consistent but tolerable all day and didn't really intensify until about 24 hours later. They became much more painful and around 3AM on July 31st, my doula came over to help me (and my husband) labor at home for awhile. By 10:00 that morning she suggested we go ahead and go to the hospital. I was so excited! I had been in labor for 32 hours already and was sure I progressed enough to be admitted. Wrong. I was only a centimeter dilated. I cried. My doctor suggested I get a morphine shot to take the edge off the pain, go home and try to get some sleep while allowing my body to relax so the contractions can do their job. I did just that and awoke around 8 that night after the morphine wore off. The contractions were INSTENSE! Very regular and extremely painful. I didn't have my doula come back over though because I just knew it would still be awhile. I was right. I labored through the night either on my birthing ball or on the toilet (which I highly recommend since having to go pee can bring on contractions and having contractions can bring on bowel movements - so the toilet is quite convenient!). My doula came back over around 7AM on August 1st and the three of us went back to the hospital again around 9. This time I was 2 centimeters dilated. I had only progressed one friggin' centimeter. I was devastated. They suggested we wait 2 hours and check again - during that time my doula had me walking the halls, squatting and swaying through each contraction. When they checked me again, I had progressed! I was 2 and a half centimeters now! So I got another shot of morphine and was sent home again. The morphine didn't have a fighting chance with the monster contractions I was having by this point... but FINALLY, at 4PM on August 1st, my water broke! Back to the hospital we go. There's no way they're sending me home again now! Sure enough, I was about 4 centimeters and 90% effaced. I was being admitted!

I had every intention of having a natural birth (minus the morphine shots, obviously). But by 7PM that night, after 67 hours of labor, I was being administered the much appreciated epidural. Oh what sweet relief that was! I was a little over 6 centimeters dilated before I got it - which is recommended if you?re going for a VBAC. The epidural can slow down your contractions and/or make them less effective so if you get the epidural too soon, it can increase your risk of a repeat c-section. Which is what I almost ended up with. They checked me a few hours after I had the epidural and I was still only 7cm! And with each contraction, my baby's heart rate was going down which made them worry about cord compression. He was recovering well after each contraction so it wasn't an emergency situation yet... but they wanted me to be prepared that a repeat c was looking likely. We were going to give it one more hour and check once more. During that hour, I did everything in my power to relax and let my body do its job. I whispered to my baby that I loved him and couldn't wait to meet him and it was okay for him to come out however he wanted. When the doctor checked me again, I was fully dilated, 100% effaced and his head was right there! She was amazed. My contractions had been so ineffective for nearly 71 hours but in that 72nd hour they KICKED BUTT!

Gavin was born at 3:15 AM on August 2nd. 8 pounds 12 ounces and perfect in every way. I am so grateful for my doula. She kept me calm throughout the entire ordeal. I highly recommend hiring one for your successful VBAC too!!

lostaspen · November 2011

Congrats! The end of your story sound like my c/s--I got the epi at 9cm and then DS had heartrate drops during contractions and they pressure the c/s, glad your team let your body have some more time!

myantonia · November 2011

Congrats on your VBAC! and thanks so much for sharing!!!

Brownie_222 · November 2011

Congrats and thanks for sharing! 72 hrs, you have some serious fortitude.

cchill01 · November 2011

Congratulations!!! You were such a trooper.

JG362009 · November 2011

Congratulations!

ILoveRunning · November 2011

hailcamp:
During that hour, I did everything in my power to relax and let my body do its job. I whispered to my baby that I loved him and couldn't wait to meet him and it was okay for him to come out however he wanted.

I choked up when I read this. So sweet.

I also wanted to add that your story really gives me encouragement. My first labor sounds very similar. I went for 65 hours and the contractions were awful. I finally got an epi around 6 cm (and 50 hours labor) which seemed to do the trick. I pushed for 2 hours but DS was stuck. I do plan on hiring a doula the next time around, it sounds like she was extremely helpful. Thanks for sharing and congratulations