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VBAC
Nervous and in need of encouragement
Hi Ladies!
I haven't posted in a long time (I think maybe since I had my 1st daughter) but I went to the doc today and am feeling a little defeated. I have always wanted to have a vaginal delivery but unfortunately my 1st daughter was sunny side up and after 17 hours of labor and stalling at 7cm I ended up with a c-section (My water broke on its own but I never dilated prior to it breaking). Fast forward to this pregnancy and I am determined to have a VBAC. According to my doc this is my last chance at ever having a vaginal delivery b/c if I do end up with a csection any future pregnancies must be delivered via csection. I am now 38.5 weeks and have been having contractions on and off for over a week. I just KNEW that I would be at least 1cm dilated when I went to the doc today but he told me there has been no progress. She is still head down and my cervix has thinned a little but he said if I haven't dilated by next visit (next Wednesday) then we will have to revisit the birthing plan discussion because he thinks that there is a very good chance I will end up with another csection. I don't want an induction or another csection for various reasons but mainly because I want the opportunity to do it my way...not to mention I have a 21 month old who is very attached to mommy and will not understand that mommy cannot play with her and pick her up. I'm sorry to ramble on I just needed to voice my worries and concerns and my DH just doesn't understand what "the big deal is". Anyone have a successful VBAC without dilating at there weekly visits? TIA!
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Re: Nervous and in need of encouragement
There is no reason you have to deliver by 40 or even 41 weeks. 42 weeks is within normal pregnancy time frames.
Also you could easily go into labor tonight, dilation is no indication of labor starting, you can be 4 and not go into labor for weeks or 0 and deliver within 24 hrs.
It doesn't sound like your OB is very VBAC friendly be wary of him pushing you into what could be an unnecessary RCS.
i'm typing one handed with my vbac baby....
i didn't dilate or go into labor early enough for mypro vbac ob office. plus i was to have a large baby...they estimated 3 weeks before due-date that he would be, at time of delivery, a 20-pounder. He was 8lb9oz, btw at birth...big by todays standards, but pretty run of the mill years ago.
i was against inductions...but decided to go with some more homeopathic means plus a scraping of the membranes (I found it not to be as bad as i hear women describe it). i took red raspberry leaf tea (i could only find it at whole foods) for roughly two weeks before giving birth. i had three appointments with an acupuncturist - something i normally would have scoffed at/not believed in, but i was desperate to avoid a repeat c-section. the acupuncturist crammed what normally would have been spread out over a number of weeks into a week and a couple of days. I also took clary-sage, recommended by my OB's med-wife (10-drops to the abdomen daily)..buy it where you find essential oils at a health food store. The stuff smells horrible. I only used it the day prior to the birth and was too scared to try again following the next days acupuncture appointment as my contractions were changing (not braxton hicks like, but didn't think it was "real" yet). I was also suggested Primrose and purchased it, but delivered the same day I purchased it..so I didn't get to try it. Sex is always touted...I wasn't in the mood much of the time, and if truth be told, I was waiting for it to be more convenient...putting it off while I tried to get things (like the house/nursery) ready. Semen, orgasm and cuddling all help in different ways to kick your body into gear...when we started up again, it only took a day.
My contractions never "normaled" but became harder and closer together (they were just different lengths) and I ended up dialating very quickly and was in progressive labor a little less than an hour. I did tear, as I opted not to have an episiotomy. I did have back labor and insisted (did not cooperate) on laboring and birthing in a position that was better for me. The baby was healthy.
I had prodromal labor with DS for almost 3 weeks, and had no real cervix dilation until 40 weeks. I was effacing quite a bit each week starting at 38 weeks, but I wasn't 1cm until closer to 40 weeks. I went into consistent labor at 41w1d, and delivered the next day at 41w2d. My birth story link is in the thread below.
YOU CAN DO THIS!!! Your cervix still has plenty of time to do what it needs to, especially since you are only 38.5 weeks. Try as best as you can to relax and let your body do the work of labor (trust me, I know that is much easier said than done). Remind yourself and your provider, if needed, that labor can start without any dilation progress. And there's no reason to "revisit or rethink" your birth plan when you haven't even hit 40 weeks yet.
Feel free to PM me if you need to or have any questions about my birth experience. This board is here to support you!
~Sweet Girl *8/18/08* c-section ~ Sweet Boy *12/2/10* VBAC ~ Sweet Boy *8/14/12* VBAC~
VBAC Birth Story 2VBAC Birth Story
I went into labor on my own on the last day of 41 weeks, had DD exactly 42 weeks.... you may want to talk about exactly how long they will allow you to wait it out. I asked and they wanted me to stay below 41 weeks this time, but the doc today told me I am a perfect candidate for a VBAC since I've already had one successfully.. he said we could 'give it a good college try'... whatever that means, but I think they'll entertain going into the 41st week for me if everything is looking ok.
The ONLY thing they did during labor for me that was relative to induction techniques was breaking my water..... no other drugs, etc...
I think I was 2.5 cm for WEEKS before labor started. It really means nothing.. the baby is ready when the baby is ready.