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C-sections
KatieCC08
member
Really need advice! So nervous about this! FYI- Long!
KatieCC08
member
in C-sections
First, thanks for reading. For the past week I've been sick to my stomach trying to make a decision. I apologize for the length but I'm so confused. I've been talking with my family but I just need someone else to guide me here!
I have the option to schedule a repeat c-section or to VBAC. Heres my story.
With my first child, I got to 42 weeks with no labor so I was induced first using cervical ripening gel. That got me to 3 cm. I went into the hospital the next day and started my 15 hour day of pitocin which changed nothing. I still sat at 3 cm. My dr. broke my water, I got an epidural, then baby's heart rate started to change. We waited a few more hours only for my dr. to tell me that it did not appear that my daughter was going to fit through my pelvis. C-section at 4am, long and hard recovery with lots of pain! Basically, my body never really went into labor even with medical help.
Now, here I am, 34 weeks pregnant, hoping for a VBAC, but very much undecided and uncertain. My doctor is very supportive of whatever decision I make but recommended that I schedule a c-section for 39 weeks just in case I want one (so that I get her as my surgeon and time/date preference). I can change my mind and cancel at any time.
I'm completely torn and here are my reasons:
1. My body never went into labor with my first pregnancy, I didn't dilate and my daughter wouldn't fit. She was only 7lbs! If my body didn't respond to medication the first time around, why would it the second time around? And, because I've already had a c-section, the doctors cannot use the cervical ripening gel this time - which was the only reason I got to 3cm in the first place! If I choose a VBAC, will I just end up laboring like this all over again only to need another c-section with a long recovery?
2. My brother is getting married 10 days after my due date. As my physician, my dr. does not recommend that I travel out of state, 3 hours away, at 41.5 weeks pregnant. I must agree. So if I choose a VBAC, they'll let me go to 42 weeks and I'll miss my brother's wedding. If I schedule a c-section, I'll be well enough to travel and see him get married.
3. Rumor has it that scheduled c-sections bring a quicker recovery because you're not exhausted and sore from labor.
4. I have a 2 year old at home to care for post-delivery. How can I care for her if I've had a c-section?! If I'm going to have a c-section, I'd rather it be scheduled in hopes that my recovery is quicker.
Do I schedule the c-section, have help lined up, make it to my brothers wedding, possibly have a better recovery? Do I wait it out and hope my body goes into labor allowing me to VBAC? Do I wait it out hoping to VBAC, but then only need another c-section with a rough recovery and my entire family out of state for my brother's wedding?!?
I'm so nervous about this MAJOR decision!! Advice, tips, anything!?
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Really need advice! So nervous about this! FYI- Long!
I was 41 weeks induced with cervadil only got to 2.5 maybe 3 cm and ended in C-section due to LO's heart rate dropping. My C-section went great and I had a great recovery. We have already discussed with doctors and will do another C-section with this one. I honestly had less after pain than my BFF who had a V birth. I am on the C-section side!
Would you have more regrets for not trying for a VBAC or missing your brother's wedding. Maybe think of it that way.
With my first DD my water broke (3 days after my due date) and I never progressed. After pitocin and awful contractions I pushed for 3 hours and ended up with a c/s, I was in labor for 33 hours. I was like you with my DD2, just wasn't sure if I should try for a VBAC or just schedule a repeat c/s. I decided to schedule a c/s for my actual due date, if I went into labor beforehand I was going to try a VBAC. 6 days before my due date I went into labor. I progressed on my own, labor was painful but the contractions were much more tolerable than they were with pitocin. I got to 10cm, pushed for about an hour, but her heart rate kept dropping and they had to rush me in for an emergency c/s. I am not sorry that I tried a VBAC, the labor was much easier and I ended up with a c/s for a different reason than the first time. Maybe give yourself a little more time to schedule the c/s. If you go into labor beforehand try the VBAC. My doc said at any point if I decided I was done with labor just to say the word and they would take me in for a c/s. It was nice having my options open yet I still knew I was not going past 40 weeks. With this 3rd one, I am just scheduling a c/s.
I have several friends that scheduled their c/s for during their 40th wk and if htye went into labor on their own beforehand would try to vbac if not they did the c/s. Some ended up getting their vbac and some ended up with the rcs.
With DS1, my water broke at home but I never dialated past 1cm which I was at for sevearl weeks even after pitocin. DS1 wouldn't drop nothing so I had a c/s. He was a big boy at 9lb 12oz and he couldn't fit through my pelvic. I had no desire for vbac with DS2 for personal reasons. I loved my planned c/s. My frist c/s was easy but ds2's c/s was even easier even through it was only 15 months after DS1's c/s. I was also on my own with both boy at 1 1/2wks out and by 2 wks I was totally back to normal.
Okay, you can't compare your pain to another person's pain. You don't know exactly how she felt and she doesn't know exactly how you felt. And some people just handle pain better than others.
I understand how agonizing this decision is. I had a VBAC with my second baby and I think I was second guessing my decision right up until the last minute. I think that part of me wanted/expected to be told at some point that the VBAC wasn't going to happen. The main reason I wanted to have a VBAC was so I could care for and carry my 2 year old after the baby was born. She was my main motivator. I still can't imagine not being able to carry her for several weeks. I think you have to decide what is most important to you and base your decision on that. BTW, I had an unplanned c-section the first time and a really easy recovery. I was out of my house shopping within days of surgery. My VBAC recovery was also fairly easy, and I had 2nd & 3rd degree tears. I wouldn't say one was more painful than the other. The pain/discomfort was just different. I will say that I felt like I had more energy and was more rested after my VBAC.
I also got to 42 weeks with absolutely no labor. My induction started on a Sunday night with the gel followed by 2 days of pitocin. I finally got to 10 cm Tuesday night and pushed, but couldn't get LO out because he was sunny side up, my pelvis, and I think I was just so stinking tired. I ended up with a c-section Wednesday morning and I also had to be stitched vaginally....super!
I thought about whether or not I would try to VBAC for a long time and I, personally, am going to have a repeat c-section. I would have loved to had a vaginal birth the first time but it just wasn't in the cards for me. And I don't think it will be in my future.
That's just what I'm doing - I don't want to influence your decision but since I'm in a similar boat, just thought I would tell you what my plan is!
Good luck!
I can't speak to all of your concerns as many of them are personal and, for me, I have already been through the decision making process and am planning a VBAC. What I do want to say to you is that I would highly recommend reading a couple of books regarding natural / normal / unmedicated (whatever your word of choice may be) births as that may give you more confidence in your chances of a successful VBAC and, at least for me, the decision process was quite different once I had the mind set that I was choosing between "succeeding at VBAC" and scheduling a cs instead of "trying to VBAC and ending up with a CS" and scheduling a CS. I hope that makes sense...
A few books I would recommend are Ina Mae's Guide to Childbirth, The Thinking Woman's Guide to Childbirth and Birthing from Within (if you skip over the birth art stuff at the beginning it's really a great read). Also, spend some time on the VBAC board.
All births are different, but birth is a natural physiological process and often times it is the very interventions (induction, epi, etc.) meant to speed up the process that lead to the fetal distress, failure to descend and other issues that end up necessitating a CS.
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