Struggling with applying 'natural birth' concept to a VBAC

cchill01 · April 2012

DD was born at 42wks 1day after a failed induction. When I went in for my induction, I was 0cm/0% effaced.

This time, I have a 41wk deadline due to hospital policy. BUT, I strongly believe that baby and my body should choose the birthdate.

So, now I have this conflict. I know I want to pull out all the stops to have my VBAC, but by doing that I'm essentially forcing the baby out. So, at what point do I go for induction accupuncture? Or ask the midwife to sweep my membranes (if I'm dilated at all)? My midwife was fine with me starting at 39 weeks. And I'm sure it would be nicer to birth a smaller baby. But, part of me wants to wait until 40+ because that's the way it "should be." But, I don't want to miss my opportunity.

Anyone else stressed about these deadlines?

Twizzle · April 2012

I feel the same way. DS was born 11 days past dates and I did all kinds of natural induction stuff to try to move things along so I wouldn't have to do a medical induction. I'm afraid of going beyond my due date again. I'm even more scared of having to have a scheduled c/s if my placenta previa doesn't resolve.

After my experience with DS, I really do feel that most non-medicine induction techniques, such as massage, acupuncture, evening primrose, raspberry leaf tea, sweeping membranes, won't really work to get labor going unless your body and your baby are ready. I tried all of these and none of them did anything to get things going. I would do any of them again starting at 39 weeks, or earlier for the EPO/tea, at 37-38 weeks.

What I did before and would not do again at all is black and blue cohosh. I hated taking these herbs and I think they caused my vomiting during labor. I was also told that these are not recommended for VBAC.

However, just because you went past your due date once doesn't mean it will happen again.

Aloe0l · April 2012

I know someone who did all sorts of "natural" induction methods because she was so stressed about the 41 week deadline. She admitted that she stressed about 41 weeks for 41 weeks. The moment 41 weeks arrived, and she hadn't gone into labor, she finally gave in and scheduled a c-section. She said that immediately the stress subsided, and she went into labor very shortly after (within 24hrs). She believes that all that stress was causing her body to react and not go into labor. Point of the story: stress can be powerful.

But, all in all, I say do what you feel comfortable with, and try not to stress over the deadlines (easy to say, hard to do). Remeber that 40 weeks is an "average" and that doesn't mean that this baby won't be ready at 39 weeks. DD was born at 39w3d, and I went into labor on my own. Every pregnancy is unique and individualized. Prior pregnancies really can't predict future ones. I am sure you "know" all of this but sometimes it's good to hear it again.

You will not be wrong to choose to get your membranes swept at 39 weeks. And you won't be wrong if you decide not to. They are YOUR choices. Do what you feel is right.

nosoup4u · April 2012

Well, acupuncture comes with very few risks, so I would probably start that at 39 weeks. Sweeping membranes is low-risk also, but there is a chance that your water could break, so I'd do that later rather than sooner if it was me. But I think with both of them, nothing will happen if the baby isn't ready to be born yet.

Both of my kids were late - and DS2 had a fuzzy due date anyway, but I'm pretty sure he was a full 14 days overdue. Those last few weeks were HELL, definitely the hardest part of pg for me! Do what you need to stay relaxed, and try not to over-think it (sooo much easier said than done!).

Amitchell0626 · April 2012

I'm feeling the same. I don't know about a deadline yet, I haven't had an OB appointment, but my doctor did say they wont use any kind of induction meds (pitocin) if you're attempting a VBAC so I'm really worried my labour will stall or something and I'll end up with another section.

iris427 · April 2012

I worried about going to 41 or 42 weeks alot too, since my first was an induction for postdates at 41 weeks. I felt the same conflict about letting things happen on their own vs. trying to improve my chances by helping things along. I started doing some nipple stim right before 39 weeks and went into labor at 39 w2d. I don't see the harm in trying to get things going at 39 weeks.

penguinem · April 2012

I spent 39 weeks worrying about/trying to plan for every possible scenario. My OB was super supportive but was consistent in telling me essentially "if it happens it happens. " I don't think she was anti-VBAC at all, just a matter-of-fact woman. I have seen you on here a lot so I know VBACing is huge for you and you are probably thinking about it all the time! I know I was. Honestly I don't think the "gentle" or "natural" ways to induce are a bad thing. I am quite sure that if baby wasn't ready, baby wouldn't come. I mean, raspberry leaf tea may start the process, but I would seriously doubt it would cause a baby that's not ready to be born prematurely. I'm not a dr though!! I think as you approach the end trying some techniques could be fun/ empowering but could be bad if you were letting yourself stress about whether it worked or not. It will come and go soon enough and you have certainly prepared!!

babyike · April 2012

My doula and midwife practice suggested acupuncture for me starting after 39 weeks. I had 3 sessions (39w5d, 40w2d, and 40w5d). I had membranes swept at 41w0d, and labor started the following morning at 41w1d. I was also using EPO orally 3x a day, drinking RRL tea every day starting at 36 weeks. I also started using my breast pump to start contractions 1-2x a day at 40w3d.

My deadline was thankfully 42 weeks before I would be medically induced, but I did start to get really nervous when they started making me come in 2-3 times a week at 40 weeks for NSTs and fluid checks! Just ask your acupuncturist about when you should start the treatments, as they may have guidelines for what week of gestation they'll even do them (mine wouldn't do them before 39 weeks for example).

This site was recommended to me by my doula and midwife practice as well. Some I didn't even consider, but there were a few that I was okay with trying.

https://www.gentlebirth.org/archives/natinduc.html

preg_amy · April 2012

My MW told me I could start using EPO vaginally at 32 weeks. So I did. It's not something that is going to make you go into labor if your body is not ready (obviously, unless something else is going on).

I did nipple stim just after 40 weeks and starting early labor that night. I truly believe that I wouldn't have gone into labor if my body and baby hadn't been ready.

I had an appt for acupuncture a few days later that I obviously did not make it to.

With my successful VBAC, baby did great the whole time. It was a long labor and pushing stage, but his heartrate stayed steady the whole time.

With my cytotec/pitocin induction with my c/s baby... heartrate was all over the place. It was just a mess.

Natural "induction" methods are generally a lot more gentle than the stuff they use in the hospital. With my c/s baby, my membranes were stripped probably three different times before I went in for my induction. Obviously, he wasn't ready, so it didn't work.

papagena · April 2012

I was worried with deadlines for my VBAC. I *think* I tried acupuncture around 39 1/2 - 40 weeks. It didn't send me into labor. I also had my doctor try and sweep my membranes at my 40 week app't, which also didn't do anything for me. I think those more natural 'induction' methods tend to only work if the other readiness signs from your baby are already getting in place, and tend not to have much of an effect if baby isn't ready. Granted, that's not medical knowledge! I also listened quite a bit to the 'baby come out' track from hypnobabies (which I'd highly recommend - I was FREAKING out about an induction and it was the one thing that truly relaxed me - it was the only hypnobabies track I purchased, and you can get single tracks online from their site - truly - DH said it was the only time that I truly seemed relaxed near the end, and I think it helped if only because it truly gave me emotional/physical peace and acceptance near the end when I was SO worried about going over my 41 wk deadline). There are also some accupressure points that you can look up online and I discussed with the accupuncturist - and those I started around 39 weeks. The day before my induction I scheduled a real accupressure session, and it was fabulous (basically a targeted massage). I went into labor at 1 am and got to call the hospital and say I wasn't coming in for an induction because I was already in labor and was going to labor at home. Had a completely pain-med free hospital VBAC - it was fabulous!!

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