My successful VBAC (long)

I am more of a lurker, than a poster and I wanted to post my story to hopefully inspire or motivate women to have a vbac.

My first DD was a csection because she was breech and elected to have a csection 3 days before my due date.  I did try everything under the sun to try and turn her, but I found out she was breach at 37 weeks, which it decreased my chances of turning her.  I did debate on whether I should wait until I was in labor incase she might turn on her own, but thought it would be best to have a planned csection, rather than an emergency. 

 I became pregnant again and more than anything, I wanted a vbac and I wanted to go natural as well since I was not able to experience it with my first.  I found the best doctor and doula to be my support team and without them, I don't think it would be possible.  My dr is a 67 year old man, who will accept vbavs, vbac2s, breech births, twins, etc.  He will even take on women who are pregnant with twins at 39 weeks.   Sorry for bragging about him, but I just can't say enough how important it is to find the right doctor.  

As my due date approached, I started to get nervous.  My doctor was going to allow me to go to 42 weeks, but he was going to be out of town during the first 5 days of my 41st week due to a family member being very sick, which I completely understood.  The reason why I was nervous was because my doctor has his own practice and the doctor that covers him while he is out of town does not perform vbacs.  So if I would show up, he would prep me for csection.  My doctor did have a back up plan for me just incase, but I just wanted him and no one else.  At my 40 week 4 day appt with my doula, she checked me to see how I was doing and she felt that I would go into labor soon and hopefully before my dr went out of town or we would have to proceed to plan B.

At 40 weeks, 6 days I went into labor at 11:30pm and my contractions were 2-3 min apart and 30 seconds in duration.  I was very excited, nervous and scared at the same time.  I called my doula at midnight and she told me to keep her updated every hour and to try and labor at home as long as I could.  After 5 hours of laboring at home my contractions stayed around 2 -3 min apart and duration was around 45-60 sec. and the intensity increased.  My doula told me to head on into the hospital at 4:30am and my dr was there waiting for me even though was going to be leaving town that morning.  He said he would deliver my baby before he left and not to worry about anything.  He checked me and I was only 3 cm and of course I was discouraged especially with having contactions so close together and getting stronger.  He also said that I was at -3 station, the baby was still up high.  After he left, my doula got me into positions to help the baby move down, such as leaning back on a chair and having my body work as a slide for the baby.  At 6am the dr came in and the baby dropped and I was at 6 cm and he broke my water to help the baby drop more.  He left the room again to let my doula and do some more work to help my body progress.  The next nurse on shift came in and she was a mirable work.  She is a huge supporter in vbacs and natural births and knows how to get the body to progess naturally.  She dilated me from 7cm - 10cm in 10 min.  It was incredibly painfu, so painful that I wanted to kick her off the table and call her lots of horribly names, but when she told me I was 10cm I told her that I loved her even though she caused me so much pain.  Incase you are curious on how she did this, she said that my cervix had to be favorable, very loose and stretchy and she had her fingers and possibly her whole hand in me:)  (that is what it felt like) and everytime I had a contraction I had to push against her fingers while my husband and doula held my legs and while I was doing that she was dilating me.  It was so painful and my contractions were so intense, but worth it in the end.  Then it was time to push and they had me doing squats, laying on my left side, then on to my back and after 40 min of pushing, the doctor came in and told me to reach down to grab my DD and I pulled her out and rested her on my chest at 8:17am.  It was the best feeling everyand I felt so accomplished to have a successful vbac.  In recovery, every nurse that came in praised me that I was a vbac and did it naturally, I kind of felt like a superstar:)

I know this was long, but I just want you to know that it is possible.