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VBAC
WWYD in my shoes - VBAC or RCS?
Curious what others would do..and their reasoning.
DS #1 was 5 years ago. Went into labor 9 days past due date. Never really dilated/effaced in advance. 29 hours of labor followed by c-section. Labor repeatedly stalled, got pitocin and the whole bit. Pushed a few hours but it never happened. DS was 9 pounds with a head circumference somewhere around 97-99th percentile. Never got specific reason for failed vaginal birth, but the head size was the main suspect.
DS #2 is due in 5 weeks. Doctor is open to VBAC or RCS, my choice. Ultrasound at 32 weeks showed head circumference measuring 2 weeks ahead (rest of baby about 1 week ahead).
Me: I was strenuously against a c-section the first time but, once it happened I was OK with it and I do not feel "robbed" of the vaginal birth experience. Had a pretty easy recovery and not necessarily more scared of a RCS than a VBAC. Both seem a little frightening in their own way.
My thoughts: I obviously want what is best for the baby & for me. I would in hindsight somewhat prefer a VBAC if it went smoothly. However, I feel a little unconfident it will work out given my experience, and do not want another 29-hour-labor-followed-by-c-section -- but am also not sure when I would call it "quits" in a VBAC attempt this time. 8 hours? 12 hours? 20 hours? I feel like I'd go in with a defeatist attitude and therefore fail. I do not want another exhausting, hard labor followed by c-section. These thoughts are leading me to lean slightly toward scheduling a c-section on my due date. My Dr. is willing to schedule a RCS to get it on the books, then wait to see how I'm dilating/effacing/progressing in the days leading up to it, and doing a VBAC if I want, but she doesn't schedule RCS past the due date, and I don't feel all that confident I'll go into labor prior to that given that DS1 was so late, so I feel like scheduling a RCS on my due date is very likely to eliminate a VBAC. I suppose I could also just go for the VBAC and then if necessary call it quits and get the RCS after a couple hours, but my Dr. feels a scheduled, pre-labor c-section is slightly safer.
What would you do...and why?? Thanks!
This discussion has been closed.
Re: WWYD in my shoes - VBAC or RCS?
I had a very similar experience. 27 hours of labor, 2.5 hours of pushing. DD was not positioned properly (OP, head bent to the side) and her head circ was the 95th percentile. Also had 6 failed vacuum attempts to get her out before the section.
I'll be having frequent ultrasounds in the third tri (unrelated issue) and will keep an eye on the head size....but I did sign VBAC'ING consent forms. I want to try again, even of it ends up the same way. I need to know I gave it all I had.
I share your same fears about laboring for a long time and then ending up with a c/s. I think it's pretty well accepted that the recovery from that is harder than a planned c/s with no labor. My doctor also said that that a c/s after labor is the worst outcome for mom as compared to both planned c/s and a vaginal birth. Obviously, a vaginal birth is the optimal recovery scenario, c/s with no labor is 2nd, and labor and then c/s is last.
So that does weigh on me too. The thing that would keep me in the trying for a vbac camp is the possibility of more children. I have one and am pregnant with my 2nd. I may want a 3rd. I would feel a lot better going into a 3rd pregnancy if I was able to have a vbac. Plus I still want to do what I can to avoid surgery again. So those things are what generally keeps me in the vbac camp regardless of what potential birth fear I might have.
I didn't have your birth experience but if you absolutely do not want to labor and then end up with a c/s then it sounds like a rcs might be a better option for you. I know it's hard because we just don't know how it will go.
My first was induced 15 days late. After 60 hours of induction/labor/pushing, they decided it was time to do the c-section.
My second was induced 3 days late. After only 9 hours, I pushed out DD#2. She was a little smaller than her big sister, but the whole experience was different.
As my midwife liked to say, one delivery does not make a pattern. The second could be very different.
I do agee with you though, a 40 week restriction will definitely limit you. Will your provider induce you at 40 weeks, if you're dilated a little bit?
She doesn't schedule RCS past the due date... but if you are attempting vbac, can you go past that?
Since it's so hard to predict how this labor will go compared to your first, why don't you just opt for a VBAC, and then see how you feel at 40 weeks? Once you hit 40 weeks, you can always schedule a RCS then, vs deciding now. That will at least give you your full time.
And, it seems common practice to allow women to go to 41 weeks with a VBAC. So, maybe that extra week will help you decide.