Lately, I have been beating myself up about the fact that having my birth plan to deliver DS vaginally had failed. I was induced a few days early for high BP, in labor for about 27 hours, pushed for nearly 3 hours and then ended in a c-section. I was told I was too small and that he ended up flipping to be sunny side up, so that didn't help either. He was 7 lbs and 8 oz at birth. What was most frustrating, was that once they stopped the pitocin to get me ready for my surgery, my contractions stopped immediately! Which makes me think my body just wasn't ready for actual labor and if I had went on my own I could have had a different ending result.
I just keep kicking myself and thinking that I failed to go into labor myself and failed to be able to push him out. This was something I was fine with until recently. (also posted about this on c-section board)
I have to say that knowing that a VBAC could possibly be an option for my 2nd, when we decide to have one 2-3 years down the road, is really giving me hope that my next one could go more the way I would want. ** Esp. since the nurse at the hospital said, "well next time will be less painful because you won't be feeling it from both ends, you'll just have a c-section"... ** So I have been thinking this whole time that I would never have the chance to try vaginally again! However, It also makes me nervous that I'll get to the same point and will end up with the same results.
How did you decide that this was for you, and how did you get past the fears that you could end up with a c-section again? Not that I had a bad experience, my stay was wonderful and the staff were fantastic, but I really want to have the opportunity for my body to go into labor on its own and to have a vaginal delivery.
I am so grateful for this board, and honestly knowing there are options makes me kick myself a little less
Re: Just starting my research....
I have no experience but don't know that anyone who is VBACing gets past the fear or concern or having a c/s again until the point of the child being born. As you know, things can change rather quickly. I know I will be scared shiitless for the same outcome since I was put under for my son's birth and all that happened up until the point of him almost crowning. I have no idea how I would handle missing another child being born or that I will get over that fear until my child is born. Even with a c/s I would have that concern though.
My c/s was a very similar scenario. I was induced, pushed for 2 hours or so with a sunny side up baby, and ended up with a c/s. My OB said my pelvis was too small and I would never be able to deliver vaginally unless I had a preemie (um, wtf?).
I decided to try for a VBAC because if I believed if I did not, I would always regret it and wonder if I could have delivered vaginally. I was worried that I would just end up pushing and have a c/s again, but I decided I was willing to take that risk for a shot at a vaginal birth. One thing that helped me was making a c/s birth plan in case the VBAC didn't work out. That way even if the birth didn't go how I wanted, I could hopefully still have a voice in the way things went and make it a positive birth experience.
I ended up having a wonderful VBAC with a full-term baby who was a couple ounces bigger than my first. Baby #2 was in a good position and that made a huge difference. So it is definitely possible to have a VBAC after this kind of scenario. GL!