Fact or Myth?

emmasue18 · June 2013

Hi, ladies! My first son was born vaginally with an epidural, second son I wanted to go naturally but had to have an emergency C-section due to placental abruption. So, the OB gave me the green light to attempt VBAC. I have heard some rumors and thought you could clear these up for me rather than asking a billion questions at the office. TIA!

Do you have to have an epidural during VBAC in preparation for a C-section if necessary?

Are you pressured to get an epidural early?

Can you be induced? If so, what methods of induction?

Do you have to have a birth plan to do a VBAC?

Can you labor at home for a bit or are you to go to the hospital right away?

What is the rate of successful VBACs?

Thank you so much, love reading your stories!!

cecilyandgautam · June 2013

I'll answer generally but finding a provider who supports you in your decisions will be key. I also recommend checking out VBACfacts.

1) An epidural is not required for a successful & safe VBAC.

2) Whether you get pressured to have one anyway will depend on the provider you choose.

3) Yes, ACOG now supports induction of VBACs.

4) You don't have to have a birth plan, but you may.

5) Your provider will have their own recommendations. My provider, with a 96% VBAC success rate, says to come in when labor is "well established" and kind of makes wide eyes when saying that but doesn't offer any specifics. When I said does that mean come in on the early side, she said no.

6) National VBAC success rate is 75%. Some providers have higher rates, some lower, and your own particular circumstances will of course factor into your chances of success. I'm going with a practice that has a 96% success rate and I think my chances are just as good as anyone else's at their practice. If I'm part of the 4% that ends up with a RCS, I can be at peace with that.

RumbleLina · June 2013

Do you have to have an epidural during VBAC in preparation for a Csection if necessary? No, I will not be having any pain medsAre you pressured to get an epidural early? Depends on your provider as I stated above, I will be having an unmedicated VBACCan you be induced? If so, what methods of induction? Yes and it depends on provider. Some will not induce while others will try AROM, pitocin, or foley bulb. Absolutely cannot using methods like Cervidil or Cytotec Do you have to have a birth plan to do a VBAC? No but I have one to discuss with my OB and make sure that my doula is in the same page as usCan you labor at homenbsp;for a bitnbsp;or are you to go to the hospital right away? Personal choice. I will be laboring at homeWhat is the rate of successful VBACs? So many factors play into this or each person such as medical history, previous births, even immediate family births. Each OB has their own success VBAC rate just like wach hospital has their own cesarean rate and I would suggest finding out yours to get a better rounded picture.

I would browse through VBACfacts.com. The website has a ton of great info regarding VBACing.

ETA: holy cow, mobile ate all the formatting. Ill fix it later on the computer.

palm513 · June 2013

It depends on your OB, and what their policies and the policies of the hospital you deliver at. For most of those questions.

I know some doctors don't like doing a VBAC without you being ready to go into surgery incase something happens. Although you CAN be induced, my doctor will not induce you. He will if labour slows give you a little pit. As far as I am going to plan is the baby is coming out and we are both going to be healthy. I plan on laboring at home until it is unbearable, or really contractions are really close together for a few hours. And every doctor has their own ratings, so you will have to find out what your doctors are.

penguingrrl · June 2013

Do you have to have an epidural during VBAC in preparation for a C-section if necessary? The hospital I had my first VBAC in did require that I have an epidural port placed, but whether or not to use it was entirely up to me. I opted to use it and am very glad I did because I ended up needing forceps assistance and would have needed drugs for that part regardless.

Are you pressured to get an epidural early? I was not pressured at all.

Can you be induced? If so, what methods of induction? I was induced for two VBACs. The first time my induction was scheduled when I was already 4 cm, so my OB thought I would go on my own before my induction. I did not, so she broke my water and gave me pitocin. The second time we planned to use a foley bulb to get me dilated enough for pitocin but that ended up unnecessary as I dilated to 3 on my own the night before. My inductions were due to hypertension.

Do you have to have a birth plan to do a VBAC? No, I did not have a specific birth plan either time. I researched like crazy to find the best OBs and most VBAC friendly practices possible (we moved between the two kids or I would have used the same). I then put m trust in my doctors to know what was best. I had two successful vaginal births following my c-section.

Can you labor at home for a bit or are you to go to the hospital right away? I'm not sure because I as induced due to gestational hypertension.

What is the rate of successful VBACs? I believe it's ver 60% success rate, possibly much higher.

My own thoughts. I had what I'm pretty sure was an unnecessary c-section with my first followed by two vaginal births. The recoveries were so much easier. And a c-section is major surgery. I do seriously feel that whenever you can safely avoid major surgery it's preferable since then you're recovering from birth and surgery while trying to care for a newborn.

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