VBAC
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Random thoughts (long)
I am due August 29th, so I have officially entered that odd limbo point where LO could be arriving in a week...or in 7! I feel like there is so much that I still need to do around the house to get ready (it is so much harder nesting with a two year old!) and while I can't wait, I am also realizing how little time is left to practice my breathing, etc...I had my birthing class this weekend and it was a mixed experience. I'm really glad we took it again, but it was weird being the only parents in a room full of first timers. When we got the info on various interventions (epidurals, vacuum extractions, c/s, etc) I was watching all of their faces and seeing the horror in them that I remebered feeling last time. Then I did the head count/ statically math and decided to share my story. I asked if any of them were planning C/S, and they all shook their heads no - then I pointed out that by the statistics, at least 2, possibly three of the woman in that room would need one. I shared how i had known the statistic with DS, but that even sitting in the room counting, while I had been amazed how many would need it, it never occurred to me that one of those woman would be me. It wasn't an option in my birthing plan. I was an all natural, med free, waterbirth girl - if anything I was ok with maybe needing pain meds, but no epidural, and I understood that I may not be able to have a water birth, but I would still labor in the tub. Fast forward to my due date when they discover DS was not head down, as they had thought all month, but was in fact breech, and it was "too late" to do anything about it. I was devastated - and I was also very uninformed. I had no idea what to expect from a C/S, and I was in no place mentally to start research...And stressed to the group that while I am fine now with the birth I had, that I wish I had been more open to begin with, I wish I had learned more about the various interventions before hand, and I wish I had planned a back up birth plan...That while it is great to go into L&D with high hopes for your best birth, it is important to remember, that at the end of the day the most important thing in bringing LO home with you...
anyway, I shared my story with a group of FTM and watching their faces (through my tears) as they seemed to realize that this COULD be them...so, hopefully my pain has helped reduce someone else's...and a lot of them, both the moms and dads, came up to my DH and I afterwards to thank us for sharing. I also realized how much pain I was still holding onto, and I think being able to share my experience and maybe help some other FTMs has really helped me move on more...
So the best part os the birthing class though - the c/s rate at the hospital is only 14%, far below the nations average, the VBAC success rate is 92% (way up there!!!So encouraging!), and episiodomy rate is only 2%! So while I'm going into this experience a lot more open minded that my birth may not end up being what I have in mind, I have so much more confidence in my choices...and I just keep telling myself (and being told by DH, and all the wonderful staff at the Birthing Center) that I CAN DO THIS!!!!!
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Re: Random thoughts (long)
It sounds like you were able to let some pain go from last time! That's great! My story is that I was so open minded that I just went with the flow. I don't think things would have been different if I had a birth plan, but wish I had been more informed on induction and pitocin increasing CS rates. All ended well and i had an easy recovery, but still hope for a vbac this time!