Vbac - pros and cons

lemonlimes · February 2014

My doctor has given me the option if a vbac. I know vaginal births are generally better. Is there anyone who decided against a vbac and if so, what were your reasons?

lemonlimes · February 2014

Thank you!

Abcollins57 · February 2014

I did decide not to try for vbac because I've had a lot of cramping which could indicate a lot of scar tissue. Once I weighed the risks, I decided that the chances of ending up in a c-section were pretty high and the recovery is harder after laboring so...it seemed the easier option to just schedule a section and know what to expect!

LyndseylovesHugh · February 2014

Abcollins57 said:
I did decide not to try for vbac because I've had a lot of cramping which could indicate a lot of scar tissue. Once I weighed the risks, I decided that the chances of ending up in a c-section were pretty high and the recovery is harder after laboring so...it seemed the easier option to just schedule a section and know what to expect!

This for me too, but not because of cramping/scar tissue. DD got stuck so i know there is a good chance that will happen again. The last thing I want is 36 hours of labor, 2.5 hours if pushing just to end up with a c/s like last time. I would rather go straight for the c/s and even though my doc said I could try for a vbac it was never something I considered.

momofmanyinthemitten · February 2014

I chose VBAC because I didn't want to have the restrictions after a surgery or to have the number of children I have be limited-my OB recommends no more than 4, and we are considering having more than that. I will say that my VBAC recovery was WAY harder and longer than my c/s recovery, but I know that's generally not the case.

rainydayluck · February 2014

I chose to go ahead with the RCS because I had two OBs mention that you may not have the incontinence issues in your 50s that you might have with multiple vaginal births. Also, I'm not planning on more than 2 or 3 kids. If you are planning more than that, VBACs are the better route. I really didn't feel "robbed" of a vaginal birth with DD, so I didn't feel I needed a VBAC to make up for it.
Those are MY reasons based on information I personally found important.
Edited to make the wording more general and ambiguous since folks are inferring things that were not implied. Specifically, the use of the words "may" and "might"

Rrrrrachel · February 2014

Full stop. Incontinence issues at any age are not in any way automatic with a vaginal birth. That's absurd.

rainydayluck · February 2014

Rrrrrachel said:
Full stop. Incontinence issues at any age are not in any way automatic with a vaginal birth. That's absurd.

Dear god. I never said you don't have incontinence issues as you get older. Nor did I say anything was automatic.
It is also not a good reason to increase elective c-sections. I said it was something mentioned to me as a pro to RSC.
Eta: if you are interested, there is a lot of research going on in that area. Here are some links. Forgive me because I am only familiar with the reputable journals in my field of work, not obstetrics.

https://www.womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/urinary-incontinence.html

https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa021788

https://www.obgmanagement.com/the-latest/past-issues-single-view/when-does-vaginal-delivery-invite-incontinence/f1208fd4fe9b1b4605e359d446fcfcbc.html

Rrrrrachel · February 2014

You said it was why you chose to have a rcs. Which I am seriously side eyeing.

rainydayluck · February 2014

Rrrrrachel said:

You said it was why you chose to have a rcs. Which I am seriously side eyeing.

Cool. Good for you.

pigtails1031777 · February 2014

I'm already pissing my pants daily. I guess I'm screwed
I had natural then c now shooting for a vbac.
I maybe shitting my pants by the end

iris427 · February 2014

joules235 said:

The best way to avoid incontinence is to do kegal strengthening and stretching. Before and after birthing.

A VBAC carries less risk than a RCS if you are a good candidate for VBAC. The reason RCS can be more popular is because it is a more controlled environment than a VBAC. Because of this it is also a smaller legal risk for doctors. I'm not saying that is bad thing because it is something doctors do have to consider. The risk of uterine rupture is very small but grows with each RCS. Induction can also be an issue as induced contractions are stronger than natural and may put more stress on a CS scar. A successful VBAC is also a good predictor of further successful VBAC's. The ICAN network has a ton of helpful and supportive information on VBAC.

Baby positioning is a huge factor is the success of any vaginal birth. Just because a baby gets stuck during one birth doesn't mean it will happen again. The baby has a specific path down the birth canal and will turn three times on the way out. Having your baby in a perfect starting position will only make things easier. There are many options for getting you baby and your body into great positions for birth. My favorites are Spinning babies and Webster technique chiropractic adjustments. Both are very helpful for numerous positioning challenges including breech, transverse and twins.

Well, it carries a different set of risks--I don't think it's really accurate to say one is safer than the other. VBAC increases the odds of fetal/neonatal mortality, while RCS increases the odds of maternal mortality. They are both very small absolute risks, but they are still real risks that should be considered.

lemonlimes · February 2014

Thank you for the replies

Smores730 · February 2014

I had a vaginal delivery and then a c/s and I'm wanting a vbac this time. The vaginal birth was a much easier recovery for me and that's saying a lot because I had complications with an infection after that delivery. The only thing that would deter me from attempting the vbac was if I wasn't considered a good candidate for it.

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