VBAC chat

kindbytealikat · June 2019

This is a place to share VBac stories, both success and failures. Also for mommas who are having to weigh the option of a VBAC. Pretty much anything VBAC related.

jal88144 · June 2019

Just sharing a couple of things I'm doing differently this time (and aiming to do differently this time)

1- I switched providers to an all midwife group who are 100% supportive and encouraging of VBACs

2- Delivering at a VBAC friendly and high number of VBAC rate hospital

3- Going to 42 weeks before talking about next steps

4- Requested that they never break my water during my labor unless they completely need to. In both my previous births my baby's heart rate plummeted once they broke my water.

5- MOVING around as much as I can. I will NOT be confined to a bed on my back.

6- Going med free

7- And probably the biggest thing my midwife said that will make a difference, stay at home as long as possible. I have a 40 minute drive to the hospital but I'm hoping to get there just a transition time ha.

creamcheeseplease · June 2019

** lurking from November **

I am also going to attempt a VBAC, assuming no complications arise in the last half of this pregnancy that would prevent that. I am curious about staying at home as long as possible @jal88144, my doctor specifically told me they would prefer to monitor me much sooner in the labor process. So I'm interested in what others have been told as well.

My doctor is supportive of my VBAC attempt but she did only estimate my success at a 60% chance, which she said is "pretty good" but doesn't sound that great to me.

Has anyone seen stats recorded that give a hospital's success at VBAC attempts? I haven't seen anything like that, but I only briefly looked. All I got was the overall C section stat.

jal88144 · June 2019

@creamcheeseplease mine specifically told me to stay home because I’m fairly certain the cascade of interventions led to my c. Because of the previous c, I would have
to be hooked up to continuous fetal heart monitors which would give me less freedom to move around and keep labor progressing. So if I’m at home, no monitors, free to move and change positions , etc. They are very lax about laboring at home and treat this labor as they would any other birth, regardless of a previous c.

You should be able find the vbac success stats from your practice or the hospital.

steminist · June 2019

Not me, but a friend of mine had an emergency CS with her first (I think he was stuck in her pelvis?) But then her next three were successful VBACs. I don't know a ton about the full details, but I wanted to pass on the encouragement! I hope everyone in this thread gets to have the birth experience they are hoping for! ♥️

cmbt2 · June 2019

I’m not sure if she’s still has her account here, but one of my friends from Jan’15 has had 3 successful VBACs. Her first was breeched, so she had a c section. Her OB kept telling her the baby would flip,
and then it was too late

The second was a VBAC #1 with epidural. She had switched to a MW group and started doing everything she could to flip the kid at 30/32w when breeched, which was successful

the third was an unmedicated VBAC (this was her Jan’15 baby). Baby was breeched and refused to turn, but they were able to do a successful version.

#4 was also an unmedicated VBAC. It was a super quick labor. I don’t remember her mentioning baby being breeched at all.

a word of warning, though- everyone I know who wanted a VBAC was told
they had until 41w to go into labor on their own or it was an automatic RCS. I only know one woman who was able to get induced at that point, and she was not in the States.

jal88144 · June 2019

cmbt2 said:

I’m not sure if she’s still has her account here, but one of my friends from Jan’15 has had 3 successful VBACs. Her first was breeched, so she had a c section. Her OB kept telling her the baby would flip,
and then it was too late

The second was a VBAC #1 with epidural. She had switched to a MW group and started doing everything she could to flip the kid at 30/32w when breeched, which was successful

the third was an unmedicated VBAC (this was her Jan’15 baby). Baby was breeched and refused to turn, but they were able to do a successful version.

#4 was also an unmedicated VBAC. It was a super quick labor. I don’t remember her mentioning baby being breeched at all.

a word of warning, though- everyone I know who wanted a VBAC was told
they had until 41w to go into labor on their own or it was an automatic RCS. I only know one woman who was able to get induced at that point, and she was not in the States.

You have to either be pushy about going past 41 weeks or find a new practice. I'm traveling 40 minutes (which isn't too bad) to go to a practice that goes to 42 weeks.

PenelopeSnuz77 · June 2019

My first baby was breech, scheduled CS. My second was a successful VBAC. Here are the things I recommend to increase success rate:

-Find a fully supportive provider. There is a difference between a VBAC supportive, VBAC tolerant, and a doctor that pretends to be supportive until the end of your pregnancy and then is suddenly not supportive or tries to scare you. The right provider will vastly increase your chance for success. Midwifery is rapidly growing in popularity for exactly this reason. I go to a midwife practice that has an affiliated OB. I see the OB for my first appt and then never again unless there is some medical reason that would lead me to another CS.

-A supportive provider will let you go to 42 weeks before even talking about scheduling a CS. They don’t estimate the size of your baby or make comments about how big the baby is and question if baby is “too big” for you to birth. My practice will induce at 42 weeks if you would like to try that before scheduling a CS.

-Hire a doula. They are incredibly knowledgeable about med-free and non-invasive pain relief methods and emotional support. Research shows that doula care decreases CS rate by 39% and birth time by 41 minutes.

-labor at home as long as you can!

-learn every detail about birth and what your options ACTUALLY are. Evidence based knowledge is power.

-join your local ICAN Facebook group. You will have access to endless VBAC stories (successful and not, and all kinds from hospital to home) and provider stories to help you make an informed and empowered decision.

Happy to talk it through! I loved my experience and was so happy I did it. The right provider and support team makes all the difference!

jal88144 · July 2019

I just discovered a VBAC podcast if anyone is interested - “The VBAC Link”. I’ve been listening for the past week and it provides lots of encouraging stories as well as great vbac facts.

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