Attempting VBAC?

jelososhervy · April 2020

I was wondering if any of you will also be attempting a vaginal birth after Caesarean. How are you feeling about it?

chapenroe · April 2020

I applaud you for considering a vbac! I know this is a safe space so I feel comfortable admitting to you guys that I was actually relieved my first pregnancy was breech. I agreed to a C-section before the nurse could even finish her sentence. But I'll be monitoring this convo as I'm interested to hear why some women choose vbacs.

sierra2020 · April 2020

I will be attempting a VBAC. I have found a provider that is very VBAC supportive through local ICAN (International Cesarean Awareness Network) and am looking forward to meeting him! I attempted a natural labor last time, got to 9.5cm, but baby wouldn’t descend - he was posterior (sunny side up) and I think that prevented him. I will definitely be adding Webster Chiropractic work and more prenatal yoga focusing on hip flexibility, and hopefully this baby will find an ideal position for a VBAC!

As far as how I’m feeling about it... my beliefs as far as birth goals haven’t changed since last time. BUT I really couldn’t have asked for a better scenario last pregnancy and still ended up with a c/section. I did Spinning Babies, saw a midwife, had a doula, labored in a birth center, ate snacks during labor, drank red raspberry leaf tea, ate dates, stayed active during pregnancy, labored in different positions, in the tub/shower, etc. And it certainly wasn’t failure to progress. I truly believe that the only thing that could have changed my outcome would have been if baby was in a different position but he seemed “stuck” in posterior for weeks and was unable to rotate.

Even if I am unsuccessful again, I still know the hormones released during labor and the contractions are good for the baby, so I still want to attempt labor but beyond that I am okay with whatever happens!

willashbaby · April 2020

I have SOOOOOO many friends who have had successful VBACs! Biggest positive to it is simply that the recovery from a vaginal birth is typically much easier than a Cesarean. I had one friend who had a vaginal birth, followed by two cesareans, followed by a VBAC so it's often possible.

@RookieAlert my guy was sunny side up. I managed to get him out but he also had shoulder dystocia so that was NOT fun. He ended up with a birth injury. Cosmetic only but still, a cephalohematoma. In most cases they go away but his calcified. It's much less noticeable as he's gotten older but it'll always be there. No matter what we all do our best.

bearmomma1 · April 2020

I’m hoping for a VBAC! I haven’t spoken to my Dr about it yet but will when it comes up. My first was sunny side up with the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck. Eventually, Every push caused her heart rate to drop. After 3 hours of pushing they finally had to do a c-section. She had a cone head from being stuck and me pushing so hard 😂. Hoping this time we can monitor and make sure the babe is not sunny side up before I start trying for vaginal birth. If they are, then Ill just go straight for c-section and not even bother trying to labor.

JBcakes08 · April 2020

@willashbaby my daughter also had shoulder dystocia! She was just under 10 lbs and got stuck behind my pubic bone. Possible TW**She wasn't breathing after delivery due to being stuck so long and had the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck as well. She is a healthy 2 year old now End TW**
I had a C Section with my 2nd due to my OB telling me it was the most traumatic delivery of her career. I'm so sorry to hear your son suffered a birth injury. My daughter only had cosmetic damage that healed.

I will have a C Section again this time - recovery was very hard but both of my kids were born at 10 lbs and this one is likely to be the same.

willashbaby · April 2020

@JBcakes08 that's what's so crazy, he WASN'T that big! 8.4lbs, but his shoulders were HUGE. He could hold his head up from birth

him rocking back and forth on my pubic bone is what got him the cephalohematoma.

lindsaym2106 · April 2020

A VBAC would be something I would be interested in, but I don't think it will work for me. My first was natural and second was a C-section. He was stuck and couldn't come down anymore so we had to do a C-Section. In my follow up visits my doctor told me she wasn't surprised, She didn't think my first was going to even fit ( keep in mind my kids were 5lbs and 6lbs) so if this was is at least 6 I think i will have to do a C-Section

jelososhervy · April 2020

Thank you all for sharing.
@chapenroe I definitely can understand that, no judgement here.
I really really would like a vbac this time, but obviously we all are hoping for a nice, smooth one. Its just that, even though my recovery was really well, I still will never forget how dead I felt even 24 hours after the surgery and how painful it was to cough or laugh and hold my baby for days after it. It gave me some sort of depression to be so weak. A lot of my friends who delivered vaginally said they were of course tired but they were ready to stand up almost immediately after. My mom also said out of 6 of her deliveries, the 1 c-section was the hardest one. I also felt awful that I couldn't hold my baby, I've heard that in the States you can, but here they tie your hands up.

Sorry for the long post omg! Anyway I was fully dilated for more than 3 hours but she got stuck so they opted for the surgery. Hopefully the fact that i was fully dilated works in my favor!

bkinn26 · April 2020

I would like to attempt VBAC and my established OBGYN is experienced and supportive of VBACs. I am still educating myself on it all though. I am hoping it works out since recovery from my C Section was scary and took a toll. I had an infection pop up in my incision about 3 weeks after delivery and that was traumatic and it took twice as long for recovery. My first child was a vaginal delivery and even though I tore, the healing process was so much more manageable!

jelososhervy · April 2020

@bkinn26 I think you definitely have a good chance since you already had one vaginal before! Thanks for sharing how both recoveries went. People think a c-section is easier, but not necessarily the case

chapenroe · April 2020

@jelososhervy your comment about hands being tied up caught my attention! Where are you located? And for how long are hands tied up- just during the surgery?

karmba · April 2020

I ended up with a CS after a failed induction with DS. His heart rate kept dropping with each contraction and he ended up having the cord wrapped around his neck a few times. It took 48 hours from the start of the induction until the CS and it was rough.

This time I'm open to a VBAC if I go into labor naturally before a scheduled CS, but I refuse to be induced again.

jelososhervy · April 2020

@chapenroe in Croatia. Just during the surgery. And theres no skin to skin after. Really dumb. Makes it a really difficult experience. Very violating. Mind you it was not an emergency operation, just labour was taking too long so they did it.

charmedlifex3 · April 2020

I haven't decided.
(TW difficult labor)
In my brain - I know this is not what C sections are normally like. But this makes me so scared of either a repeat CS or a VBAC ending in a repeat CS.

My first, I went all the way to pushing, then about an hour in, I had what they thought was a seizure - turned out to be a stroke- and I had an emergency "crash" c section. I had very little pain medication, I was awake, and it was 90 seconds from rolling into the OR to birth. They basically ripped him out of me to try to save our lives.
My husband did skin to skin for hours watching as a code blue was called and teams went running by to save my life.

willashbaby · April 2020

@the_road_to_oz oh my, hugs to you. FWIW from friends I know who have had both, planned c sections go much smoother (typically) and the recoveries are much better than crash. Hugs again.

bkinn26 · April 2020

@the_road_to_oz what a scary experience 💕 I hope this one is a lot smoother and simple for you!

jelososhervy · April 2020

@the_road_to_oz omg i literally got goosebumps. Was there any known cause for the stroke? Thats really something to go through for your 1st birth experience but I'm sure it's safe to say it won't happen like that again. I mean what are the chances. I'm sure it will go smooth this time. And how scary it was for your husband too, goodness.

antera23 · April 2020

I’m not sure. I hadn’t even thought of a VBAC until recently because I didn’t think I would be a candidate. My son was an induction at 39 weeks because of gestational diabetes. I was in labor for almost two days and only got to a 3 because of the stupid balloon making me go from a 1.5 to a 3 at the end of the first day. My son also never engaged. He started moving down after the balloon was inserted and by the next morning had moved right back up and was floating around

he was 10lbs 14oz so I think he just wasn’t going to fit lol.

I’m going to ask my doctor her opinion of a VBAC but I’m expecting her answer to be no. I had a wonderful c-section experience even with some scary stuff so I wouldn’t be mad about having another one. I am a little concerned about how I will manage after a c-section with a 18 month old and a newborn though. So we will see as it gets closer.

knottie481d499b5308d20a · May 2020

I haven't decided yet. I would love to give birth naturally but it also terrifies me. But then again, the pain after the cesarean was intense, and having a newborn and a 2 year old to look after will be very difficult if I do go down the cesarean path.

I don't know. It's still early days.

hadassah2020 · May 2020

I'm having to go c section again for the third time, first two unplanned and this one I was told not to attempt vbac. I would have liked to but the health of my baby and me come first. I will have a 4 year old and 2 year old to look after... But either decision is a good one. I've had friends choose both ways and both of them are happy with their decisions.

charmedlifex3 · May 2020

@jelososhervy at the time - no. We found out afterwards (almost a year later!!!) I have two holes in my heart. So under pressure my heart shunts blood back before it’s been filtered, so micro clots were getting where they didn’t belong. I’m on blood thinners now to prevent it, which I think is part of my mfm thinking a vbac might make sense.

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