Any VBACers with a story to tell?

Hi all,

I am hoping someone is willing to share their story.  I have one DS, whos now 20 mnths born by emergnecy c section.  I have 3 mnths til the birth of his little brother or sister. 

My c sec, was as a result of fetal distress after nearly 60 hours in and out of labour due to failed and successful inductions.  I had every drug going during that labour and it was eventually the Syntocin that caused his heart rate to drop and I was whisked off to theatre.

This time I have spent the beginning of the pregnancy begging to have another c section as I don't know whether I am strong enough to potentially go through it all again only to end up with an cs anyway.  Yesterday I was given a date.  BUT.... I am now wondering whether I should at least have a go.  I know some people will think I am coping out by electing and others may agree with me, but I really would be very grateful for some VBAC experiences, the good, the bad and the ugly.

Heres hoping.

Rachel

Hi Rach,

Just about to read your post on the thread I started, but wanted to say that I too had been thinking about normal delivery...but then I start thinking what if it all happens again.  It's a really tricky one...I have section date for 12th jan, so I think if I went into labour before that then I'll try for a normal delivery, but if not I'll stick with section.

Danielle X

Hi

My first DS is now 2 and he was born by emergency c-section after going two weeks late, having 70 hours in labour with failure to progress and attempts to induce... I did get to 10cm dilated eventually but after pushing for some time he got into severe distress and was discovered he was stuck so was c-section.... was an awful traumatic experience and resulted in him in SCBU and me in high dependancy on treatment for high temp & infections... I was adament to try a natural birth second time round as was terrified of going through that all again but I did doubt myself a good few times and wondered if it would be better for my emotions to go for elective c-section but I am soooooooo glad I stuck to my wish for VBAC and his brother who is 1 so only 12 months later... he arrived naturally after a very short and straightforward labour... it was fast & furious and yes it HURTS but it was far better than the experience I had a year prior with his older brother!! And unlike the week long stay with my first DS, I was home 7 hours later drinking a cuppa in my own house and feeling fab... a wonderful experience!!

It is a tough call and it is a personal one... I was very lucky to have such a positive VBAC experience. Go with your heart & gut feeling... think about what you would regret if you chose one option or the other... I would defo recommend a vbac attempt as I always saw it that at any point I could request a section and so went with the flow knowing worst case was another section so was mentally prepared... and to achieve a much wished for vbac was a wonderful and healing experience.

Good luck what ever you decide... and neither option is a cop out!

Take care, M xx

Hi Rach, is there a support group locally or at your hospital? we are lucky enough to have a birth choices after cesarian group and they have had 4 ''graduates'' so far who have all had v bacs one lady had a home birth after 2 c-sections!! it is a very personal thing and if you believe you can do it and have faith in your body and the fact that this next birth could be soooooo different from the first you're 90% there.

hope it all goes really well for you, what ever you decide babies got to come out some how so you will have another beautiful baby soon and the birth will be a memory again! can't believe its nearly a year since it was me waiting to have my february baby!!

xxxx

Thank you Maria for your VBAC experience, I was beginning to think there was no-one out there with a good story to tell.

Vicky, no sadly no such support group at my local hospital...and not really much support either.  I have random MW's and will get whoever is on duty on the day I go in, so I haven't really got the option of having that continuity.

Well, recently I have been feeling rather positive towards having a go, but since watching the Amanda Holden documentary I think I am back to a c section again.  I am quite happy with the idea of having an epidural, after the pain of the last labour, this is not something I am worried about, however, a lot of epidural births are aided births, such as foreceps or vontouse (sp.).  I do NOT want either of these.  I would rather have baby by c section if that were the case.  So I am now thrown back into confusion.  I know it was only TV, and that it was one example of a vontouse delivery, but thats enough for me.

Is there anyone else out there with a positive VBAC experience??  Or negative?

R xx

I had a kiwi delivery its like a really small suction cap about 2 inches diameter that just aided her down cause Id puch and she'd descend and then go back again and she needed to come out it was now 5 days of labour and 2hrs of pushing but that bit only seemed like about 10minutes! its preferred in most hospitals to a vountousse but Id got it in my birth plan Id rather have this than vontousse or forceps (what d'ya know the listened!!)

I tihnk given the option of knowing what day, time etc you will have your baby and also  knowing exactly what to expect with the c section as opposed to the unknown potentially long painful labour ending in the same result Id be tempted to stick to the 'familiar' option but you are thinking about it and obviously a little part of you really wants a go, are you definatley going to have an epidural? it is true they do have a greater risk of intervention but less so if you have a mobile epidural where you can move around still and top it up yourself. its something worth looking nto if you go for a vbac its instead of the complete spinal block I know a few girls who have had one on here during an induction and it all went great!

I think what Danielle is doing is a good idea, keep your dae to fall back on but if bubs starts to arrive before then, have a go!! if your date comes round and you don't want a c-section and want to have a v-bac that's fine its your labour you can do WHATEVER you want!! its a shame you haven't got a regular MW are you able to talk to or hire a doula? they are AMAZING!!

take care xxx

I have a positive vbac story to tell!

My DS was born just over 2 years ago by emergency cs because he was found to be back-to-back causing me incredible pain and all the pushing I was doing wasn't getting him out. I ended up have entenox, epidural and then finally a spinal for the cs.

When I found out I was pregnant again my first thought was on the birth, but I was determined to go naturally. I got to full term and had to return to see my consultant to book in for an induction at 42 weeks, I was getting extremely nervous by that stage as I knew baby would begin really piling on the weight and thought this would put more pressure on the scar. So when the consultant offered me a sweep I took it. Felt a little odd after it was done then the following morning I woke up with contractions. Eventually headed into the hospital and with just entenox I managed to deliver my DD. I felt really proud of myself but there were certainly stages of it that I thought I wasn't going to be able to do it and that a cs would be better - my DD decided to put her hand up by her face which caused a similar pain to my DS back-to-back.

Ultimately it is your choice. My SIL had an emergency cs with her first and the following 2 births she has opted for elective cs. At the end of the day we each have healthy babies so does it really matter the way they arrived? If you want to try naturally do it. People ask me what is the best way - I'd say cs for the labour and natural for the recovery - I was home after 5hrs and after a couple of days feeling a little 'tender' I felt so much better.  

Good luck with whatever you decide!

Hi, sorry I am not going to be much help but I will be watching this thread for some advice for myself!

While pregnant with my first I had a DVT so was treat for this with blood thinning treatment which meant my labour had to be monitored and controlled which meant induction 2 weeks early, after 8 hours of pushing, I ended with a ventouse delivery, everything was fine with baby though, although I had to have an episiotomy.

2nd baby, same story, had to be induced due to DVT treatment, this time I laboured for 4 days, baby was very distressed as was I so she was delivered by emergency C Section.

This time around I have spoke to my consultant about a natural delivery (well not without drugs of course) she is really happy to help me achieve VBAC on the condition that I understand I won't be able to have an epidural due to the blood thinning meds I am on. I am sure I will regret this but there are other drugs!

I am just so excited about not knowing when it is all going to happen as both times I have been booked in and knew roughly when I was going to have baby. I want the feeling of going into labour naturally and letting my body take over rather then the hospital staff.

Although I agree that is shouldn't matter as long as baby is healthy, I also think that yes how we deliver is also a big deal, I felt so useless as a mother when I was unable to deliver my baby and unable to feed her as milk comes in late after a section that I ended up suffering really badly with PND.

Rachel, sorry I am no help but I hope you (and all of us) get the successful VBACs we want and that all babies are happy and healthy

xxx claire 15 weeks today xxx