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I'm afraid of another c section AND the vbac I hope to have!
I just found out I'm expecting my second child, super exciting! So here I am, about to go to bed for the night, but instead decided to do some research.
See, my first birth was traumatic to say the least. It didn't go the way I wanted, the epidural caused a spinal fluid leak and a spinal headache that caused me to be unable to enjoy my son or care for him except to feed him for the first week until it was finally figured out what was wrong with me. I had a c section with him.
My husband and I are signing up for Bradley Method classes, I'd really like to have a natural birth this time. But I'm really really scared.
I mean, I keep reading that the chance of uterine rupture is very small during a VBAC, but I've also read alot of doctors don't recognize it until it's too late. What if this happens to me? What if I have another traumatizing birth? Uterine rupture sometimes involves a hysterectomy, and I don't want to stop at two children. So many things are worrying me about this.
If anyone as successfully had a VBAC, or had a successful Bradley Method birth, or better yet both, I could really use some words of encouragement right now! I'm terrified!
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jen, Mom365 Host on -
I was scared, too. I had a c-section with my son and the whole thing was just awful. I wanted a vaginal birth so much with my son and it just didn't happen. I was convinced that I wouldn't be able to have a VBAC, but I thought I should at least try. At my 40 week appointment I asked for a scheduled c-section. My midwife talked me out of it. I'm so glad she did.
Uterine rupture isn't going to happen. Try not to worry about it. I do know one woman who it happened to, and she said it was so painful that she knew exactly what had happened. Both she and baby are fine, but yes, she did have a hysterectomy. She was older and had a classical (up and down) scar. Transverse scars are better located and stronger.
I had a perfect VBAC. I can't even express how much easier it was to recover from a vaginal birth. Yes, I did tear, and yes it hurt to sit on the toilet for about a week, but that was it. I could move around and do everything I wanted to do right away.
I have another friend who had a VBA2C. She and I both have big babies. My daughter was 9 pounds 10 ounces at 40 weeks, 1 day. Her son was 9 pounds 13 ounces at 41 weeks. Please note that not only were our babies big, but they were also given the time to come on their own.
You can do this. Believe me, after you do it, you will feel more amazing than you can imagine. Yes, having a baby via c-section is still an incredible event, but it doesn't compare to the awe inspiring power you feel after you push out your baby.
When you're in the moment, pushing, you're not going to even ponder the idea of a rupture. You're going to be so busy feeling the contractions and pushing through them that there won't be anything left in your mind. :)
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Permalink Reply by Erika, Star Mom on -
Thank you for the wonderful response, I didn't think I was going to get any. I am definitely feeling better about it from what you're telling me :)
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Permalink Reply by Crystal Arbon on -
I knew I wanted to have a VBAC after my first was a c-section, but really neither option seemed like a good one, so I totally understand what you are going through. A potentially dangerous and painful c-section with a longer recovery, or a potentially dangerous VBAC. My husband and my doctor both tried to talk me into the c-section, but I am so thankful I went with my gut.
It was an amazing experience and so so so much better than my c-section experience. I think one big reason that it was so nice and easy was the hospital. I would really recommend researching potential hospitals' policies on VBACs. Make sure that they will have a nurse dedicated to you through the entire delivery in case there are any complications. If you can, find out whether they are "friendly" to VBACs. I know some hospitals prefer not to do them and will try to pressure you into a c-section.
Good luck on your delivery!
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Permalink Reply by atimbrook25 on
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Just a little over a year ago I gave birth to my fourth child. My first two children were born vaginally with an epidural, with my third I was told it would be safer to have a c-section due to my having an umbilical hernia. When I learned I was pregnant with my fourth child and my regular OB doctor had returned she questioned the reason I had been told to have a c-section.
My daughter was due in Jan. and I started going into labor on Halloween night, I made several trips to the hospital and ended up on bed rest and medication to keep me from going into labor again. When I reached 35 weeks my OB took me off the medication and I went into labor about a week later and of course my doctor wasn't on call. I ended up having her at 3:30 in the morning after being admitted at 7 pm. The only pain medication I was given was a shot of Demerol which done nothing. In the end I barely even had to push and she was on the bed before the doctor had even washed his hands.
All in all it wasn't really that bad and I had no problems of any kind during labor or afterward, just ask your doctor how many VBACS they have dealt with to be sure you have the right doc :)
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Permalink Reply by Mommy of 4 on
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Ericka, I think you should absolutely give it a shot. I had a WONDERFUL experience with mine. My first 2 children were normal vaginal deliveries. My 3rd was a c-section, and it was without a doubt the most horrible pain I have ever experienced. I cannot believe there are women who actually request one. When I got pregnant with #4, I told my doc there was no way in he-double hockey sticks was I EVER going to have a c-section again. She was very supportive. After she saw the horror I went through, she said, we will definately try VBAC. It was amazing. Had no complications whatsoever. I was up out of bed in mere minutes after giving birth and felt great. Some of my c-section complications were an infected incision, and I had SEVERE swelling of face, legs,and arms, that only went down due to a water pill, and experienced dizziness for MONTHS after the birth. I think they gave me too much epidural, but that was never proven. My 3rd had to be a c-section due to failure to progress. I was fully dialated, but after 2 hours of pushing, he just wasn't moving down the canal. (Another reason why I think I had too much epidural; I couldn't feel anything when I was pushing. This happened with #4, too, and I made them turn down the epidural.) He ended up being my biggest baby, not sure if that had anything to do with it or not, since #4 came out just fine on his own, and there was only a 2oz difference in their weight. You cannot "do a VBAC" or not "do a VBAC" based on other peoples experiences, you must do what you feel is right for you, but I would not dismiss it purely based on uterine rupture. Complications can happen with any birth. I listened to my body, and I knew it liked vaginal MUCH better. Good luck to you and your new little one!
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Permalink Reply by Shannon, Star Mom on
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I have never had a VBAC, but I had a pretty traumatizing experience with the vaginal birth and recovery for my first pregnancy. I thought I was doing everything the right way, but my body didn't respond well somewhat during and following the birth (I had to go in to the OR for an emergency surgery only 2 hours after I delivered). The second pregnancy, everything was ready for me to have a vaginal birth for my twins (both babies were in the right position and everything) but I went with my gut feeling and decided a scheduled C-section was best. Every one tried to talk me out of it, however they did not experience what I dealt with. I had many conversations with my midwife and she felt I knew my body best and it was 100% up to me what I was most comfortable with. I think each and every woman has different experiences when it comes to birth, so since we know our bodies best I say always go with your gut feeling. If you feel scared to go through with another C-section then there is a reason and your body is telling you what is best for you. I am so glad that I responded to my gut b/c the C-section was a breeze for me (again, every woman is different that is why I could never tell you C-section would be best for you, and you could never tell me vaginal would be best for me... it is 100% something that can vary from woman to woman and only you know your body best... so don't be scared, trust your instincts on this one!!).
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Permalink Reply by Val Wiggins on
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I was in the same boat - surprise c-section for my first, and I worked hard to fight for the VBAC. They said if there were any complications, I'd have to go c-section.
Make sure that WEEKS in advance, your baby is in the right position. The baby is harder to turn on the day of delivery.
My baby was turned the wrong way for my vbac, but I stuck it out and made it. My last 2 were vaginal without any complications.
It's worth trying for the VBAC. Be has healthy as you can be, exercise as safely as possible. You can do this. Even an episiotomy is far better than the c-section, and your body will be in a better position for a future child for the rest of your LIFE!
Good luck!
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Permalink Reply by sneakierbiscuit on
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My first child was born by emergency c-section at term due to severe pre-ecclampsia. The operating table was not my ideal place to give birth. I'd rather give birth sitting on a public bus than splayed out on my back, unable to move my lower body, cold and frightened in surgery.
I had a VBAC with my second child. I did it for me, I did it for her, and I did it for my future children. Every c-section increases the likelihood of problems with future pregnancies, especially placental problems like placenta accreta, and increases the risk of uterine rupture. I even did it for my little boy, who was just a toddler and would still need my care when the new baby arrived. If I'd had a c-section I wouldn't have been able to pick him up for 6 weeks. The doctor didn't see this as a problem - when I asked how I was to care for my 18 month old while recovering from a c-section, she said I could just put him in a wheely contraption and wheel him around the house. Clearly the woman had never had her own children to care for.
I had to fight for my VBAC. I changed OB's because my first OB insisted on scheduling me for an elective c-section at 39 weeks when I'd made it clear I did not want an elective c-section. That OB gave me scare stories about cases of uterine rupture she'd seen. But I don't make decisions based on emotive scare stories. I'm a logical sort and I prefer to make my decisions based on good research and a thorough examination of the risks, pros and cons of a decision. I only wanted to have a c-section if it was absolutely necessary.
I found a VBAC-friendly OB. Even he said that due to hospital policy I'd have to have an IV, continuous external fetal monitoring, and labor "according to the curve - dilate a centimeter every hour or two."
I studied medical anthropology in college, and my husband's a mathematician. I did the research through medical journal articles and metastudies. He looked up the statistics methodology we'd need. We worked out my personal risk for a ruptured uterus, and it was very low, and of course the chance of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality is way lower than that. My risk of uterine rupture was lower than the average woman's risk for a "prolapsed cord" - and a prolapsed cord has worse fetal mortality rates than a ruptured uterus. Yet, they don't make *all* women go to hospital, have IVs inserted, and continuous electronic fetal monitoring in case of a prolapsed cord.
Bah.
Not to mention the whole basis for the "labor curve" has been thoroughly debunked, and even if it hadn't the average (which the curve represents) includes women above it who labor quite normally for a longer period of time, or who dilate suddenly toward the end of labor rather than regularly during it. Some women give birth before they're 10 centimeters dilated too. That dilation thing is kind of a rule of thumb, but is not a precise indicator - not even close.
Well, I didn't follow the curve, but it didn't matter because I refused all interventions. My water broke early, but I wasn't at risk of infection despite the long labor because I did not have cervix exams. In America, the "countdown clock" starts ticking when a woman's water breaks - she's expected to deliver within 24 hours or they fear infection. However, in parts of Europe - where they have significantly better maternal health outcomes, I might add - the countdown doesn't begin until 24 hours after the first cervix check after the water breaks. This is because they recognize that any infection is due to bacteria being introduced to the area from outside due to cervix checks. I simply avoided the whole problem by not allowing anyone to potentially introduce bacteria to my uterus. And the irregular release of amniotic fluid (it continues to regenerate if you stay hydrated) would flush any bacteria away. My waters "broke" 5-6 times during labor. We did monitor my temperature every hour as a measure to ensure I was not suffering an infection. And of course, we monitored my pulse, blood pressure, and baby's heart-rate regularly. Although I didn't accept continuous electronic fetal monitoring - research has shown that it increases the number of c-sections *without* a corresponding significant improvement in fetal outcomes. Needless to say, the medical personnel weren't happy with me, but I had prepared a folder with an extensive refusal of treatments, with reference to the latest research, medical journals, and World Health Organization best practice, so they kind of had to give in. And yes, they made me sign a legal form acknowledging all the risks of a VBAC, when I didn't get anything like the extent of that form for the risks of a C-section the first time.
It's yet another example of the medical system making an assumption that turns out to be incorrect. Previously, it was episiotomies. It was assumed that a straight surgical cut would heal better than a natural tear. So for a long time it was just done routinely, until finally somebody thought to study it. Turns out that in the majority of cases, a natural tear heals better than an episiotomy. In this case, it's assumed that continuous monitoring of the baby's heart rate would improve outcomes. Turns out, in the majority of cases, it increases interventions unnecessarily because outcomes are not improved.
My labor was 55 hours - the last 2 hours were pushing. And it was fine. It was only the last two hours that were hard, but I was in a zone and the pain was soon forgotten. I'm so glad I had a natural birth - I didn't have any trouble pushing, no medication side-effects to worry about, no grogginess, no needles. None of that hassle. My hormone levels were doing what they are supposed to do, rather than having pitocin raise the levels of oxytocin in my body to increase contraction strength (and pain) but synthetic oxytocin doesn't cross the blood-brain barrier, leaving your brains chemicals not affected by this "bonding hormone" as they should be. And most importantly, I wasn't separated from my little child after birth (as I would be in a c-section situation), I didn't have the horrible recovery. It was so much easier to recover from a vaginal birth. And it was easier to feel bonded with my baby. Fantastic experience. I'd choose it again in a heartbeat, given an otherwise low-risk pregnancy.
They wanted to label my labor as "failure to progress" - but it did progress, just not according to the cookie-cutter schedule they try to impose on laboring women. It progressed just fine. My little girl is now 13mo, her brother 2.5 years old, and I know that when my next child comes along, I'll be planning on another VBAC.
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Permalink Reply by Super Mommy on
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I've been a type 1 diabetic for almost 30 years. I had my daughter with a c-section. It was a pretty easy recovery for me... I was just super excited to have my baby, and despite being a diabetic, I healed pretty quickly with very little pain. But when I got pregnant with my son, I really wanted to go vaginally with him. My doc said NO WAY. Being a diabetic, I am super high risk. So we scheduled a c-section. I was disappointed.
And then because of my husband's work, we moved to Phoenix, Arizona my last month of pregnancy. I found a specialty hospital... one that specializes in high risk pregnancies and deliveries. They said that I wasn't as high risk as most of the women they see, and there was absolutely no reason I couldn't attempt a vbac if I wanted to.
My point is, many doctors don't feel comfortable with attempting vbacs. But there are high risk specialists that will encourage you to give it a try. High risk specialists are equipped to detect and quickly respond to any complications.
I successfully delivered my son vbac 2 years ago, and I didn't have any complications. It was one of the most wonderful experiences of my life, feeling him push out.
My recommendation: Do some research. See if there are any high risk specialty doctors in your area, or any area you're willing to travel to in order to attempt a vbac.
Remember, doctors can make recommendations. They may not like doing what your gut tells you is right, but ultimately, it is up to you.
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Permalink Reply by Mommyof4 on -
I am expecting my 4th right now. I had a vaginal for my 1st, a miscarriage and dnc for the 2nd, a c-section for the 3rd because of placenta previa, and am planning on doing a VBAC for the 4th. I am a little nervous about the uterine rupture but the chances are only 1% my doctor told me. Because I had a successful 100% natural vaginal with my first (9lbs. 3 oz.) it is a little different from yours but...a VBAC is a VBAC. I hated my c-section but I actually had a faster recovery that with my vaginal just because I tore pretty good. I would much rather have a vaginal though because of the experience. I agree, there's nothing like the accomplishment of delivering your own baby and it is much better for the baby too unless there are complications. My doctor did say that because we would like to have several more children that a c-section was not the best idea. Scar on top of scar on top of scar....
Honestly, the thing that I have learned most from all my deliveries is that worrying will only make it worse. We have done our best to trust the Lord through everything - He has it all orchestrated for us and that is such a comfort to know that no matter what happens we will still have each other and Him. Children are such a blessing!!!
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