We'll have to see if the doc will "let" you VBAC - Page 2

[JFTB1177]

Just also wanted to add that it's never too late to switch providers... I switched between 25-30 weeks from an OB to a midwife. And this was an OB practice I have been with since I was 17 years old (I am 31), and have always trusted, etc. It was not a light decision on my part as I have always loved this OBGyn practice, but I knew I would not get my VBAC if I stayed with them for this last pregnancy. They are excellent surgeons (did a wonderful job on my cone biopsy when I had cervical dyslpasia, and also with my D&C's when I had miscarriages), and always have been very kind to me. But experts in natural childbirth they are not, nor do they have much confidence in a woman's body, kwim? I definitely made the right decision by switching- I got my HBAC, you know? Don't be left thinking you don't have any options left!

[freezehead]

what garbage.

i suppose even with some dr's ignorance is bliss. you have a MUCH higher risk of losing the baby through amniocentesis than you do through a rupture. (1/60 vs 1-2/1000) i hate completely misused stats as scare tactics when it comes to vbacs.

yeesh.

[JayJay]

Aye, I feel I'll be approaching this kind of stuff as well, if I can ever get pregnant again after my last c section...lol.

They just don't like VBAC's at all in my locality. I'll probably either have to show up pushing, or go to a hospital 1 and 1/2 hours away to get one. Thank goodness I ahve a really good friend who is a midwife!

*HUGE hugs* - we will prevail! XXX

[RunnerDuck]

Shop around. I have found a birth center near me - they won't let you do a VBAC in the birthing center but their midwives will follow you in a local hospital for a VBAC provided it has been 18 months between deliveries. Given the speed with which I get pregnant (which is far from speedy) that works for me.

I am not opposed to a hospital birth per say - I had a great one with my son.

[mrsbass]

I agree you should "shop around" but let ICAN help you! Find your local group through the internet and join them. They will know who the local VBAC supportive OBs and MWs are. I did this and have an awesome OB and the ICAN community is invaluable as you prepare for your VBAC.

[mellowyellowmama]

Yes, I would walk away and never go back!

[ShwarmaQueen]

Originally Posted by mellowyellowmama

Yes, I would walk away and never go back!

Thank you. I interviewed a HB MW and she seems awesome. I'm almost positive we're going to go with her! And I definitely won't even be calling this office again!

[auntieM]

Originally Posted by ShwarmaQueen

Thank you. I interviewed a HB MW and she seems awesome. I'm almost positive we're going to go with her! And I definitely won't even be calling this office again!

If you're up for it, please let them know why you are leaving. If they are open to it, maybe they will change. If they are not, at least you have the opportunity to assert your power!

[mellowyellowmama]

Originally Posted by ShwarmaQueen

Thank you. I interviewed a HB MW and she seems awesome. I'm almost positive we're going to go with her! And I definitely won't even be calling this office again!

:

[mscoffee77]

Your OB's nurse sounds just like my OB's nurse! I remember my DH & I going for our first appointment to confirm the pregnancy & we had to just see her(she's also a NP) because my OB was out recovering form a hip replacement. So, when she was reviewing my records she saw my first son was born by C-section & said "you'll be having a repeat c-section". She didn't even discuss VBAC as an option and kinda smirked when I firmly said, "No, I want a VBAC". She said "well, your c-section was for CPD and that means your pelvis is too small to vaginally birth. We will see what Dr. has to say" Well, I was pretty mad after this appointment and even called ICAN to get info on other OBs and midwives. Well, my OB was back when I went to the next appointment and he walked into the exam room, said congrats and asked how we wanted to have the baby. I stated I wanted a VBAC and he was totally fine with that. I did tell him that his nurse was negative about VBAC & he went on to say he does VBACs on a case by case basis. We went on to have our second son by VBAC with no problems(so much for CPD-haha). I don't blame you for going with a homebirth midwife though. If we were to have another baby(no plans, so it would be a surprise) we would consider using a homebirth midwife. Good luck

[labortrials]

You know what I'm thinking? That by saying we want a VBAC we remind them of our "inadequacies." What if when approached by a medpro and asked, "oh I see you've had a previous, c/s, so you're planning a RCS" that we respond, "No" (I mean why is it the nurse's business anyway?) or "No I'm planning a natural (normal) birth." Even using the word planning... leaves the door open for them to meddle. But then again, stronger language might make them dig in their heels especially if it's early on in the relationship.

My new OB tried to talk me into RCS at my first appt with him (he is supportive of VBAC but my situation is different in his mind), and though I talked with him about it a bit, I told him that this was a conversation for another time. He need to time to get to know me and understand that I make informed, researched, evidence-based decisions.

Schwarma - glad you found a HBMW that you like! :

[ShwarmaQueen]

Originally Posted by labortrials

You know what I'm thinking? That by saying we want a VBAC we remind them of our "inadequacies."

totally. I think I'll take a PP suggestion and tell them the real reason why I'll be transferring out of their care.

[geiamama]

I can totally relate.

I had an emergancy C-section with my first child six years ago because the clip monitor slipped off his head and they thought his heart had stopped. So obviously I needed a planned C-section with my daughter because the exact same thing was clearly going to happen again!

I waited 2hrs for my OB appointment and just as I was about to walk out, he walked in with the nurse. He didn't look at me, picked up my notes, said to the nurse "book her in for surgery two weeks before her due date" and started to walk out! I said in a very loud voice "EXCUSE ME BUT I DON'T WANT TO HAVE A C-SECTION" and he looked at me like he was surprised to see me in the room. When I told him that I wanted to have a HBAC he actually snorted! He then said that he wouldn't allow it and that if I did give birth at home he would make sure that no midwife came out to help me deliver. There was no way that we could afford a private midwife so Dh tried to work out a compromise by asking if we could instead have a VBAC in the hospital. He said we could but there would be "no faffing about with walking about, positions or water". I was told that I would have to come in as soon as I felt the first contraction, immediately have an epidural and an episiotomy as standard - all of which would have ended in more and more intervention.

I was so upset, especially because they wouldn't allow me to go past my due date and I ended up being bullied into that planned c-section after all. We won't be making that mistake again!

[Storm Bride]

Originally Posted by geiamama

I waited 2hrs for my OB appointment and just as I was about to walk out, he walked in with the nurse. He didn't look at me, picked up my notes, said to the nurse "book her in for surgery two weeks before her due date" and started to walk out!

Good thing we have all these doctors to provide us with prenatal "care", huh? I mean...if we didn't have that care, something might go wrong. Ugh.

[mellowyellowmama]

Originally Posted by geiamama

I waited 2hrs for my OB appointment and just as I was about to walk out, he walked in with the nurse. He didn't look at me, picked up my notes, said to the nurse "book her in for surgery two weeks before her due date" and started to walk out! I said in a very loud voice "EXCUSE ME BUT I DON'T WANT TO HAVE A C-SECTION" and he looked at me like he was surprised to see me in the room. When I told him that I wanted to have a HBAC he actually snorted! He then said that he wouldn't allow it and that if I did give birth at home he would make sure that no midwife came out to help me deliver. There was no way that we could afford a private midwife so Dh tried to work out a compromise by asking if we could instead have a VBAC in the hospital. He said we could but there would be "no faffing about with walking about, positions or water". I was told that I would have to come in as soon as I felt the first contraction, immediately have an epidural and an episiotomy as standard - all of which would have ended in more and more intervention.

I was so upset, especially because they wouldn't allow me to go past my due date and I ended up being bullied into that planned c-section after all. We won't be making that mistake again!

You ended up staying with him? I can't believe this. So sorry you went thru that mama.

[geiamama]

Originally Posted by mellowyellowmama

You ended up staying with him? I can't believe this. So sorry you went thru that mama.

Thank you.

The British NHS is so underfunded, particularly when it comes to maternity care that you more or less get who you're given. In our area there used to be at least one maternity ward and one birthing clinic for each local hospital but they have all been closed down bar one maternity ward at our local hospital. In fact there was just recently a HUGE hoo-har in the papers because women are actually being turned away whilst in labour because there are no beds available and sometime those too advanced to be turned away are giving birth in corridors! Private health care is prohibitively expensive in the UK and just not an option for most. We just have to make the best of things, hope we get lucky and fight tooth 'n' nail when we don't get lucky.

I'd just like to say though, the midwives were and are incredibly hardworking and generally fabulous not to mention under stupid amounts of pressure with ridiculous work loads. :

[AlexisT]

Did you complain to PALS? He was full of it. Midwifery duty of care means they HAVE to send a MW.

It really, really angers me when NHS consultants pull these stunts--IMO it's even worse than when US OBs do it.

[bohmproof]

I VBAC'ed 6 months ago and it went fine. I saw the same ob as with my first birth, and was much more informed on decisions and health issues. I was discouraged from vbac'ing but I stuck to my guns. At 5 months i got a consult (I had to go to Portland, OR.. about an hour from where I live.. as they are one of two hospitals in the state to offer VBAC), and the last month or so started going to Portland for my office visits as well.

Labor was "mechanically" induced instead of chemically, and everything was taken slow and it was fine.

I don't think anything badly of my OB at home, she just had to cover her ass, and didn't want to get my hopes up.. she was honestly happy for me that it all worked out.

[cricketsmomma]

my hospital's vbac policy has a strange comment about scalp monitoring...

.

[Lisa1970]

I was forced in to a csect when I really did not want one. They got cruel. They even called CPS on me claiming I did not want or love my baby. It was awful.

If I did it over again, I would shut off my phones and cut them out. They had told me my entire pregnancy that vbac was fine, and then pulled this on me just over 3 weeks to my due date. They scheduled me a csect right away and pulled all this. I was in shock because up until then, they seemed nice and fine and ok.

This time, if the current doctor pulls the vbac rug out of me, I will do a UC before I will consent to a csect. But I also have a fall back on doctor in mind. He is a ways away or I would be with him already.