Ive been OKed

[CoconutCutie]

I finally got my report from when I had my DS and the OB gave me the go ahead to have my VBAC!!

Then it hit me...I have to birth a baby out my vagina!!eek!! Ive never done that! Its gonna hurt!!

Any tips for a 1st timer. Im really hopping I dont tear to bad. DS was 9lbs 6.6oz I just know this baby is going to be in that range too.

Any tips on how to prepare my body for this? I have till May but Id like to start now. Never to early right?

[TCA2008]

well, some general things that helped me - I tried to walk everyday (though the weather, other kids, and life obligations didn't always make that posible), I did pre-natal yoga, which I feel really helped strengthen and tone my body, I read and re-read childbirth books like - Birthing from Within, Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, and Dr. Sears the Birth Book, I worked with a supportive care provider, I drank red raspberry leaf tea 2-3 times daily in my last trimester, regular kegels in the last trimester.

Good luck with everything, wishing you the best!

[CoconutCutie]

Thats great advice! Thank so much Ive never hear of those books. Do you think they would be avaliable through the library?

My doula is going to have me start the PR capsules at about 35 weeks.

I feel so bad...before I get pregnant I was walking my dog at least 1 mile 5days a week. Then the morning sickness hit and I stopped Thankfully Im feeling much better so she will get her walks now. We live in Hawaii so its always nice in the mornings and evenings in the winter for walks!!

[Tizzy]

I just started following a prenatal Yoga dvd (from the library), with Shiva Rea. I'm surprised at just how much of a "workout" it actually is for my preggo body. I do feel so much better afterwards and I don't have to schedule time (and childcare) for an organized class.

[MNHall]

YAY!!!! Great news!

I also read the Ina May book. For me, any time I started to get fearful or have self doubt, reading a few stories in there I felt on top of the world, like I could do anything...well, at least birthing a baby wise!

I haven't personally experienced a "big baby" (mine was high 7 and low 8)...but I have a couple friends that had their smaller baby first (like 7-8 pounds), then their bigger baby second (like 9-10 pounds) and they said their bigger baby was not harder and actually hurt less! So, just a little reminder, that size of that baby doesn't always mean much! Your body can birth any baby that it grows!!!! You are designed to birth babies, you WILL do great!

For me though, I also exercised on a regular basis, sure it was only 2-3 times a week, but I didn't exercise at all with DS. So, I felt like my body was ready and able to handle more. My exericse was never anything intense, but I kept my body moving! And sort of like you said, I didn't do anything for a number of weeks (I had a bleed, so my OB restrictd me until it was resolved...so from about 8-16 weeks, I did nothing...but otherwise, i stayed active).

I also did Evening Primrose Oil and Raspberry Leaf Tea toward the end of pregnancy. Sure, there's no way to know if it helped, but if it could have, why not!

You're right, it's never too early to start preparing...the better prepared you are emotionally, physically, mentally, and the support of those around you, chances are better that you'll have a happy, successful delivery!

YAY for the all clear!

[Fay]

Honestly, vaginal birth hurts less than a c/s recovery. Even my extra-long labor with a posterior baby was less painful and less scary than my failed induction & emergency c/s.

Yoga is a terrific way to prepare for natural birth. You can use some simple yoga positions to work through contractions, and the yoga breathing techniques reduced my pain level significantly. Another thing that helped me with my VBAC was birth hypnosis and positive affirmations -- I know it sounds hokey, but those affirmations helped me tremendously when I was surrounded by nagativity.

Best wishes for ahappy VBAC!

[DocsNemesis]

I've had 4 vaginal births and 1 cesarean. Trust me, vaginal birth is a lot less painful! Yes, labor hurts, but its not too much or no one would EVER have another baby.

Honestly, for me and from what I've read, for most women, pushing isn't the painful part. Active labor sucks, its when you reach that point where you feel like you just can't do it anymore, it hurts too much, etc. Then you push and its actually a relief. If I remember correctly, as baby comes down the birth canal and hits your g spot, it actually results in a huge amount of endorphines, which result in less pain. Out of all of my baby's only one continued to hurt during pushing and she was the smallest. I have to wonder if she was just too small to trigger that hormonal response? Who knows! Also, my biggest was the least painful to push out and the only one I actually had a real urge to push. Pushing felt so good!

I would recommend you check with your midwife or doc and see what they do to help prevent tearing. I've heard that olive oil and perineal massage can help, though I haven't done that. My midwives have always simply put back pressure on the baby to help keep them from coming too fast. It allows time for you to stretch. Ftr, I had an episiotomy with my first and have never torn with the others, no cutting, no problems. I believe the issue lied in the OB insisting I push HIS way, which meant I wasn't pushing effectively. Trust your instincts and push the way it feels right for you-it can make all the difference!