Christian VBAC support/or just really good VBAC stories

[AustinMom]

Hi, I'm looking for some support from Christian VBACers. I have a lot of friends who are Christians (you may have seen my other thread) and a lot of them have had a cs, but they don't "believe" in their bodies to birth since. I believe God didn't give me a faulty body, so I am planning a HBAC, due early fall.

I feel like I am the one giving support to a lot of people most of the time when it comes to my girlfriend's questions and concerns, but I really need it. I have a great midwife, who HBACed her second baby, and I plan on having the the leader of all the local ICAN groups to be my Doula.

My mom had all 5 of us kids by cs, so I don't have a lot of vaginal birthing power pushing me forward. And, after having my son by cs (he was 9lb 8oz and acynclitic after 27 hr active labor and only 2 cm change)

I need a lot of support, I feel that yes, I can do this, but the thought in the back of my mind always says, "what if you can't?" I have to shake that, I need positive thoughts. Any advice? Links? I've done a heck of a lot of reading, as I am studying to be a Doula, but I feel like I need the real woman to woman stuff.

[3tammuz]

First off, you CAN do it. You sound strong and like you are getting lots of information.

I had two vaginal births before my CS (due to breech presentation). I had a small fight for my VBAC, but my OB consented eventually (especially when he realized I was gonna do it no matter what). I had a relatively easy labor - 11 hours. It was my longest labor, but the pain was the easiest to manage. Baby came when he was ready and essentially slipped out - I had an urge to push, could not stop it and out he came. Hope you get your HBAC. Sending you prayers....

[fwlady]

Yes, you can!! Some great reads are Supernatural CChildbirth. Although, I wouldn't count on the painless part And no. 1 is Silent Knife by Nancy Cohen.

I had 6 VBACs. Never a doubt that the Lord would bring me through it. I had doubts my DH would be there. But I read Nancy's book before the first several VBAC births. Some of them were easier than others. I have an array of birth places. But the VBACs were successful.

OTOH, this pg was different. It wasn't doubts, but indecesiveness on how and where I would have the baby. I thought they were doubts and paranoia. It was actually God preparing me and intervening on my baby's behalf. I lost my ability to have my newborn girl VBAC, but she was saved, and that is most important. Many of the desires of my heart were still granted. And I can see that.

Pray, of course. Believe in the body God blessed you with, no matter the little imperfections. Remember Eve and Mother Mary who birthed before us and before medical science. Ask God for your desire. Read scripture. And then have your baby in a peaceful place. Kymberli

[MommyDOK]

big hugs to you! There is a great book called the Joy of Natural childbirth

http://www.amazon.com/Joy-Natural-Ch.../dp/0933082207

which is an excellent book on the bible,christian childbirth etc. It's not about vbac, per se, but about the body God created us w/etc.

http://www.appletreefamily.org/ is full of great resources.

Pm me if you want to talk on the phone. I've been involved w/ ICAN for several years and have helped lots of moms.

[ginnybee]

I'm glad I found this thread. I'm getting ready for my third baby, second VBAC and wanted to connect with other moms. Like you, my mom had her 5 kids by c/s. In my first pregnancy, I saw birth as something perilous and was actually relieved that my son would have to be delivered c/s because of breech presentation. After the awful recovery, I began reading up on natural birth and became determined to try for a VBAC. I found an OB who was not exactly supportive, but had had a VBAC herself and more or less rooted for me. I prayed like crazy. I found a wonderful Christian doula who had 4 HBACS after her first 3 c/s. She prepared me, informed me and helped me "fight the system" (like watching for nurses so I could sneak crackers and honey during my 29 hours of clear-fluids only active labor). My second birth began with 4 1/2 days of little sleep prodromal labor, then 29 hours active labor at the hospital. While I tried for natural birth, I eventually gave in to a whole host of interventions. Pitocin, AROM, and after 14 hours and 4 cm dilation, an epidural. That was motivated more by exhaustion than pain intensity. It was a long birth - I wasn't able to sleep but I prayed almost constantly. It was so encouraging to know that my husband and doula were also praying, as were many friends who knew how important a VBAC was to me. My OB's shift ended at some point and another OB took over who would come in, tut tut about my slow dilation and threaten a c/s if I didn't get going in the next half hour. So we prayed some more and a half hour later, I had dilated the last 2.5 cm. Cleared to push, I did while side-lying. It was a huge relief. Annabelle was face presentation and facing my side, so at some point the doc adjusted that. It helped somewhat - even with the epidural the back labor was intense. I pushed for 2 1/2 hours - after such a long labor, I had no concept of time's passage. Just kept going. It was exciting to see her head in the mirror and know that my pushes were accomplishing something. At the very end, the doc insisted I switch to lithiotomy position. I protested, but wasn't really heard. Just two more pushes, she said - come on! So I did, and pushed the baby out. She was 8 lb. 11.5 oz. (my first was 7 lb. even) and blasted out with two big tears. I blame the lithiotomy position for that. I had to stay pretty flat on my back while they stitched me up - that was the hardest part I think because I couldn't hold her very close or nurse her for the few minutes (several, who knows) they stitched (the cord was still attached while we waited for it to finish pulsating). After all was done, I had a beautiful little girl and a 2 day hospital stay (she had a fever b/c of the epidural). I was able to walk pretty soon after and didn't have to deal with the excrutiating post c/s gas pain. The tears were bad and I was pretty pitiful for a week or two, but it didn't compare to c/s recovery. So I guess I'm saying that my VBAC was far from ideal, but still felt like a huge triumph. And of course, it's a lot easier to recover from. I'm due with my third in 7 weeks. This time I'm going with a midwife (also a believer) and delivering at a nonprofit hospital with a VERY low c/s rate. I know I can birth a (big) baby and am not at all worried this time around. It is wonderful to feel like I don't have to fight the system to have a normal birth. (I'm also in better shape this third pregnancy thanks to switching to a traditional foods diet. My first two pregnancies ended with bedrest b/c of low amniotic fluid - no such problems this time around.)
So - pray. Trust your body and the one who made it. Study up on birth. And if you can find a provider and doula who support you, do. You can do it!

[jess152]

Here's my VBAC story! It was an incredible day!
http://www.mothering.com/discussions....php?t=1167230

It sounds like you have some really good support in place already. I'm sure with reading a bunch more stories your confidence will grow. It definitely helped me, and all the 'what if's' faded the closer I got to my due date and I began to be excited about the birth rather than worried.

Good luck!

[MrsTani]

I am trying to find a Christian or Messianic midwife who is able to do hb in the Baltimore, Maryland area. I had a c/s with my dd in August 2008 and I am 9 weeks along and need to find a midwife ASAP. I want an HBAC so badly! I realized recently that I want to try for a hb the first time and wound up not doing so out of fear. (I went to birth center, transferred to AAMC after failure to progress.) Thanks.

[kltroy]

Here's a link to my VBAC story - it was amazing. I think a key thing for me was to realize that things could go not as I had planned, and yet still turn out just perfectly. I think you do your homework, stack all the odds in your favor, and then you just have to sit back and wait to see what's in store for you. The course of events may be in God's hands, but you may have decisions to make during your labor/birth, and trusting in your care provider, your body, and listening to your gut will help you make good choices.

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=919493

Wishing you a peaceful and empowering birth!

[womancaredoula]

Originally Posted by MrsTani

I am trying to find a Christian or Messianic midwife who is able to do hb in the Baltimore, Maryland area. I had a c/s with my dd in August 2008 and I am 9 weeks along and need to find a midwife ASAP. I want an HBAC so badly! I realized recently that I want to try for a hb the first time and wound up not doing so out of fear. (I went to birth center, transferred to AAMC after failure to progress.) Thanks.

I'm the co-leader of the Baltimore chapter of the International Cesarean Awareness Network. We meet on the second Sunday of every month from Sept. through May at 4o p.m. Our next meeting is this Sunday during which we will have a panel of empowering VBAC stories. We have several HB midwives in the area and I know that one identifies as Christian so feel free to contact us at ICANofBaltimore @ comcast.net.

I also teach a VBAC 101 class occasionally.

-Barbara Stratton

[MyFillingQuiver]

You can do this! You are made to birth babies!

Last June I had a VBA2C at a hospital in another state with an OB I really like. I had 2 vaginal births, a c-section for transverse, and then an un-necessary forced repeat at a local hospital due to VBAC ban.

I grew up very mainstream, and with the belief that "Dr's know best!", so each step of my leaving mainstream has been incremental and God-led. We went from really going with the flow, to moving up to Northern Idaho so that I can homeschool without the state on our backs, living more naturally, not routinely using the medical community, and not vax'ing, etc. Anyway, this was another step in that journey-to birth along those lines, as well.

Now, I'm pregnant with #6, and planning a homebirth in August. Fear was what kept me under OB care, and what caused so many issues in the past. Now I'm calling the shots, the way it should be, and I feel my MW is backing me up in those calls-though there isn't much to decide, as I think my body knows just fine.

I'm actually considering UP'ing/UC'ing with any future blessings. Like I said, these concepts were very foreign just a few years ago, but with much prayer and education, I know how normal pregnancy is. A couple of seasoned MW's have indicated that VBAC's really shouldn't be treated any differently than any other mother-problems arise in some pregnancies/births, regardless of uterine incisions, and they are all treated accordingly anyway.

Feel free to PM me or email if you'd like a VBAC buddy. I can tell you more about my last pregnancy/birth if you'd like, or just be a friend/support! There is nothing like a hands-off pregnancy, after years of being treated like a sick woman.

God Bless you, and He will most certainly carry you!

[MrsTani]

Anyone know of any CNMs besides Evelyn who can do HBAC?

So we contacted Alternative Birth Choices and they're all booked for November. Anyone know of a Baltimore area CNM who can 'legally' do home births, and will do HBACs? I know there are several hospital based midwives who can do VBACs but I would prefer to avoid the hospital route unless necessary. I found one name Heather M. Clarke, CNM, who's covered by my insurance (BCBS) at http://www.wellness.com/dir/1962379/...r-m-clarke-cnm but I don't know if she still does home birth and if she can do HBACs. I don't know anything about her. I feel odd about the underground midwife thing ... not judging anyone who goes that way, just it seems harder for me to do it ... I keep hoping ABC will have an opening. So anyone have any CNMs I can check out?

[jess152]

MrsTani, go back to the main forums menu and post again in 'Finding Your Tribe'. You will most likely have better luck connecting with mamas in your own neck of the woods.

We hired a midwife to come from out of the country. She's not licenced to attend births here. We had great confidence in her and things went well. I would not have changed a thing. Try not to be put off by the 'underground' thing. Good luck!

[wjey]

Oh, horrors! I just accidentally deleted my really long response, so I'll try to reconstruct it

DS was born by section because of a fibroid that was his womb-mate and that was basically the size of his head. The doctor felt that it might move out of the way for the birth, but after my water broke, I labored for 8 hours, and I had not dilated, the doctor said that I'd need a c-section. As soon as I heard the news, I made my peace with God, knowing that he was in control and that there was nothing that I could do. And then I proceeded hysterically through the spinal block and surgery. Although I wasn't pleased at all with the outcome, I was thankful that God chose to put me in a time and place where both myself and my baby were able to be saved through surgical intervention.

Two years later, I was pregnant again. When I was 8 weeks in, my brother-in-law passed away suddenly. Two weeks after that, I started spotting and at my first ob/gyn appointment, I was told that the baby had stopped developing at about 8 weeks and that there was no heartbeat. The next day I miscarried. It gives me great comfort knowing that my baby and her uncle were able to go to Heaven at the same time. Although the time was traumatic, I knew that God had a reason for the pain that we were going through.

One of the blessings that came from this was that I had begun researching VBACs (since my doc said it'd be an option on my followup appointment after DS arrived). Then, when I was at my appointment with baby #2, I was informed that the doctor would not be willing to perform a VBAC for me.

Last year, we became pregnant again. Having that extra year to prepare was very helpful in terms of being able to talk things out with other moms and do some research and to prepare for my VBAC fight. Unfortunately, I didn't find my midwife until I was 7 months pregnant, so I feel like I was robbed of the joy of my pregnancy (Plus, I was dealing with flashbacks, fear, and anger.) I don't think I let myself feel the pain of the section until then, but it became very real when I started running into so many hurdles in trying to achieve a VBAC.

Abigail arrived a week early, on a Friday night, exactly when we asked her to come (so that her daddy could maximize his time off). I sang and bounced on a yoga ball through labor at home. We had to travel almost an hour to get to the hospital, so we went sooner than I wanted (I was happy bouncing on my ball, so I wanted to just stay home!).

When I got to the hospital, I dilated quickly enough, but I pushed for 3 hours. She had a hard time making her way out. Eventually her heart rate started to drop, so the midwife did an episiotomy (calm the whole time, but I nearly jumped off the bed when she said she'd need to do that!). It turned out that her cord was wrapped around her neck and her hand was holding on to it, so she just wasn't going anywhere quickly! The nurses were apparently quite impressed with my pain tolerance (it was certainly painful enough, but God kept my focus!). Her birth was definitely very healing for alot of the hurts that had occurred and I am thankful to God for providing the perfect midwife and birthplace for a successful VBAC.