VBAC and natural birth

[callieollie]

I have a friend who is hoping for a vbac. I'm not positive that she's going for a med-free birth but she has asked me for info on birth and labor and stuff since she knows I took Bradley classes and Hypnobabies and just love birth stuff! lol! So she is currently doing the Hypnobabies homestudy course but also wanted to know about certain hospital policies. I know much of what I learned about non-vbac births was that many of the "required" things at hospitals are unnecessary and sometimes harmful, like continuous fetal monitoring or an IV. But, i don't know if there are differences when considering a VBAC. She's worried about those things keeping her from being able to move around but I don't know enough about VBAC to know whether it is recommended to have continuous monitoring or an IV or other such interventions with a VBAC. Anyone know? Thanks!

[oddduck]

I'm planning a midwife attended hospital birth. She would like me to have a heplock in place and fetal monitoring of some sort. At this point we're planning on doppler checks every 15 minutes or so.

We were kinda butting heads on this yesterday when discussing my birth plans. I think she would prefer I be more open to external continual fetal monitoring, but I'm not. Obviously you'd want to detect a rupture as soon as it occurs and a drop in fetal heart rate would definitively set of some alarm bells, but with my first they had issues keeping the monitor on her and eventually picked up me. My LO was actually in distress. If things get serious and I need to be monitored closely for whatever reason I personally would prefer internal monitor as my experience with the external ones is quite poor and could have had disastrous results.

[MNHall]

It most likely will depend on where she decides to give birth, as the hospital will probably have their own VBAC policies. But it will also depend on the provider. For example, my hospital requires continous monitoring...but, they do have a wireless one. So, my provider told me about it and recommended that we specifically use that so that I won't be connected to wires and have some freedom to move. Same with heplock, instead of IV. Sure, some may try to say no to heplock, but to me, I don't mind a heplock...that's not something worth fighting for me...I'm willing to have one, just because it will sort of make everyone happy. The hospital because I'll be "hooked up incase" and me, because I won't be restricted to the pole and wires while I'm birthing naturally!

Other things though, the provider! My OB for example is one to "push the limit". Our hospital has tubs....so, labor in water, great....but they do not have water proof monitors yet. So, continous monitoring for a VBAC in the water is, well, "impossible". But, to him, he feels that laboring in the water is so beneficial, he is willing to push limits and allow laboring in the tub, then getting out some for monitoring....that kind of thing. At least that's what he's done with another patient. So, I think discussing things with the provider is going to be a big deal too!