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Originally Posted by soso-lynn
 It cannot be genetic, unless it is some sort of new mutation that hapenned to your grandmother's generation. Otherwise, your family would never have had living children before c-sections.
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Originally Posted by NewSolarMomma
Your body will not grow a baby that you cannot birth unless you have uncontrolled gestational diabetes, a pelvic deformity or a pelvic injury. 8lbs 10oz is not that big, healthy yet, but not big.
This is just not true. My sons head was too big to fit through my pelvic opening, and I'm not deformed. This is not common but does happen. At 41 weeks my water broke and contractions started on their own, I was dilated to 4" and partially effaced when I got to the hospital. The contractions didn't get regular, after many hours I got pitocin which worked great. I got to full dilation and effacement but baby didn't want to come down. I pushed 2 hours, labored down 2 more hours, then pushed another 1.5 hours. after 35+ hours I opted for a CS, as he was starting to stress in certain positions. When my doc pulled him out, we learned that he was REALLY stuck, like a cork on a bottle. No amount of time or position change would have gotten him out. He was 9# 2oz, but it was only the circumference of his head that was an issue. Not everyone dialates like they should, babies don't always fit, these things do happen! |
I have wondered this too ever since the birth of my twins 2.5 years ago. After the C-section, the OB said the first baby was tilted a bit sideways and couldn't descend, and that's why I didn't dilate past 4 cm after 32 hours of induction. Now I am soon to be pregnant again and have begun researching VBAC, and I now feel that if I hadn't been induced, but had waited for true labor to begin naturally, the babies might have moved enough to allow them to descend. But then again, maybe not. I'll never know for sure, but it is extremely interesting to hear the stories on this thread.
I am hoping that since I'll have only one baby this time that things will go more smoothly. Last time I jumped at the induction at 37.5 weeks because I was so sick of being hugely, uncomfortably, multiply pregnant, and I ended up a classic case of cascading interventions and hospital- and OB-imposed time limits leading to a C-section.
Thanks for sharing your stories, everyone. I hope to be back with a VBAC success story next year.
I do believe that a women's body was designed for laboring and what not. However I went in 1cm dilated waited and a week later nothing. I was effaced but she would not drop. I had a c-section. Her head was huge!!! She was in a perfect position just she was not going to drop at all. I never had contractions, Doctor would not induce. I was "39" weeks. The pressure in my pelvic area was unbearable for 3 weeks. Had my c-section and they were amazed that I didn't go into labor already. They were wrong on my due date by 4 weeks. Going through the same thing now with baby number 2.
I do believe that a women's body was designed for laboring and what not. However I went in 1cm dilated waited and a week later nothing. I was effaced but she would not drop. I had a c-section. Her head was huge!!! She was in a perfect position just she was not going to drop at all. I never had contractions, Doctor would not induce. I was "39" weeks. The pressure in my pelvic area was unbearable for 3 weeks. Had my c-section and they were amazed that I didn't go into labor already. They were wrong on my due date by 4 weeks. Going through the same thing now with baby number 2.
Not to derail but this is what terrifies me about vbac. My sons head was in the 95th percentile. I also had FTP and was manipulated into a c section after 20 hours an a cascade of interventions including AROM and pitot in. Now due in June and hoping for a vbac, but what Iif the kids head is just too big?
I wholeheartedly agree.
It can happen but isn't very common. I had trouble with my daughter - I have pinched and malformed nerves in my spine that caused the natural feedback loop that makes labor progress not work for me. After several weeks of contractions that registered at labor levels according to my doc {I never felt a thing} and my water being broke for 48 hours with no progression despite trying natural methods such as nipple stim, etc to get it going I consented to pit. I was only dilated half a cm when they started pit. From when they started pit to DD's birth was just 7 hours and she was born in 3 pushes. I never felt a thing through my entire labor even with no pain meds - they had to tell me when I was having a contraction to push.
So yes - it does sometimes happen.
I believe if you are going to have a VBAC you need to convince yourself that you can do it and hire a doula. Do everything in your power to make it happen.
My first birth was generally the same as your - 2 weeks over due, water broke, 24 hours later nothing, induce with pill, 12 hours later contractions pick up a bit, start to not feel well, 3 hours later checked 3 cm, pit started, getting sicker, 4 hours later baby was still high and unengaged and I was still 3cm, 2 hours later c-section.
My second one I did everything I could think of for a VBAC. I had a very supportive team. But at 8 days overdue and with a baby high, everything high and closed I choose a c-section.
Labour was not my fear - not going into labour was.
Hi, I just have to add to this letter. I too do not dilate at all, also genetic. I ended up having C sections for all my children.
It was, however, only when I had to have a Merina inserted some 6 years ago (for very heavy bleeding) that it was discovered that I cannot dilate at all. Even after injecting the os of the uterus to relax the muscles there, the gynaecologist still could not insert even the thin glass rod which is used to measure the length of the uterus! I ended up having a D&C to get the procedure done.
So to those of you who think that ALL women can dilate, get you facts right first. All you are doing by saying that, is to heap unnecessary guilt onto those whose bodies do not react in the 'normal' way.
Well said.
Ok , first of all , let me say , that I think , there is probably some truth in every one of your posts , but apart from occasional deliveries going wrong , I also believe , women are meant to give birth and as nature is designed for survival of a species , NORMALLY a Mother will grow a baby that is big ( or small ) enough to fit through her pelvis .
However , nowadays , the problem with hospital births is , that
1 . there is a deadline by when one is expected to go into labor ! This only makes sense , if there is a REAL problem , simply being " overdue " is not a problem , it just means , that everybody needs individual time to grow and be ready to be born .
2 . after having a miscarriage , it is VERY common to have scar tissue on your cervix , that can seriously hamper with your body´s ability to dilate , even if it´s not a lot . I know that from my own personal experience !
3 . People are impatient ! This is not an accusation , it is a fact ! I could name at least a dozen of women on top of my head , that , from 37 weeks on , have tried almost EVERYTHING to jump start their labor , simply because they " couldn´t take it anymore " .
Of course , there are situations , when a Mother needs help and / or her baby is in real distress and they need help and for those cases , living in the 21 . century is a blessing , but most problems before and during labor and delivery are not there because of the pregnancy and problems with it , but because of too many and too early interventions .
I was in latent labor for several weeks with my youngest daughter , my VBA3C and that is just as normal , as it was for my youngest son to be born as quickly as he did , when I went from completely uneffaced and undilated to 10 cm and completely effaced in what seemed like 30 minutes .
Ok , first of all , let me say , that I think , there is probably some truth in every one of your posts , but apart from occasional deliveries going wrong , I also believe , women are meant to give birth and as nature is designed for survival of a species , NORMALLY a Mother will grow a baby that is big ( or small ) enough to fit through her pelvis .
However , nowadays , the problem with hospital births is , that
1 . there is a deadline by when one is expected to go into labor ! This only makes sense , if there is a REAL problem , simply being " overdue " is not a problem , it just means , that everybody needs individual time to grow and be ready to be born .
2 . after having a miscarriage , it is VERY common to have scar tissue on your cervix , that can seriously hamper with your body´s ability to dilate , even if it´s not a lot . I know that from my own personal experience !
3 . People are impatient ! This is not an accusation , it is a fact ! I could name at least a dozen of women on top of my head , that , from 37 weeks on , have tried almost EVERYTHING to jump start their labor , simply because they " couldn´t take it anymore " .
Of course , there are situations , when a Mother needs help and / or her baby is in real distress and they need help and for those cases , living in the 21 . century is a blessing , but most problems before and during labor and delivery are not there because of the pregnancy and problems with it , but because of too many and too early interventions .
I was in latent labor for several weeks with my youngest daughter , my VBA3C and that is just as normal , as it was for my youngest son to be born as quickly as he did , when I went from completely uneffaced and undilated to 10 cm and completely effaced in what seemed like 30 minutes .
i have never heard of this. where are you getting this information? thanks.
What info are you referring to ? The stuff about scar tissue ?
Since you highlighted it on my post , I will answer to that ! I live in Sweden , where the anti cs and pro natural birth attitude is VERY strong , especially among doctors , which I believe sets swedish doctors apart from most others and when I became pregnant , and started going for my prenatal check-ups , especially towards the end , the doctor taking care of me , told me he is going to start checking for scar tissue , as soon as I start dilating , since I had children before and also miscarriages .
And after there have been several independent studies done , with several thousand women all over Scandinavia , they have come to the conclusion , that the vast majority of women , who have ever been pregnant or had an IUT , have a certain amount of scar tissue , sometimes not very much , but even if it is not a lot , many times it is enough to cause problems in labor .
In my case , he was absolutely right and after breaking it up several times during the last few weeks before birth and during my active labor as well , I had a vba3c , and also by far the easiest birth I ever had
hi. BACK IN 1992 I WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT, IN WHICH I BROKE MY PELVIC BONE AND MY TAIL BONE. I HAVE SEVEN BABIES AND NOT ONCE HAVE I HAD SPONTANEOUS LABOR. I went 14 days passed my EDD 4 times. You can read more of my story (below) but to "cut to the chase" let me say that a "wonderful female" chiro who saw me throughout my 7th pregnancy advised me that the injury to my central nervous system "could have" been the reason why I never experienced "natural spontaneous" labor. I'm not sure if I can remember exactly what she said, and explain it all here. Something about the injuries not allowing communication b/t my brain and my uterus, "signals being shut off". So, it's my opinion that it might be possible for a woman to be unable to experience natural labor/contractions, ect. without other "interventions". However, I truly think that acupressure and acupuncture WORK. They both really "started" to work for me..... long story.
Here's a bit of my history, if you care to read it. I'm sure I've posted about it before over the years.
"I have seven children; 13m. 3, 5, 7, 10, 13, 16. I went 14 days over my "EDD" (estimated due date) FOUR TIMES. With my second, fourth, sixth, and seventh. My first baby, my water broke, but no contractions. Not knowing one thing about the "process" i immediately went to the hosp, where they hooked me up to PIT. I immediately had an EPI, took almost 24 hours to birth him, nearly had a CS. 2nd baby, we induced at 42 weeks with PIT, and he was 9.13. 3rd baby, I still didn't know much about what I was doing pregnancy/bith -wise. I agreed to be induced on the EDD, "after all I hadn't gone into labor naturally before, and have BIG BABies. Let's get it done." duh. "sure, why not". she was 8.9 . With my 4th, again 14 days passed EDD. PIT induction. She was "only" 8lbs. THEN> #5 was discovered to have an "abdominal mass". Didn't know or want to know the baby's gender, but found out she was a girl and she had an 10cm ovarian cyst. I ended up having a CS at 38 weeks. She was 8.9. I thought it was "medically necessary" at the time, due to my POLYHYDRAMNIOUS. Doc said baby could drop the cord and then she would die within minutes. Well, that pretty much "paved the way" for 2 more CS, though they were not medically necessary. Due to the "fact" based on my "history" of not going into labor naturally, and my hosp having a VBAC BAN. With #6 and #7, my plan was to go into labor on my own and refuse a repeat CS. I had acupressure, acupuncture, chiro care, tried herbs, fresh pineapple, nip stim (I've nursed through out 5 pregnancies). Anything I could think of, or was told to try, I did. So, I also tried acupuncture at the recommendation of my chiro, and i got adjusted weekly. The acunpuncture was amazing and really, really started bringing on contractions.
Often it seems that the explanation of "won't go into labor" is applied because care providers are determined to simplify all body processes into direct, physical, mechanical issues. Many other reasons exist for not going into labor. Some women carry babies longer than 42 weeks as a rule. Some women have fear or past traumas that affect them psychologically. I would count a trusted authority such as a doctor telling you that you can't labor normally as a psychological trauma that can delay/disrupt natural labor patterns. I definitely think that you need to be pregnant longer than 37 weeks to determine if your body will go into labor or not on its own. There can be undiagnosised injury or malformation that would physically impede labor, but that should be conclusively diagnosed with ultra sound or even exploratory surgery before you accept that those reasons apply to you. Also, some women cannot tolerate cervical checks and the invasion of that procedure can stall or reverse labor progress. Above all, OP, take your concerns to several different care providers and find one who will give you the freedom and confidence to really give your body a chance to give birth. Hire a doula to attend you if you are going to a hospital.
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