going past due date with a VBAC...

[livelovelaugh]

I am 41 weeks tomorrow, planning on my second VBAC with this stubborn little girl! Had contractions all night last night and started getting excited, then they disappeared this morning and have been gone since.

MY midwives will "let" me go until 42 weeks, after which point they either recommend a c-section or you have to do a NST and an ultrasound everyday...

Anyone have experience going past your due date by a week or more with a VBAC? Anything I can do or should be aware of? What are your thoughts on the membrane sweep/strip? Time for this baby to come!!!

[womenswisdom]

It's not time for your baby to come or s/he would be here already! I know, not very helpful. I went 41+1 with my vbac and it was a nice, spontanous, short labor. Hang in there, chances are it will be in the next few days. I would not do a sweep/strip. I had about 5 of them with my first pregnancy and it did nothing but make me really uncomfortable, give me some contractions that got my hope up and helped me lose faith in my body. Your baby will initiate labor when s/he is ready. Just be patient and trust in that!

[Angela512]

I never had a VBAC, but I was wondering if you have seen a chiropractor and/or accupunturist/accupressurist. With my 3rd...he was born at 43 weeks, but only after a "gentle manipulation" of my back and some accupressure balls put onto the "labor" spots of my ankles. I had my labor stall out for a full week until then and after those things were done...I went into full blown labor within 2 hours and he was born 6 hours later.

Sorry I don't have advice about VBAC'ing, but I thought I'd share the chiro/accu stuff.

[neveryoumindthere]

I agree with the PP.. Acupuncture/chiro.

Also, in my experience and from what I've read, this start/stop labour stuff is often baby not being in the best position, mostly posterior. My dd was born face up, and I had this type of labour.

Maybe do hands and knees and some of the other spinning babies techniques..

hth!

[Chula13]

i was 42 wks and a day with my vbac baby was just fine .

[CherryBomb]

My vba2c baby was 10 days past my due date. I went into labor naturally, but I had the prodromal labor for a couple days before I went into "real" labor. I had a NST at 41 weeks and everything was fine. I think my OB does NST every other day after 42 weeks, or every 3 days. Every day seems excessive.

[AlexisT]

IIRC, the likelihood of VBAC does go down after 41 weeks, but the outcomes don't get worse (so there's no risk of waiting). And they don't know WHY it's less likely, just that it is. So it might have to do with how providers handle them, rather than intrinsic risk. Or maybe some women with repeating problems are skewing the stats--who knows? No data.

Membrane sweeps can help (NHS midwives love them) but IIRC you need to start earlier for them to be really effective--though sometimes a stretch and sweep can push you into labor.