Successful HBAC with Back Labor?

[Mama_of_1]

Has anyone had a successful HBAC with pretty severe back labor?

At age 16 I hurt my back doing something absolutely benign - stretching on the floor. L4 is now misformed, whether by injury or birth defect, I will never know. Most of the time I have no pain, but my weight certainly impacts the health of my spine. But, my weight is another topic. When the pain is there, it is sciatic in nature - shooting and taking my breath away.

I had my DS almost 11 years ago by CS. Trusted the "medical establishment" to take care of me, had the best OB/GYN in the area. My husband at the time was no support at all. After 19 hours and a progression to 5.5 on an epidural and pitocin, they said "cut" and I complied. I was traumatized by the experience and totally knocked down by the sheer overwhelming emotions of it all afterwards. I know my bad marriage had a huge hand in the deal, still...

Fast forward to 2009. Interviewing midwives, knew I didn't want another CS (guaranteed in Texas these days), found a fantastic, super-experienced midwife that agreed to take me on for a HB. My DH (not the father of DS) is super supportive, goes all out to make sure that he's with me for nearly every single checkup, we prepare the house, DS, call friends nearby to come take care of the dogs. Even get a top recommended doula. No backpain at all 95% of the entire pregnancy, even at the end when I was as huge as a house and still only gained about 18 pounds.

We go full-term, even a week late. Contractions start, 10~ minutes apart (ranging 8-12). Ok, no biggie, I can handle this. 12 hours later, starting to get much more noticable. 24 hours later, I'm in pain, vocalizing and no longer able to just go with it. We call the doula on and off, not much change so she goes home and comes back periodically. Midwife comes to check me out - I'm only at 1 cm - midwife goes home as it's too early for her to stay. Long story short, the back pain incapacitates me. After nearly 3 days of "contractions" or whatever they really were, I'm only 2 cm, haven't really slept, my DH is a walking zombie trying to stay sane while seeing me in pain for so long. I give up.

I ask my DH to take me to the hospital for some pain relief (a different hospital), we just won't tell them that this is a VBAC, then we go home and I can have my baby at home. Stadol doesn't do anything except make me loopy, nothing touches the back labor pain.

End of story, I have another CS with the on-call doc who is not my usual, very crunchy, last VBAC-friendly doc in town. Again, I am mentally traumatized, hit a cycle of depression and ask the doc to put me on meds.

Now that we are nearing our DD's 1st birthday, I am again going to my dark place - nothing dangerous but still not a happy rememberance. I had a lengthy discussion with our wonderful midwife about it. Her take on it was that I had pre-labor but because of my back, it would have just as well been likely that I could have continued like that for another week... There's no way to know. I do know that I could not have stood for that kind of pain that long...

I know that I should just be happy that our DD is healthy, happy, and SPUNKY!, but I want more. I want a redo.

Has anyone had a successful VBAC (or 2?) with severe back pre-labor? I guess I'm looking for a success story or two and I apolgize if I haven't looked back through the archives for the info...

[eastkygal]

My HBAC was not successful because my baby was OP and head cocked at 11 pounds, but I do have something to say about back labor. Hydrotherapy and a doula. Those two things helped me tremendously during labor and had my baby been able to engage in my pelvis, I would have had her naturally.

[Mama_of_1]

By hydrotherapy, do you mean a tub? We had one of those... When I got in, the pre-"contractions" slowed and pain eased a bit but then after about 30 minutes, picked back up again. I tried both a shower and the tub several times. Our doula came over several times and stayed for several hours each time but it would not have been possible for her to camp out at our house for the entire 3-4 days, or however long it would have taken.

Our acupuncturist even came over during the whole thing, at about 36 hours into it and applied needles but their effect faded after about 5 minutes.

[limette]

I had a successful vbac with insanely bad back labor with dd2. It would have been a successful hbac but I had a really horrible and unsupportive midwife who spent the entire labor trying to freak me out and agree to a transfer. We did transfer at 9 cms and for the 2 hours of pushing I begged for a c-section, it was that bad.

Fortunately, I had an amazing doula and the on call ob who was horrible at my first birth was in a good mood that day so I ended up with a successful drug free vbac.

I'm 35 weeks with number 3 and am sooo hoping this one is going stay positioned properly.

[Mama_of_1]

How long did you go before you were in active labor? What did you or the doula do to keep you sane? How long

I'm at the point that if I know that I will be having an auto CS3, I'd rather not have another child... Yet, it's still hard to let go of the joy that a babe brings...

[eastkygal]

Originally Posted by Mama_of_1

By hydrotherapy, do you mean a tub? We had one of those... When I got in, the pre-"contractions" slowed and pain eased a bit but then after about 30 minutes, picked back up again. I tried both a shower and the tub several times. Our doula came over several times and stayed for several hours each time but it would not have been possible for her to camp out at our house for the entire 3-4 days, or however long it would have taken.

Our acupuncturist even came over during the whole thing, at about 36 hours into it and applied needles but their effect faded after about 5 minutes.

Yes, I do mean a tub. I'm sorry that didn't provide you relief. I've been thinking about this a bit, and if I were in this situation here is what I would look into. Hypnobabies and Birthing From Within classes, if I found myself preggo again. I might also look into some art therapy (Birthing From Within) style to release some of what you have experienced. Release is so important. Pick up the Birthing From Within book by Pam England. It is helpful even if you aren't expecting.
I would also recommend that you see a chiropractor before, during, and after pregnancy. Find someone who uses the Webster technique and adjusts pregnant women on a regular basis. I was adjusted during my labor and that relaxed me tremendously.
Also, I'd consider talking with someone who is familiar with homeopathics. There might be something there worth considering.
Another thing is to hire a doula, or ask your doula about someone who can be with you when she can't - like a back-up doula. We never know what labor will be like and you shouldn't have to be without your doula, though I know there are some unique situations that require that, so having a back-up person would be nice.

I too don't think that my body or my heart could withstand a third c-section. Though my body and my heart would like to try again for a normal birth and the cuddle of a brand new life. It hurts my heart to think that it might never happen, or that if I did find myself pregnant it would be a situation in which I'd have to fight for my rights. It's just sad. I understand that point of view completely.

[mamalade]

If you aren't on it already, I would recommend getting on the ICAN yahoo group. THere are many women there who have a ton of information and would love to help you. VBA2C is very doable. I don't think you should convince yourself of identical labors with your (possible) next child. Were you seeing a chiro during your last PG? ANd, I don't know much about it, but have heard very good things from craniosacral therapy. Hugs, Mama.

[limette]

Originally Posted by Mama_of_1

How long did you go before you were in active labor? What did you or the doula do to keep you sane? How long

I'm at the point that if I know that I will be having an auto CS3, I'd rather not have another child... Yet, it's still hard to let go of the joy that a babe brings...

Both labors started seriously around 8am and ended at 5pm. By noon I was 6cm and feeling it. My doula kept me sane by keeping me locked in the bedroom away from my midwife. Everything stalled for a bit with dd2 and she just made me visualize the baby coming down. At the hospital they gave me gas but my doula knew that I absolutely didn't want it (it doesn't work for me) even though I was begging for it. So she unplugged the gas and just let me suck on the oxygen. No one was any the wiser.

At 3pm I was ready to push and pushed for 2 hours. At one point they brought in an ob (the same one from the c-section) who was much nicer this time around and brought new energy to the room. The pushing was the worst but you can't really stop during it.

Baby was fine and all was well. It's hard to remember specifics, I just know it was extremely painful and whenever the midwife would start her "you obviously can't deliver vaginally rant" I would panic and things would slow down.

[Mama_of_1]

I have been doing a LOT of thinking about my experiences with DD's birth. I know now that there are some things I could have, SHOULD HAVE done differently. Ultimately, while the final result of her birth was a good and safe one for her, she may not have been ready for a few more days to a week or so. Not a biggie, but I also can't help but wonder if it didn't influence some of the nursing difficulties we had in the beginning.

For me, recovering from the second CS was just awful. I felt like I was hit by a freight train. Aside from the surge of emotions, which were brought on semi-artificially by the shock of a second CS, physically, I was in pretty bad shape. I still have various muscular symptoms that I can't help but attribute to the surgery.

It truly is not fair that we have to make these choices!!! We are forced to sacrifice our health (physical, emotional, and mental) or the prospect of possible additional children.

Limette - I would have traded both pinkie toes for your labor time... Fortunately, and unfortunately, in Texas, we have some fantastic midwives that have a ton of experience with VBACs and a hospital system that refuses to allow them in the majority of the State. And, Texas is a pretty big state. Even the OB/GYNs that used to allow, or even tolerate, VBACs are now discouraging them or just simply refusing to entertain the patient request. I know of two highly respected docs in the entire Houston area that were open to VBACs but now both of their hospitals have put in the sort of restrictions that don't allow them to serve the requests of their patients.

If faced with the gift of another child, I would do whatever I had to. Even if it meant having another surgery. But would I choose that outcome prior to receiving the gift? I don't know that I would... It's a difficult decision to make and I don't want to make it...

I guess it's selfish of me - my health above the life of a child. But isn't my life just as valuable?

Here I go waxing philosophical.. LOL

[limette]

You do what is right for you.

For me, I'd never be able to choose an elective c-section, because I have an issue with needles and wouldn't be able to consent to one in a normal, logical state!