What made your VBAC worth it?

[texmati]

I had a section nearly a year ago to the day. I am 4 months pregnant. I looked for a thread like this one, but haven't been able to find it.

For someone on the fence, what made the VBAC worth it vs just scheduling a c-section?

Just a little background-- With my son, I was knocked out for delivery. I honestly feel jealous when I hear about mom's with scheduled sections being awake and present, and having a memory of their child's birth.

[liberal_chick]

For me it was a lot of things.

The knowledge that I could do it, my body wasn't broken.

Not going through post-surgical pain (soreness from my VBAC, even with a 2nd degree tear, didn't touch the post-surgical pain. And I had a very easy CS recovery.).

Not having to stay at the hospital (ours is terribly behind the times).

Not having to arrange long term child care for my older son.

How accomplished I felt.

Being able to introduce ds1 to ds2 in such a neat way (ds2 was born after ds1 was already in bed, so we just introduced them in the morning when ds1 got up. so simple and sweet).

I'm sure there are more, but those are the things I can think of off the top of my head.

[kltroy]

I had my c-section for breech, and I had never gone into labor when the surgery took place. For me, the VBAC was worth it because I wanted to have the experience of giving birth. I felt like this is something that I share with all the women in the world (this sounds hokey now) and I wanted to know what it felt like, how strong my body was, etc. Additional major reasons for me that are less touchy-feely include: I knew it would be better for my baby than another c/s; my son had lots of crud in his lungs, and my VBAC daughter had clear lungs. I wanted an easier recovery - and WOW was it easier. I wanted to catch my own baby - this was amazing - I had no idea how soft and squishy new born babies are, and it was very cool to deliver my own daughter. I wanted to delay cord clamping - easier to do when not in surgery, though you can ask for it with a c/section of course. I might want a third child, and I did not want the risks of additional major surgery. I wanted my baby to cook as long as she needed, rather than scheduling something.

For me, my VBAC was 100% worth it. But I know some people who didn't feel that way. I think a lot of it has to do with your motivation and whether you're planning or considering additional children. You can use the online VBAC success calculator to get a sense of what your odds are for success. It's no guarantee of course, but the current estimate from ACOG is that if your odds of success are less than 60%, then you might be better off with a repeat c/s, because that appears to be roughly the "break even" point. The issue is that moms who have a successful VBAC do just great. It's the VBAC-turned-CBAC that results in the worse outcomes for the moms and babies. Anyway, the calculator is here (also, the link at the bottom allows you to access a more detailed one with info like dilation, station, etc -- interesting to play with and see what factors have the biggest influence):
http://www.bsc.gwu.edu/mfmu/vagbirth.html

Best of luck with your decision!

[lyterae]

Originally Posted by texmati

I had a section nearly a year ago to the day. I am 4 months pregnant. I looked for a thread like this one, but haven't been able to find it.

For someone on the fence, what made the VBAC worth it vs just scheduling a c-section?

Just a little background-- With my son, I was knocked out for delivery. I honestly feel jealous when I hear about mom's with scheduled sections being awake and present, and having a memory of their child's birth.

I am planning my hbac right now for many reasons, I think I would have a nervous breakdown if I had to birth in a hospital again. I had a c-section with my daughter and while I had a spinal, I was not awake or present. I was physically exhausted, I'd been up for almost 48 hours and hadn't been allowed to eat, as soon as the spinal was complete I was out... I don't remember her being born.

My husband and I watched "The Business of Being Born" yesterday and I am after that joy,elation, and moment of "oh my gosh I had a baby!" instead of the drug induced fog that I had last time. There are many other reasons, but I have had many people tell me that I'm being selfish for not consenting to major surgery again.

[HeatherB]

I also had GA for my c/s (DS1) and had major issues with the fact that I wasn't actually "there" for the birth. With my first HBAC, I got to the point where things stalled the first time and KNEW I was *so* close to being done. It was very cathartic for me. I successfully birthed a baby with very similar circumstances - which, in my case, reaffirmed the unnecessariness of the c/s to begin with (better, more patient care would have allowed me to birth naturally) but also was very empowering.

My HBAC baby just turned 6 and the dates this year lined up exactly with when he was born. I was remembering vividly the amazing feelings postpartum. I could move around! I could get up and walk! I actually broke my tailbone AND had a rather nasty tear but I *still* felt better than after the c/s! I was home! I had my baby the WHOLE time! I was right there and he was on my belly immediately, being witnessed by his big brother who was, literally, cheering him on. The first hands to touch him were his daddy's.

The whole thing was absolutely, without any doubt, worth it. I've had another homebirth since and am looking forward to my third homebirth in about two months. There is absolutely NO comparison to my first experience and these subsequent ones. I wish every mama could have the joy of truly well-supported, empowering, amazing birth.

[kitkat5505]

Knowing my body wasn't broken

Having my baby put right on my chest instead of waiting 2hrs to hold him

Easier recovery, not being afraid to laugh/cough/roll over/etc

[texmati]

Thank you for all the responses. I feel better now-- I want that! all that! (well not the broken tailbone.)

There is a part of me that feels like I"m already broken in one area, I don't want to mess up another part of me.

Also IUR is pretty scary. But my ob made it sound like a section with GA was the worst thing that could reasonable happen, and shoot, I've done that already.

Thank you for the vbac calc-- I wish I had a lower bmi, I think that's the only risk (plus the close spacing) that I could have done something about.

[HeatherB]

Yeah, delivering flat on your back isn't the best for the tailbone. I don't recommend it, but trusted my birth team that it was what needed to be done at the time.

I totally do not buy BMI having any bearing on chance of a vaginal birth. FWIW, that calculator gives me a 44% chance of achieving my first VBAC - the one I had six years ago. Should I be glad it says for this one I'm up to 78%?

Go for it, mama!

[texmati]

congratulations on your next child Heather! I can't believe I missed that!

[HeatherB]

Aww, thanks!

[CookAMH]

I can't speak from experience, but can share what excites me greatly about hopefully having a vbac -

- GIVING birth to my child
- seeing him/her first with my husband, bringing him/her up to my chest to hold all gooey and wonderful
- GIVING birth to my child
- pushing my baby out and the benefit to him/her
- GIVING birth to my child

I can't wait!! It'll hurt a lot but I still can't wait!!

[CherryBomb]

Recovery was much easier and now I don't have to worry about having "too many" c/s (we won't use any type of bc other than NFP for religious and moral reasons).

[CherryBomb]

Yeah, that calculator gave my succesful vba2c a 49% chance of happening I guess at least this time it's giving me 81%

[kltroy]

Originally Posted by CherryBomb

Yeah, that calculator gave my succesful vba2c a 49% chance of happening I guess at least this time it's giving me 81%

Well heck... 50/50 odds is still a gamble worth taking in my book, so long as you can live with either outcome. Anyway, obviously the calculator is the across-the-board odds. It's an epidemiological model. It doesn't take into account things like provider support, birth environment, mom's motivation, etc. These things are more difficult to quantify, but certainly have an impact on VBAC success.

[sparkle&shine]

Wow, that calc. gave me a 64.7% chance for the VBAC I accomplished! Glad I didn't see it before I did it as it might have made me feel like I didn't have as good of a chance. I really think that your mindset has a lot to do with it. For my next VBAC (if I have another child) because of my successful VBAC it is giving me a 91.5% chance of success!!!

Knowing that my body could birth normally made the VBAC worth it. Knowing that it was healthier for my son and that I didn't have to recover from surgery was very empowering!

[channelofpeace]

Originally Posted by CherryBomb

Recovery was much easier and now I don't have to worry about having "too many" c/s (we won't use any type of bc other than NFP for religious and moral reasons).

This was pretty much our reasoning, too. I didn't want to have to care for a newborn and my other kids (who were pretty small at the time) while recovering from another cesarean. And we didn't/don't know how big our family will be and didn't want the risks that accumulate with each additional cesarean.

FWIW, the recovery was much easier. It felt so good to be able to walk (semi!) normally and nurse with ease.

[minkajane]

I haven't had a VBAC yet (78% chance according to the calculator), but one of my biggest reasons is that I remember very little of the day DS was born. I spent the whole rest of the day in a haze of puking WITHOUT my baby. I didn't even get to hold him, much less nurse him, till he was 15 hours old or so. With this baby, I want to hold him immediately, put him right to the breast, not be separated, and not have to worry about what's being done to him while I'm trapped in a bed unable to walk.

[justKate]

Originally Posted by texmati

I had a section nearly a year ago to the day. I am 4 months pregnant. I looked for a thread like this one, but haven't been able to find it.

For someone on the fence, what made the VBAC worth it vs just scheduling a c-section?

Just a little background-- With my son, I was knocked out for delivery. I honestly feel jealous when I hear about mom's with scheduled sections being awake and present, and having a memory of their child's birth.

I haven't VBACed yet, but the primary reason I plan to try is that I KNOW my body can do it, and i owe it to my children to give them the best birth possible. My c-section was due to fetal distress (very high heartrate) caused by her being double wrapped in her cord (around the neck and again around the torso). I did everything I could to give DD a peaceful, natural birth, and although it didn't work out that way, I'm still committed to giving future children the same thing. They deserve it.

ETA: the VBAC success rate calculator gives me a 64.9% chance of success, but thats with me entering "yes" for "arrest of descent." Not sure if that's correct because we know descent was arrested by the cord... But it is what it is.

[LisaSedai]

I don't think the calculator is any help at all. It gave me 29% chance of VBAC (my DD begs to differ ) I think the most important factor in whether you have a VBAC or CBAC is what provider you use.

My VBAC was so worth it. I was able to pick up my 6 yr old and hug him- couldn't have done that with a C/S. Breastfeeding was easier without an abdominal wound, DD was so alert and perky after being born. I probably won't get pregnant again, but each C/S increases the risk of placenta problems.

[Monkey Keeper]

I'm only 10 days out from my first VBAC, and I could go on and on about what made it "worth it". I will, however, readily admit that when I hit 39w and thought, "Hey, I'd have a baby now if I had scheduled a repeat c/s," it was kind of demotivating. Evenmoreso when I hit 41w! Buuuuuut....

It WAS 110% worth it because:

- I know that my body can labor and birth a baby effectively WITHOUT the "help" of pitocin.
- I know now better than ever before how strong I am!
- I made conscious, educated decisions that led my care rather than being led.
- Baby picked his own birthday.
- I pushed my baby out on my own terms and felt every single perfect moment.
- For the first time in three births, my baby left the inside of my belly to be placed on the outside--and never left me after (except for a couple puffs of O2 because he was really, really, really slow to pink up).
- The triumphant "I DID IT!" moment, looking into my DH's eyes was AMAZING.
- I got up and WALKED to the bathroom within an hour of him being born. And I showered less than 4 hours after.
- I lifted my 2.5yo into my lap to ride from L&D to my post-partum room.
- I was out of the hospital and home with my family 26 hours after his birth. And later that night, I ate a homecooked meal around the table with them!

Really, what wasn't worth it for me is a better question! I would do it again in a heartbeat, even though at 2AM after 8 hours of contractions 3 minutes apart and only dilated to 4cm and having intense hip pain with every contraction, I was just about begging for a repeat c/s I have such a sense of peace and pride about my DS's birth. And this is from someone who was completely at peace with her c/s and who had an easy, uncomplicated recovery.