VBA2C in SoCal?

[blairie]

I am desperately trying to avoid a third unncessary c-section and have not been able to find a provider yet. I am 22w tomorrow, due in July, but have a history of going to 42.5 weeks.

I found one birth center that will take vba2c patients however they require payment upfront even though my insurance authorized them as in-network due to a gap in coverage or something. I can not afford that. We can't take out a loan and don't have anything of value to sell. I felt like my fight was over when I found them - I really liked them and the center, unfortunately we couldn't make it work and I'm just more stressed than ever. I can do a payment plan if the insurance doesn't pay but there's just no way I can come up with $5k in a few months.

I would UBA2C except I have ZERO support. My husband is not interested in anything to do with this baby (and barely helps with our 2 year old son as it is). He will probably be at the birth but is not willing to do any learning or probably support me at all. I doubt he will put pressure on my back or want to catch the baby when the time comes - which is super disappointing but nothing I can do anything about. I don't have any friends who are supportive of UC, haven't found a doula to attend a UC, and my sister (who is okay with the idea of UC) would probably freak out and back out when I actually needed her.

There are no local homebirth midwives who will take me. I am going to try to contact some that are farther and see if they're willing to travel AND can work with me on insurance/payment, but there's no guarantee.

So my other option is a hospital birth. Some of the local hospitals ban vbac's, I finally found vbac friendly OB's (couldn't find ONE two years ago) but they are so against vba2c's (unless you've had a prior vaginal birth). Walking into the hospital pushing is probably not a great option, because I know I'll still have to fight to avoid being wheeled into an OR and I don't know that I have the strength to keep fighting this whole pregnancy AND birth only to possibly fail like I did last time. I've considered consenting to an unscheduled c-section because I know what to expect, can demand to leave 36 hours after the birth AMA if there's no complications, and it is way less stressful given my family situation and possibly more fair to my family. It's not what -I- want, though. I want to have a baby the normal way, with pushing and pain and blood and vernix and my two year old present. I want to be able to nurse my child immediately after birth and not be separated because hospitals suck and think it's fine to separate mom and babe after a c-section then try to convince dad that baby NEEDS a bottle of formula. I don't want the hospital to do everything I told them NOT to even though I had the LEGAL RIGHT to refuse and they didn't give a crap. I don't want my kid poked 20 times to check for blood sugar because he's OMG SO BIG at 9 lbs. I have a lot of issues with my past two births and hospital experiences and I just want to have a baby the right way and not feel like I'm doomed to c-sections if I have more kids. I'm almost 24, and this is my third baby but the first was placed for adoption at birth (she'll be 8 when this baby is born), so I really feel like this is only MY second and that it's my right to have more later. My random OB that I started seeing 4 weeks ago (and see again this week) has already told me to stop breastfeeding (HA!) and asked me if I wanted a tubal. Ugh.

So, any ideas or leads? I'm looking in LA/Orange/Riverside/San Bernardino Counties.

Thanks!

[jenniro]

I am so sorry that you are going through this.  I don't have any advice, but just wanted you to know that I am thinking of you! 

[Ms. B. Sprout]

Big hugs mama. I am also trying to arrange for a VBA2C and it's not easy.

And let me tell you I so, so, so get this part of your post: 

I know I'll still have to fight to avoid being wheeled into an OR and I don't know that I have the strength to keep fighting this whole pregnancy AND birth only to possibly fail like I did last time.

I hope someone pops in here with a great provider suggestion for you!

[Lyss]

UCLA Westwood Nurse/Midwives Clinic.  They have a lot of rules about once you get to the hospital, though, but they're willing to do a TOL for a VBA2C.  Good luck!

[TiffanyToo]

Try asking on the Homebirth and Midwifery Services (HAMS) yahoogroup. It is a So Cal based listing of local midwives. There is a list in the files as well.

HTH

[rubyinparadise]

My OB in Orange County attends births at Hoag Hospital and is very supportive of VBAC. I do not know if she would support VBA2C, but I would be happy to pass along her contact information.

My first birth was a homebirth attended by a midwife that ended in transfer to Hoag and a c-section. I felt we had outstanding care at Hoag. In fact I felt much better cared for by the nurses at Hoag than I had during the homebirth part of my labor.  If anything, I had *too many* nurses and lactation consultants trying to help us with breastfeeding, and I got a bit confused. But formula was never, ever mentioned. I was so, so pleasantly surprised because at the time, I was convinced there was only one "good" way to give birth, and that hospitals, OBs and nurses were all evil. In my case this turned out to be quite wrong.

This time I am having a hospital birth and trying to prepare for VBAC. It is ultimately my choice. I have a lot of fears to get past between now and August, but at least I know I have a supportive and enthusiastic doctor behind me. Hopefully she would also do VBA2C. No matter what, I wish you the best of luck!!