FTP, Decels, Posterior babies and VBA2C Questions

[JTA Mom]

I'm 9 months out from my last birth, and feeling mentally ready to talk/ask questions about it.

Quick background: I've been pregnant 3 times. The first time, I went to 16 weeks when I went into labor and vaginally delivered my first son. No cause found out. Second time, I was induced at 37 weeks for pre-e, after 22hrs of labor, getting to 7 cms and regressing, had a c/s. Ds was sunny side up, and some shaping of his head could be seen.

This last time around, I had prodromal labor for weeks. At 39weeks & something, I started getting regular contractions. After 24hrs in, they became 3-5 min apart. Went to the hospital, checked, told I was 3 cms but had to stay because I was a VBAC. Long story short, some bad stuff happened, I was panicky, horrible, horrible back labor (I thought I was being ripped apart). The waters breaking reminded me of when I had lost my first son as well.

At midnight (so 40 something hours into the whole ordeal), baby starts deceling at beginning of contractions and recovers at the end. This freaked dh and I out, but told it was normal. Then baby starts deceling after contractions. Changing positions, rubbing baby, etc, help bring it back up, but by this point I am done. I ask to be checked, only at 4 cms. Labeled FTP, c/s. Ds was born with an apgar of 1 or 2, but was fine after that. The surgeon said something about wedging (can't remember the correct word, but it's when the skull starts changing shape). He was sunny side up as well.

I'm not pregnant right now, just thinking of the future.

During surgery, my uterus looked good, no windows, tears, etc.

I'm wondering why the FTP both times with the posterior babies. Does this mean my pelvis isn't big enough?

Also, my contractions were crazy. 10 min apart (spaced out to that again), but intense. 2 minutes long, with 1 min at the peak intensity. Unlike my two other labors, where I was able to ride the waves, this was more like a tsunami. No riding it, just screaming my way through it.

And the looooooong labors. Ugh. I was exhausted both times, but especially after this last birth.

Should I even try for a VBA2C?  Am I just one of those women who need c/s?

What could be behind all this? I'm scared to have another child. I have issues with surgery anyways, but the feeling of having failed at this last birth attributed somewhat to my horrible PPD this time around. But I want at least a couple more living children. But the surgery

Ami

[AlexisT]

Question: Were you on magnesium sulfate with your pre-e labor? Because that's a tocolytic (as well as preventing seizures), and it slows down labor. They wind up trying to balance the mag and the pit. You can never say for sure what it was, and the baby's position may not have helped, but if you had it, I would definitely factor it in. It's a known factor for failed induction.

[JTA Mom]

Originally Posted by AlexisT 

Question: Were you on magnesium sulfate with your pre-e labor? Because that's a tocolytic (as well as preventing seizures), and it slows down labor. They wind up trying to balance the mag and the pit. You can never say for sure what it was, and the baby's position may not have helped, but if you had it, I would definitely factor it in. It's a known factor for failed induction.

Yep, on mag sulfate. I think they started that before they even gave me Pitocin. I was already dilated to 3cm, so no cervical ripener needed.

And thank you so much for answering! I feel like no one really took the time to talk to me about any of my labors/births, and this last birth really threw me for a loop. I don't think anyone can give me a definitive answer, but just talking about it helps. :)

Ami

[konayossie]

Mama, those sound like super-rough experiences! I am glad you're ready to start looking for answers--I really think it helps. I had a long, difficult labor that ultimately ended in c/s for failure to descend & fetal distress (actually sounded a lot like your second labor). Some questions for you--

on the posterior baby--did you try any of the spinning babies stuff for optimal positions (to get your baby into a better position prior to labor or during labor? I know lots of ladies who've had posterior babies do the spinning babies' practices and they swear by it. I think there are occassional women whose uterus/pelvis shapes encourage OP babies, but I think those are pretty rare. Most of it's believed to be caused by our current sedentary, reclined lifestyles.

It sounds like the mag was probably a big factor in your first labor, since it works directly against your body's contracting as PP pointed out.

In your second labor, which was so painful, did you use any type of pain relief? I know most people on MDC are NCB advocates but most people recognize that an epidural has its place. Did you try one to see if that would help you to relax (in case that was holding back your dilation?). I used Hypnobabies in my labor, and it worked very well--I didn't feel any pain at all. But when I started dilating backward at 7 cm at around 40 hrs into labor, my CNM decided it was time for me to try an epidural to see if it could help me. It was our last ditch attempt to avoid a c/s. It didn't work to help me dilate b/c I had a whole different problem going on inside that was discovered during the c/s, but it certainly can for some people.

With both labors (and the posterior babes), were you laboring on your back in bed? That can definitely contribut to a posterior baby being unable to rotate. I believe upright and hands/knees, etc. type of movement can really help. Also, if they broke your water early in labor, that could have contributed to baby getting "stuck" in an OP position from which it couldn't escape.

I don't think anyone should tell anyone else what kind of birth experience they ought to seek out, especially in a case such as yours where you've had two difficult, negative experiences; however, there are lots of ladies who seek out VBA2C, and I would think you stand a decent chance at VBACing based on what you've said here. My own decision is to be cautiously optomistic about my chances to VBAC and I'll be giving it my all come Sept (after being told by the OB who did my c/s and my attending CNM that I would NEVER birth vaginally).

[cinderella08]

Wonderful post konayossi.  Wonderful.

((hus)) OP.  I'm interested in the answers to these questions

[JTA Mom]

Originally Posted by konayossie 

Mama, those sound like super-rough experiences! I am glad you're ready to start looking for answers--I really think it helps. I had a long, difficult labor that ultimately ended in c/s for failure to descend & fetal distress (actually sounded a lot like your second labor). Some questions for you--

on the posterior baby--did you try any of the spinning babies stuff for optimal positions (to get your baby into a better position prior to labor or during labor? I know lots of ladies who've had posterior babies do the spinning babies' practices and they swear by it. I think there are occassional women whose uterus/pelvis shapes encourage OP babies, but I think those are pretty rare. Most of it's believed to be caused by our current sedentary, reclined lifestyles

Yes to both. For a part of my second labor, I even spent it on a birth stool leaning forward, with dh putting intense pressure on my sacrum during contractions.

It sounds like the mag was probably a big factor in your first labor, since it works directly against your body's contracting as PP pointed out.

In your second labor, which was so painful, did you use any type of pain relief? I know most people on MDC are NCB advocates but most people recognize that an epidural has its place. Did you try one to see if that would help you to relax (in case that was holding back your dilation?). I used Hypnobabies in my labor, and it worked very well--I didn't feel any pain at all. But when I started dilating backward at 7 cm at around 40 hrs into labor, my CNM decided it was time for me to try an epidural to see if it could help me. It was our last ditch attempt to avoid a c/s. It didn't work to help me dilate b/c I had a whole different problem going on inside that was discovered during the c/s, but it certainly can for some people.

I did, and that's what went horribly wrong. Long story short, it was an uncontrolled spinal, wasn't listened to, bp plummeted, and I thought I would die. Left that way for 30 min, until dh was allowed back in and was able to get another anesthesiologist. While waiting the 2-3hrs for it to wear off, my water broke. Because it was an uncontrolled spinal and bp issues, I was forced to lie completely flat. They were freaking out that I would get a spinal headache.

With both labors (and the posterior babes), were you laboring on your back in bed? That can definitely contribut to a posterior baby being unable to rotate. I believe upright and hands/knees, etc. type of movement can really help. Also, if they broke your water early in labor, that could have contributed to baby getting "stuck" in an OP position from which it couldn't escape.

First time, I was forced to stay in bed due to mag sulfate, and they broke my waters. The second time around, due to the monitoring, I wasn't really allowed to move much. Not that I could, I was in so much pain. I did sit on the birth stool/squatting for a while though.

I don't think anyone should tell anyone else what kind of birth experience they ought to seek out, especially in a case such as yours where you've had two difficult, negative experiences; however, there are lots of ladies who seek out VBA2C, and I would think you stand a decent chance at VBACing based on what you've said here. My own decision is to be cautiously optomistic about my chances to VBAC and I'll be giving it my all come Sept (after being told by the OB who did my c/s and my attending CNM that I would NEVER birth vaginally).

It's confusing and frustrating for me. I even had a OB resident telling me I have enough pelvic room to birth vaginally. But both times were so painful and long. I really beat myself up after this last experience. I felt like a failure. But I didn't get pain relief until 30 hrs into it, and that only lasted 3 hrs until it wore off, and went the rest of the time naturally.

I guess I'm confused why I take so long to dilate/labor? I am terrified of surgery, but I also don't want to give it my all, again, and then have another c/s. It's exhausting. And even though both of my sons were posterior, I did not have the same level of pain. Shoot, I'll take Pitocin contractions over the back? labor I felt this last time.

After the c/s, and for a few months afterwards, my pelvis hurt so much. Like it had been pushed apart? Is this what it feels like after a vaginal birth? Or is this an indicator that something is wrong with my pelvis?

Ami
 

[Zoe83]

I am sorry you had such rough labors! I myself have also had 2 csections 1st for faliure to progress( My litle guy was OP "sunny side up also") it is so painful the back labor!!! My water broke and then I made the mistake of going into he hospital 8 hours later bc my labor had not started...they induced me with Cyotec and Pit...but still labor was not prgessing fast enough for them...at the first sign that my litle guys heartrate was goign down they rushed me off to a csection...but now going over my records I see it was really for FTP(the Dr. was just being impatient, reaized I did not know what was going on a scared me into the csection)

 I really wanted to try for a VBAC for my second but my local hospital does not do it and my Dr. really scared me by telling me that my pelvis was too small and if I tried it then I would just end up with another csection. So I wussed out and scheduled my second csection,t my water broke before the scheduled csection and I went into labor. I knew right away this this  guy was also OP bc of the back labor again!!

I can't tell you what you should do..but I am now pregnant with my third and we are going to be doing a HBAC with a midwives group. They are really focusing on optimal fetal positioning. I have been going to the Chiropractor and not lounging at all!! SItting on the birthing ball ect., and doing the exercises from spinning babies.com I am praying she will get into the correct position and that labor will go smoothly!! I feel so much better this time around like I am doing what is best for my baby and myself and not letting anyone else push us around!! I hope you can figure out what to do!! I suggest joining your local ICAN group!