Re-occuring Lip on Cervix- (Sorry so Long and wordy)

[Orionsmama]

Hi Ladies.

DH and I have been kicking around the idea of having a 2nd baby and I am interested in trying a VBAC but have one concern. With my first pregnancy we tried a homebirth which was wonderful and everything we wanted it to be with the exception of my cervix not cooperating at 9.5 cm. I labored for 36 hours at home and was in transition for upwards of 8 hrs with an OP 10lb baby. Needless to say I was exhausted and began to have a hard time with pushing. My midwife who was wonderful and very knowledgable, tried every trick in  the book to help turn my LO and get my cervix to give up that last .5cm, but to no avail. For 3 hrs I pushed while my midwife would push my cervix over my son's head but he would push forward and then shrink back into my uterus. I ended up with an emergency c-section after 8 more hours of pushing at the hospital and finally large amounts of meconium showing upon a manual exam. My concern is if we attempt a vbac what are the chances of my cervix doing this again? The weird thing is during my labor I never had the urge to push. I followed my midwives cues and began pushing once she thought my cervix might just give a bit and his head would come through. I look back and wonder if I labored longer maybe my cervix would have dilated that last half cm and the urge to push would have come but I was delirious with pain and so exhausted a transfer seemed like the right thing to do, but even at the hospital for all that time my cervix wouldnt budge. Any of you had this experience with a cervical lip and had a successful 2nd vbac? I would love to hear about any experiences or any advice!

[womenswisdom]

It sounds like the issue was the baby's position, and if the baby had been anterior rather than OP, you may have been able to push him out. Did anyone try a manual rotation at all? I would focus next time on doing things that would encourage an anterior position, such as optimal fetal positioning, no AROM, chiropractic, massage therapy.

[LillianB]

Oh my goodness -- I don't have a successful VBAC story to tell you but just wanted to commiserate because my homebirth-turned-csection experience was nearly identical to yours. My daughter was smaller (8.5) and the labor was longer, but other than that I had almost the exact same experience (great midwife, OP baby, no urge to push, cervical lip held back, etc). I've gone over it an over it a million times in my mind and just can't figure out why it happened that way. I'm also hoping for a VBAC for our yet-to-be-conceived second baby but worry that my cervix will pull that same stunt again.

I'm sorry that I can't offer you any answers, but I'm thinking good thoughts for you (and for me!)

[Orionsmama]

LillianB! 

It is so nice to hear your story. I too, go over it in my head again and again. (Not as much now but right after my son's birth it was like a broken record.) What did I do wrong? Should I have not gone to the hospital? A million questions running through my mind. It is so disappointing to have to transfer to the hospital after so much planning and anticipation for a homebirth. And even worse to end up with a c-section. However I have made peace with it and I actually have fallen in love with my scar. It is a "beauty mark" now and it reminds me of my beautiful little guy every time I see it. My DH finds it sexy, or so he says...but I think he really does which helps me love it even more. I think we will just play it by ear for the VBAC for our yet-to-be-conceived second. I would love to keep in touch with you and share more as we both head down the second baby path! Good luck! talk soon!