Has anyone had a VBAC after having a cs for large baby???

[ktswyatt]

Hi I am new on here and have some questions about VBAC. I had a last minute planned cs with my first. He ended up weighing 10lbs 5oz. I fought with my dr for a week about this cs and she used every excuse for cs in the book to scare me. I really wanted to try and push him out but in the end I lost the battle. My husband and I are planning to start trying soon for another and i have read alot of stories on here regarding vbac but all have been from people who have had cs because of breech or distress, etc... I was wondering has anyone had a vbac after having cs for large baby?? 

[ktswyatt]

Just wanted to add that it has been almost 2.5 years since my cs...thanks for any info =)

[mommymcnair6]

Yes! I had a vba2c with a 10 lb 12 oz babe! At home.

[ktswyatt]

Wow!! Thats awesome!! I have looked into home birth but my husband is very uneasy about it. He would probly pass out at the sight of blood..lol...I am on the hunt now for a new Dr since my original has told me she doesn't support vbac and no one at the practice does. thanks for your input!!

[VBACmama4]

My sister had a C/S for a large baby with her first, he was over 10lbs, but with her second her doctor didn't even ask if she wanted to try a VBAC so she consented to a repeat C/S. Her second child ended up weighing just over 7lbs, so she would have been totally fine giving birth if she had asked a few questions and ignored the scare tactics. Unless you're pelvis is really tiny, it's rare that a woman can't accommodate her baby through the birth canal, even though doctors use this reason ALL the time. It's as popular a reason as the complete joke of failure to progress, which was why I had a C/S with my first but 2 VBACs after, with the 3rd VBAC planned for next month.

You're pelvis can expand by almost 30%, which is typically more than enough space for the average newborn's head/body. Plus, changing positions during labor makes a huge difference in allowing the pelvis to open, so don't let them lay you flat on your back! I would ask in my 8th or 9th month of pregnancy for an ultrasound to determine if the baby is larger than the first, because if not, I would give it a try! Good luck!

[justKate]

My SIL's three babies were all over 10 lbs., each delivered vaginally.  I can't imagine why you wouldn't be able to deliver a 10 lb. baby if you happen to grow one.

My c/s baby was 6 lb. 13 oz.; reason for c/s was persistent OP and fetal distress.  My (planned) VBAC baby is estimated at just under 8 lb. (which still isn't BIG, but bigger), and I'm post dates as of today.  Don't let the big-baby thing scare you. 

[Harmony96]

I'm 5'0" and DS was 8 lbs 12 oz at birth, and I pushed him out with no problem.

[Ivy53]

My c/s was because of induction issues. I have no idea if it was necessary or not but I lean towards not. That said, had they known how big he was I'm sure they would have wanted me to have a c-section. He was 12 lbs, 2 oz. You can imagine most doctors were not interested in my having a VBAC when my only child was that big. But I did have a hospital VBAC and my second was 10 lbs, 9 oz. They had me on a GD diet (I didn't actually have GD) but I think the reason he was lighter is he was born at 38 weeks and the first one was born at a little over 41 weeks. I'm planning on having a homebirth this time around. I have to admit I hope this one weighs less than 12 lbs. :)

My mother have five children between 9.5 and 11.5 lbs, all vaginally, all without epidural. The biggest one had a little trouble coming out (no shoulder dystocia, believe it or not, it was his giant melon head that he still complains about because he has trouble finding hats that fit him), but other than that she didn't have any issues.

I've always believed that unless there are specific medical complications like GD, or...rickets? I don't know, some kind of pelvic deformation, etc, that women don't routinely grow babies they aren't capable of pushing out. And I've spoken to women who had a hard birth with a small child and then have an easy birth with a larger child. It's not all about weight.

I know also in Ina May's Guide to Childbirth there is at least one birth story from a woman who had a c/s because of size and then went on to have a VBAC with an even larger child. Good luck to you.

[newlove]

 I am in the same boat. My son ( now 5)  was delivered via emergency Cesarean because I wouldn't progress passed 3cm after being induced. he ended up weighing 11lb9oz 23 inches!! @41 wks and 3 days gest. They told me he would be 6lbs based on the u/s! i am now 23 weeks, and I would like to have a VBAC, but I am a bit nervous. I wanted to have my son naturally, but once the induction started it was over. I had no choice. I healed fine with my section, but not sure what the risks are of having a repeat section  vs. a VBAC.

[VBACmama4]

Newlove, this is the best article I've found describing the pros/cons of VBAC vs. Repeat C/S:

http://www.childbirthconnection.org/article.asp?ck=10212

It is far more unbiased than many I've seen, since a lot of the ones I've read are on VBAC sites or sites dedicated to home birth, which can lean much more toward VBAC.

[wissa19]

VBACmama4 - That is a good website.  I've seen it before, but thanks for posting it.

[Kelly Dobeck]

YES!  My first was said to be too big.  I was unable to push him out so they say but I couldn't feel anything and I had no idea how to push without feeling any contration(very strong epidural).  They didn't give me much of a chance either.  End of the day and the delivering doctor was in a rush.  My second pregnancy was twins who were delivered via c-section.  My only vaginal birth was my fourth.  He was 11lbs 7oz. I felt pressure and pain and was able to push working with the contractions.  Definately lots of tearing but It was worth it.

[Jenga]

Yes! Well, it was really because he was a large baby and I had been induced and left on my back. The epi didn't work, so I got stadol and then they broke my water so I got an infection and he fell into an unfavourable position and and and and... it went on and on.

He was 9lbs, 4oz - so pretty large! Even my OB, who was supportive of having a vaginal birth until the decision to do the c-section was made, told me to just schedule c-sections in the future since the kids were going to be huge and I am so little (5'1).

Well, I had an 8lb 20in baby 28 months after that and a 10lb 6oz 22in baby 20 months after that! Apparently little people can have big babies and if you leave them alone they can birth the big babies as well

[shakyjelly]

This thread is SO inspirational. As a mom of an 11 pound 2 ounce baby who is considering a VBAC.. it's so nice to hear large baby success stories!! :D

[mandak8]

I wish I had the opportunity to read this thread before my c/s a few weeks ago! I found out the day before I went into labor that my baby was estimated at over 11 pounds and at the hospital the next day I was given all the scare tactics of broken collar bone, shoulders getting stuck, the baby could die, etc. They worked b/c I opted to do the c/s and he ended up being 10 pounds 10 ounces. I keep thinking to myself now that I wished I would of tried to birth him vaginally or had time to research the risks before opting for a c/s. Apparently I grow big babies but am glad to read many of you have gone on to have successful VBAC's with large babies and will be doing the same with the next one whenever that may be.

[LiLStar]

My babies keep getting bigger and bigger, and the only one I couldn't push out was the 8lb 14oz one. My first vbac was 10lbs 2oz, 15 hour labor. The 2nd vbac was 11lbs even, 6 hour labor! Both born at home.

[Sasha's Mama]

My first son was born by c-section after an induction and then "failure to progress" after pushing for two hours. He was so far down that my husband touched his hair, but the Drs started going on about risks for a big baby, he just wasn't going to come out, etc. He was 9lbs 15oz. My second son was born at home, after just a few hours of labor and only three contractions of "for real" pushing, and was 9lbs 14 oz, with a bigger head than my first. I'm 5"2 by the way, so everyone saying that my first was just too big a baby for me to birth was completely wrong :) It just wasn't a good environment for me to be birthing in, that's all!  Good luck as you plan your pregnancy :)

[dahliasmama]

I love this thread. my "little one" was only 8lbs 6oz. and I was induced because of big baby & shoulder dystocia fears and ended in a csection after getting an infection. I plan on having a home birth for my second...but I have some time! I am going to wait the 2years...& my daughter is just 12 months.

[zepchic]

my first was a c/s due to size...he was 8 lbs 14 oz....my second hbac was 9 lbs even...so obviously the first was not too big. Give it a shot,  a good provider makes all the difference. i recommend the international cesarean awareness network ican.com