Any VBACers here?

[Mihelinka]

I'm due in a few days, #2dc, planning a VBAC. Lurking through all the babies already born this month and some fast births too:

We've hired a doula, birth will be in a VBAC friendly hospital w/ midwives. I feel prepared, as much as you can be. But a little nervous, my biggest concern worry is about the length that labor could be. My last was 36 hours ending in the csection, I just got so tired & things didn't progress as planned.

I guess i'm looking to hear of anyone else VBACing or having already VBAcd this time whose gone through a long labor.

[katie-p-]

Hi I'm planning a vba2c and am very excited! I do feel a little nervous sometimes as the time gets closer, I'm due a week from today. It is so encouraging to hear about all these amazing births that have already taken place. I'm getting anxious about when the birth will happen. I've never gone into labor on my own before and I like the anticipation part of it. Good luck and keep us posted. I'd love to hear another successful vbac birth story before I have mine!

[ollineeba]

Not from your DDC (sorry!).. but I'm just wistfully remembering what my November was like two years ago, when my own VBAC baby made her appearance 10 days past her due date It was a very exciting time!
My labor was 15 hours long, but looking back, I have very fond memories of that whole experience.
Wishing you lots of positive labor & birth vibes

[leavemealone]

I am "due" next week and will be having a vbac. I have a supportive OB, supportive hospital, and supportive doula. I am also concerned about the length of labor and it ending in another c-section, but I also know that I have done about a much as I can do to stack the odds in my favor so hopefully I won't feel as if I "failed" this time around.

[Mihelinka]

Thanks all for responding. Makes me feel better to know there are & were other VBACers out there.

[Mrs_Hos]

Hi there!
I'm not a VBACer, but a good friend of mine is...she VBACed with a home birth and it was a long labor--but the REASON for her first C/S was due to the length and a 'stalled' labor. So...the main reason I'm telling you this is because her body really did a 'different labor' than what the hospital would've expected/liked and she would've probably ended up with another c/s. The baby was never in trouble...but her body/uterus liked to 'rest' a lot. So...she would be in a good labor pattern, then her contrax would all but stop, and she'd sleep...this happened for 2 days. Her contrax were 'hard labor' and she was opening up, but the 'stalls' would've worried an OB I think...and PIT would've happened most likely...etc...
The women around her (there were like 10 people!) all believed in her and her body and they just 'went with the flow'...and some amazing things happened! For one, she fell asleep sitting on the ball and leaning over the bed...she was exhausted...then at some point, her body woke up, and she popped off that ball and ran up and down the stairs a couple times for NO reason! She just felt like it--she was SO energized! Then she got back into a good contrax pattern and went 'back to work'...
Her dd took 52 hrs and was birthed on the stairs while mom was standing up! She said that over all her labor wasn't painful, just tiring and long. But with the people around her feeding her, making her laugh, and LETTING her REST she was able to have a beautiful birth! Truly amazing!

Your labor may not be that long--and I don't mean to infer that you may have the same issue (or to scare you in any way)--quite the opposite! Your body CAN do this, it may take a long time or it may be fast...but stay home as long as possible so you don't run into an issue of someone on a 'time schedule' for you!
If you get tired...REST...might be easiest in your home environment when there isn't the pressure of 'gotta get this show on the road'...
I wish you well mama!!

[citymama]

I'm hoping for a VBAC as well. I had a long labor last time, but I was induced after my water broke and that whole cascade-of-interventions took its toll. I have confidence that my body can do this as long as I go into labor on my own!

Now it is just a matter of time. I'm being monitored twice weekly because the baby is measuring really small so there's the possibility that they'll need to get the baby out before then if it looks like the placenta is not doing its job. I'm resting up, drinking and eating and waiting it out.

[sunshine*girl]

I'm planning a VBAC this time as well. Last time was a planned section and I never went into labor. So this time is like the very first time for me.

At this point I'm ok if circumstances during labor mean I must have a section. But there is no way in hell I'm going the planned route again. Here's some dust for successful VBACs all round.

[lexbeach]

I'm due on Monday, and planning a VBAC too. My c-section was scheduled, so this will be my first labor experience as well. I'm feeling pretty good about things, and really hoping that I go into labor soon. My midwives are getting anxious about how big my baby is (u/s estimated 9.5 lbs. at 39 weeks), but I'm not worried about it. I just don't want their anxious energy hanging over me. My mom and my sister never went into labor before 42 weeks, so that's my main concern. I've been doing a ton of acupuncture and taking herbs, in hopes of helping the process along, but so far I've just got tons of contractions and that's it.

The other day they thought he was breech or transverse (he'd been head down for months, but for some reason they could no longer feel his head), and I admit that I did feel the tiniest bit of relief to think that maybe they'd just have to do a c-section and get him out of there right away. I know that in reality I would be totally devastated and grieve not having had labor or a vaginal birth. . . but for the first time in my life I kind of saw the "benefits" of a scheduled c-section. This not knowing when it's going to happen or if I'll go into labor on my own soon enough, or if I'll progress, or how I'll handle labor is driving me CRAZY. Anyway, the baby was still head down, and so there was nothing to worry about afterall, just more waiting and waiting.

We can do this!

Lex

[AllisonR]

Yeps, I am week 39 with DD. DS was born just over 2 years ago with emergency cesarean after 42 hours labor. So yes, I know what long, failure to progress.... is like, though in reality it was because his head positon was not that great so he never pressed evenly on my cervix and therefore I "failed" to open up. Of course instead of medwives being around to see this problem or suggesting ways to turn him (rebozo, polar bear position...) I was given the full cascade of interventions (AROM, EPI, PIT, more pit, more pit... fetal distress, cesarean.)

So this time it will be a homebirth after cesarean, so I can have my private midwife to myself, and if we run into the same problem we will do whatever we can to help her move into better position. Also this time I am going in with her facing my back and placenta in back, so I already feel my chances of back labor will be lower. Hurray!

You might need more time than the "general rule." Or maybe last babe was poorly positioned and therefore failure to progress, and this babe could be perfectly positioned and open you up like a flower in just a few hours. Plus second labors are, in general, easier, because your body has already been on a trial run. And I know many people, some on MDC, who had really absurdly long first labors and ended up with extremely fast subsequent labors. You are different, this babe is different. You never know.

In any case, stay away from the hospital as long as possible. And great you hired a doula.

[Mrs_Hos]

Again--not a VBACer here, but I am just sending you mamas some positive energy--You CAN do this and I'm so proud of you strong women having faith in your bodies and not letting someone else tell you that you CAN'T.

I wish you all successful and empowering births!

[rainbowfairymomma]

I had my VBAC homebirth baby last year! So this one will be my 2nd VBAC

His story is somewhere in the Birthstories board under 'Phoenix Ocean's homebirth' or something.

It went wonderful. My first labor which ended in the c-section was for 'failure to progress' I labored for 24 hours and got to about 2-3 cm's.

Phoenix's labor was long, about 25 hours but it was so so worth it.

Good luck to you mama and I wish you the best!

Its such an empowering experience!!!

[MiamiMami]

Hbac over here

Dd was delivered 3 years ago by c-section for "failure to progress" after just about 7 hours in the hospital. Yeah, Dr had a hot date that night apparently: This hospitals cesarean rate is now at about 85%.

Thankfully, I am nore confident in myself and in my body this time around and I have a great midwife.

Good luck and warm wishes to all of you!

[thepeach80]

I just had my 2nd VBAC on the 3rd. This one was induced and happened fast. My last VBAC (23 mos ago) happened on it's own w/ 12hrs of labor, not bad at all. All of my kids were delivered by the same OB in a hospital. Good luck. My oldest was born via c/s after an induction that caused him to be malpositioned, IMO.