What could have happened? Is this likely to happen again?

[momtoafireteam]

I hope you dont mind my picking all you knowledgeable womens brains...

My DS1 was a induction (my water was broken and I didnt go into labor) that went wonderfully. I dilated smoothly, labored for 14 hrs and pushed for 30 minutes to deliver my 8lb son.

3 yrs later I had a c/s for breech/transverse twins. I did go into labor first and was dilating well and fast and was 7cms when incision was made.

One year later I had my second c/s, again after going into labor naturally and progressing well and dilating. I was 6cms when I was last checked.

3 weeks ago I attemped a VBAC. I was considered the "perfect" candidate, with my history. I started contracting, and they were augmented with a small dose of pit to make them regular after 6 hrs of being painful but not getting a good pattern. I didnt dilate. I presented at 2cm, -2 and 50% effaced and it NEVER changed. Even with regular contractions coming 2 minutes apart for 12 hrs, nothing. I was sectioned 26 hrs after being admitted.

What could have prevented me from dilating? Why did I have three labors that went well and steadily then one that totally and utterly failed? Babe was head down and only 6.5lbs....

I am just genuinely confused, feeling like a failure and feeling like I dont have any answers for what went wrong. I was just hoping that someone here might know what (if anything) could ever cause something like this to happen?

[Incubator]

I'm sorry. I wish I had an idea what could cause something like this. But I couldn't read without posting, seeing as how you wrote this yesterday and had no replies yet.

The only thing I can think of is that the pit rushed your labor without actually doing anything. Obviously I don't know the circumstances of the birth and labor and all that, but I'm curious what would have happened if you'd stayed at home and not received pit. Maybe the contractions would have picked up after a day or two. I went into labor with my first son on a Thursday night, I went to the hospital Saturday night, and he was born Sunday morning. Thursday the contractions stopped and started A lot, Friday they were pretty constant with a couple of breaks to sleep, and they were all day on Saturday. But he still wasn't born until Sunday. Had I told my care provider, or gone to the hospital any earlier, there is no doubt I would have been sectioned for "failure to progress" even though I was progressing fine, just slower than anyone else was comfortable with.

But it also could have been just one of those things, maybe he was still too high and not engaging well, or his head was tilted slightly, . I wish I could be more helpful. But whatever happened wasn't your fault. Nature has a way of being unpredictable, it doesn't always do what doctors day it's "supposed" to.

[Jane]

I don't know. It's possible that you were having a very gentle labor (ie slow) - something that supposedly happens with VBAC, to protect the scar. Perhaps someone with more VBAC experience than I have will come.

[Malga]

3 weeks ago I attemped a VBAC. I was considered the "perfect" candidate, with my history. I started contracting, and they were augmented with a small dose of pit to make them regular after 6 hrs of being painful but not getting a good pattern. I didnt dilate. I presented at 2cm, -2 and 50% effaced and it NEVER changed. Even with regular contractions coming 2 minutes apart for 12 hrs, nothing. I was sectioned 26 hrs after being admitted.

My $.02: You weren't in active labor. Why did they admit you? Were you contracting or did your water break? Its sounds like you were not ready to have the baby, therefore, augmenting would not do the trick.

[lunaliss]

I agree with prior posts.
You were not ready to be in labor, pitocin will not help the uterus that is not ready for it. You have to have receptors.
You needed time and rest and weren't allowed that luxury because you had a team that wanted to help you and your baby and didn't believe in your body's ability to take care of itself.
There's nothing wrong with you. There is something wrong with a system that lacks trust in women and their bodies.
Congratulations on your birth, please celebrate it, you deserve a month-long party mama! That was hard work.