Had my VBAC!

fyrebloom · 10-28-2009, 11:44 AM

I just wanted to post that I had my VBAC on friday! It was just so unbelieveably amazing and I feel so blessed! I planned a UBAC but decided to transfer. It was still an amazing experience and I feel awesome!

A little background, my c-section was with my second pregnancy. My twins were breech/vertex and I developed pre-e in my 39th week. "Scheduled" c-section due to presentation and worstening pre-e. They were born 39w4d and were 6 1/2 lbs each. My first child was a vaginal birth and was induced at 41w4d and was 9 lbs 4.5 oz and 23 inches long with a 16 inch head circumference!

I started early labor 24 hours or so before (6:30am) he was born and it would come in fits and spurts. I had bloody show at about 8 am. I got lots of rest during the day when the contractions were mild and spaced. I started having strong contractions at about 9pm after the kids all went to bed (thursday night) and they were 30 seconds long and about 10 min apart. The pain was intense and very similar to my son's birth 4 years ago. It felt like my pubic bone was breaking! I managed each contraction well and checked a few times on the monitor to hear baby was doing great. At midnight the contractions were getting closer and stronger and we got the pool out. It felt nice but did nothing to lessen the pain of the contractions. In fact the hot water just made me sleepy, so I got out. I was feeling alot of kicking up front so I started checking spinningbabies.com for ideas on getting the baby to rotate since he was posterior. This was the best thing I did all night. I started putting my leg on the computer chair and lunging during contractions and that really helped me cope. At about 3am or so I had DP check me and I was almost completely effaced and about 3cm dilated. I got frustrated and the pain was beginning to get unmanagable. I kept laboring at home with DP pushing my hips together each contraction. I was still contracting ever 7 min or so though and I was burning out fast. At 4 or 5am I decided to abandon UCing and go in to the hospital.
The car ride was really hard. I only contracted 3 times but sitting was so painful (I had labored on my feet most of the night) that it was just overwhelming! We arrived, checked in quickly in the ER and headed up to L&D. I contracted several times from the time we stepped into the hospital to the time we got upstairs. I think all the jostling from the car right got him moving to a better position and I was contracting ever 3 min by the time we got upstairs. L&D was full to the brim and we were brought to the overflow room. I got monitors strapped on and The put an IV in (and drew blood while they were at it from the IV line). Sitting there letting them do this was REALLY HARD! I had three contractions during the stick and prep! Dr came in and checked me, 100% effaced and 7cm dilated. They were having trouble getting him on the monitor (this has happened with every one of my babies... I have a very floppy belly and it's hard to get a trace) so they wanted me in bed. I absolutely refused as it was too painful. I'd try and lay there for one contration or two and then I'd be up again. During one of these times I had a contraction then blinding pain again as the baby spun to anterior and then another contraction! I def lost my cool with that one and was screaming bloody murder. I started screaming "I CAME HERE FOR DRUGS WHERE ARE MY DRUGS" LOL! They hooked the IV bag to me and told me if I finished the bag before I started pushing I could have an epidural but no other drugs because the baby would become depressed. They knew I was in transition and knew I could do this without... thus they humored me without actually intending on giving me anything LOL. With baby in place my next contraction was very pushy, I had NO control over my body at this point. The next contraction I was pushing and the Dr came in to see me doing so. They had be get back into bed and I was 9 3/4, just a little lip. The nurse said I should start pushing and pulled my leg up in the air. This is when I got VERY verbally abusive. She would not put my leg down and it took a whole lots of swearing and a treatening to get her to let me go LOL! Once the contraction was over I hopped up onto all fours for the next contraction. They asked me if this is how I wanted to push and I told them I wanted to push is whatever position hurt the least! I also told the Dr not to clamp the cord. She argued with me about only if he's ok and blah blah blah and I told her that if he's compromised then he needs his oxygenated blood more then ever. There was no time to get agreement, I was pushing hard with the next contraction, baby slid to the pubic bone and I stopped. They threw an O2 mask on me because they couldn't read him and he seemed to be decelling (although most likely they were getting MY pulse and not his). Second push he slid past and I felt the ring of fire and I backed off. Third contraction no burn at all and I pushed his head out, then came back and pushed the shoulders and body out. They delayed clamping

. He came out under the caul and with a little meconium staining in the water (to be expected at 41w5d!) and once the bag was removed he screamed bloody murder. What a beautiful sound! Once his time was up and his cord clamped he was in my arms and staring intently at me. I DID it! I VBACed, and without any drugs and minimal intervention! It was just so incredible! My placenta was a little slow in coming and almost as uncomfy as pushing the baby out. It was small but very thick. We brought it home with us. No tears, just two little abrasions. I felt awesome. Malcolm Richard born 7:53am 7lbs 13.6 oz, 21 1/4 inches long. It was a surprise to have such a small baby. My DS1 pretty big so I expected this little guy to be as big or bigger. He's just a little tiny thing though and just so perfect!

We stayed long enough to get his hearing test and a newborn exam and I needed a rhogam shot but then we were leaving for home at 5pm! My recovery has been really smooth and relaxed and I feel great! I feel so blessed to have been able to do this and even more blessed to have such a perfect little boy. For those of you hoping to vbac in the future, I hope you get to experience a birth that is just as awesome!

BettinaAuSucre · 10-28-2009, 11:51 AM

i am SO HAPPY to hear you got your VBAC

) congrats on a wonderful success!!!

3tammuz · 10-28-2009, 12:06 PM

Congrats on your VBAC and welcome baby boy.

Serenyd · 10-28-2009, 05:39 PM

WOW! I am just so blown away by your story! You were awesome! And kudos to that smart L&D nurse who talked you into holding out on that epi! And SUPERkudos to you for standing up for yourself when you needed to! You are a true warrior woman!

SLPmama · 10-28-2009, 06:41 PM

WAY to go mama!! I'm due in 10 days and hope I have a similar story! My baby is stuck in a posterior position so hoping he switches like yours did!

jess152 · 10-28-2009, 07:02 PM

Congratulations! It sounds like a long, hard slog. You must have been so beat, but it sounds like you were awesome at the hospital! LOVE the name

fyrebloom · 10-28-2009, 08:09 PM

You know it wasn't a long exhausting labor at all, I was SO full od adrenaline, esp by the end that I was just high off the whole thing. I'm not exactly in the best shape but I just kept going and going. I got sleepy in the night but I was more mentally tired then anything. Once we were in the hospital I was a woman on a mission and my body rose to meet the challenge 150%. I didn't sleep until 3am the next morning because I was still so pumped. It was unbelievable!

GoBecGo · 10-29-2009, 06:42 PM

Woo! I was having a hunt to see how you got on. Way to go Mama!!!! When i read about your transferring i was holding my breath! I hope you're proud lady! I am so pleased for you and glad you got your VBAC, and impressed by how you managed it all.

So.....photos?