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Any other VBAC-ers?

10K views 179 replies 16 participants last post by  NDFanatik 
#1 ·
I'm hoping for a VBA2C this time...this being my last baby, I sure hope I get the vaginal birth I've always wanted this time. With my first, I was a first-time mom and was not informed as well as I should have been. I was in early labour, but let them give me pitocin and break my water to "speed things up", and then the epidural...of course once the water was broken, I was on the clock, and when I'd only dilated 3 cm in 24 hours, they decided I "needed" a c-section. With the second, I devoured information, and was convinced this time I would get my vaginal birth, but it didn't work out. I had a midwife, but I wasn't happy with her support. When I was slow to dilate at home, she talked me into going into the hospital for an epidural to see if that relaxed me enough to dilate. I gave in, and I did dilate fully this time, and even pushed for a couple hours, but the baby moved into a strange position and wouldn't come down any further. I think if I'd been given more time, he would have moved back into position, but at the time, the mw and the OB on call had convinced me I had an infection because my temperature was elevated, and scared me into another c-section.

this time will be in the hospital again--being a VBA2C, and with my blood-clotting issues, and the bleeding I've had through the pregnancy so far, the risk of hemorrhage makes me want to be in the hospital. I wasn't able to get a midwife this time anyways, so homebirth wouldn't have been an option. so far my doctor is very supportive. she has referred me to an OB just to get their opinion on it, so i'm hoping the OB will not give me any problems, though i have a feeling she will (this OB is horrible.) But if that's the case, I'm going to get a referral to a different one, until I find one that supports my choice. I really don't want a third c-section. If I end up with one, I will deal with it, but I will in no way be scheduling one.

Anyone else VBACing? Or anyone who has had a VBAC that has any good advice?
 
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#127 ·
That last link was veeerry interesting. I am going to share it with my midwife. Thanks!

I have some thin skin in two places along my scar site, on the outside. They are from stretch marks from when I gained weight in college. I keep telling myself that the exterior skin is nothing at all like the uterine wall, but I still keep feeling around down there to feel if everything is solid. I know I can't tell a damn thing from doing that; it's just a weird compulsion.

I am halfway considering a late u/s to image my uterine wall thickness. I don't think I am going to do it, but it crosses my mind sometimes.

Akind1, in two pregnancies and births, including 60 hours of labor, I have never had a baby engage in my pelvis. I think I will FREAK OUT when I finally feel that.
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#128 ·
If you do have the u/s for scar thickness, just keep in mind it's not a yes/no type test.

If your scar is thicker than a certain amount you are unlikely to have a UR. Which is great! But if your scar is thinner than that amount, it doesn't actually mean anything...they can't, for example, give you a risk assessment or UR percentage based on your individual thickness. It's just a "thicker than this good, thinner than this unknown".
 
#129 ·
And that's why I think I'll pass on the u/s -- if it comes back "thinner than X," it will plant a seed of doubt in my mind without giving me actually usable info. The question I have been asking myself is: If it comes back "thinner than X," would I then schedule a c/s? And considering all the risks and circumstances of this birth, the answer is no. So I think it would more or less be pointless.
 
#130 ·
Well after hearing your story I consider myself a bit luckier. I knew my first was breech and began trying to turn him but to no avail, I even did two ECVs and nothing worked. I was devastated too, I sobbed uncontrollably every day the entire week prior to the scheduled c-section. We took a short video just before we left for the hospital and I could barely talk or I'd be bawling again. This time I was the same as you, transverse and then breech at 26 weeks and head down at 30 weeks. I felt some big shifting the other day and now hiccups feel higher up. I was going to go and get her positioning checked but I'm sick and don't want to go all the way to my midwife when I'll be seeing my chiropractor on Friday, she can usually tell. Plus I'm still maintaining optomism that she's too big to turn now, I'm at 35 weeks.

So things you can do. First stop doing the moxabustion and the ironing board inversions, or any other type of inversions. Those are to encourage baby to go head down when they're breech, which baby isn't now, the Moxi will encourage her to move more and you don't want her moving so much she flips back. Walk tons, as much as possible, anything to shake her lower into the pelvis and get her locked there instead. You can still play music low down, she'll enjoy it more than anything, just make sure it's gentle or classical music. The other option is to see a chiropractor that specializes in prenatal care. They can help make sure baby stays head down, or turn her back if she doesn't, as well as help prepare your pelvis for labor. That's about it, then you just hope she stays where she's supposed to be, which is where I'm at right now.

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Originally Posted by lesanders89 View Post

How did I not know about this forum?? You guys have no idea how great it is to hear I'm not alone in my fears about breech babies! I'm 31 weeks pregnant due Sept 23 - Oct 1... nice window... this is my second child and my first vbac! With my first child I was 40.3 weeks preg. when I went for the weekly appointment and they realized "oops baby is breech!" I was totally clueless about my baby's position during my pregnancy but I know I didn't feel him turn breech in one day, I'm thinking he was breech for a few weeks and they were just assuming he was head down until they finally checked him and he wasn't! Anyway they told me to go to the hospital and see what they wanted to do in regards to a csec that day or tomorrow! I was completely devastated; I was bawling! That night my husband and I went to the hospital to be evaluated and I was dilating some and they didn't want to risk me going into labor so they admitted me and started prepping me for surgery. I had eaten right before I went to the hospital so I wasn't able to get the csec that night but I did the next morning. I just felt through out that whole experience that I was cheated in a way because I wasn't told about my baby's position until the day I was admitted for a csec. I went through a health dept so I was seen my multiple doctors.. I didn't have one consistent doctor and that was probably the worst because none of them actually knew me or my status.. they were just following up a patient! So that was my experience with my first, with this pregnancy I am SO thankful of all the information I have learned and keep receiving! I am going through a midwife and planning a home birth. And so far at 18 and 20 weeks she was transverse then at 28 weeks she was breech... now at my 30 weeks appt she was head down!! I have been told to try many things and I'm trying them, I'm just sooo paranoid about her turning! I've tried moxabustion, inversions, pelvic rocks, and that iron board technique.. now I guess I don't know what else to do to keep her head down. My midwife said stop the inversions but that's about it. And do you ladies know if she'll stay like this??
 
#132 ·
I was having a freak out session on baby's position a couple of days ago too. The movements felt different and I could feel a round hard ball up by my ribs. Although I could feel limbs there too, I was convinced that it could be a head and arms just as much as a butt and legs. It really confused me because babe HAD been head down since about 29 weeks so I was sort of freaking. I did a squat and checked internally when I took a shower later that day and I could very clearly feel a very hard round head down there. No butt or feet or anything, clearly a head. And BTW, my babe is not engaged at all. I have brief moments that I can feel him/her on my cervix, but it's not a constant. It was kind of hard to feel at first, but once I did, there was no mistaking! So, now I'm back at relaxing that I was just feeling the baby's butt up by my ribs, which is often hard and round feeling also, but it doesn't palpitate the same as a head. Hiccups are deceiving. You can't go by where you feel hiccups to really tell you how baby is laying because their whole bodies move when they hiccup. Depending on the amount of fluid between baby's head and your uterus or cervix, you may not feel it there, but you'll feel them where baby is in closest contact with your body directly.

Anyway, maybe that info will help someone else too. :) I think it's normal to stress about a repeat breech once you've been through it and been forced to a less than ideal birth because of it.
 
#133 ·
I was stressing initially but decided to think the other way instead and try to put it out of my mind until I can find out for sure. Does make sense about the hiccups because I was lying on my side at the time and I felt them on that side. I hadn't thought of even trying to check internally. You're right though, the bum and the head can feel so much the same it can be deceiving, I don't know how the midwives can always tell so easily. One other thing I was told to do was wide legged squats, again to open the pelvis and give the baby room to drop down as much as possible, not necessarily engage yet but to get that head tighter in the pelvis.

Thanks Ms. Sprout, it's just a nasty summer cold, which sucks even worse when pregnant. Good news though, this is my 5th cold this pregnancy and I've never taken anything for colds while pregnant but with the heat and lack of oxygen I already experience the stuffy nose has been unbearable. I asked my midwife about nasal sprays and she said they're fine, but addictive so recommended against, well I've never had a problem getting addicted to them, I use them very sparingly during colds, twice a day max, but I find that's all I need to take when I have a cold and I can handle the rest. As for baby's position I'm trying not to stress, I'll know on Friday but I'm quite optimisitc that she's still head down. I think the BH contractions are making my entire stomach quite hard making me think I'm feeling a head higher up. It's all that paranoia again.
 
#134 ·
Smurfy, I hope you are feeling better now.
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Did you get to check on your babe's position?

I am having BH contrax for the first time ever, and some of them are crampy and painful. I am also feeling some pressure down there. I hope these are good omens for a normal labor!
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#135 ·
Thanks for asking! Yes my cold seems to have finally gotten better, just a slight cough and a touch of stuffiness at night, only used the nasal sprays for a couple of the really bad nights though and I'm already done with it, no addiction here! The chiropractor checked the baby's position on Friday and said she's still head down, she has turned around and is facing my right side now, which I can tell by all the limb movements. She can be a super strong kicker, some of them have actually hurt and caused me to gasp a bit. Then again with my first I got more big movements high up, shifting and such, this the first time I've felt the big kicks like that.

I can't believe you're just getting BH contractions now! You're lucky, or keeping very well hydrated and relaxed, good for you! Maybe you'll go into labor a bit early, it's coming SO fast. I can't wait to start seeing all the new baby announcements on here, of course being I'm due early September I'll probably be so busy that I'll miss most of them. Everything still looks good for your little one? Doesn't seem like very long ago we were both stressing about spotting in those super early weeks, SO happy we've all made it this far.
 
#136 ·
I know, sometimes I remember that big spotting thread and just shudder. What a nightmare.

I am good, babe is good. BP, urine, glucose, all good. No GBS in urine -- will swab next week for external GBS. Everything is perfect so far. I have my MW home visit a week from today. Most times I am all, "bring it on!" about labor and birth. Occasionally I am fearful, and I'm ok with that.

Not only are these my first BH of this pg -- these are my first BH ever. Like, in 3 pregnancies.
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#137 ·
Hello fellow VBACers! My update:

Had a scary incident involving gushing bright red blood in the toilet a couple weeks ago. I called the triage nurse to see if I needed to go in. Since it didn't continue bleeding after the initial gush she decided it was probably just a cervix thing (it's been friable this whole pregnancy). Saw the CNM for my regularly scheduled appt at the end of that week and she took a look and said my cervix was extremely irritated and I had a very slight bact. infection, which she wanted to treat to hopefully avoid any more scary bleeds. So that was fun. ;-)

Then I had my VBAC consult with a staff OB, and I had been kind of dreading it but it really wasn't too awful (since I already was familiar with the rupture stats and immune to scare tactics). If I had been uninformed, I probably would have been scares to death of what she was saying tho. We did have a good talk about what their tolerances are for bad strips (low--surprise!) and food (they'll turn their head as long as everything is going well eve tho protocol is clear fluids only for VBACs). I brought up my desire for delayed cord clamping in the case of an emergent cs in which the babe was healthy and responsive and she said, "oh yes that's no problem at all--assuming you're not gushing blood, we have lots of time we can wait, and even if you're bleeding heavily, we can wait for a minute." so yah!

I can't believe you've never had BH in a pregnancy before, BSprout--I have them pretty much daily from about 20 weeks--annoying!
 
#138 ·
I've been having more of the BH's too - earlier than I remember in my first pregnancy. I think, since this pregnancy has been going so easily, they are my reminder that, yes, I am pregnant, and I should probably slow down and not do so much. So I've been trying to listen and rest more, even though the nesting thing is kicking in with me right now :) which it never really did with DS.

I switched providers a few weeks ago, and I am so much happier! The first one didn't seem to want to talk about VBAC much, and when they did, it was with *wrong* stats and mucho scare tactics. This one we've discussed it a good bit - both stats in general, and my situation in particular - and I've only had 2 visits! it makes going to all these appointments so much more pleasant.

I am really, really hoping this baby decides to come close to on time . . .DS was born finally at 41+6, when I was induced, and ended up with a C/S. It's not so much I'm ready to be done being pregnant - even with the 100+ degree heat, I'm feeling pretty good - I don't want to deal with post-dates stuff again.
 
#139 ·
Konayossie, how very scary!
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I am so, so glad things are ok. And I'm glad your OB is ok with delayed clamping even in a c/s.
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Akind1 -- Yay for a supportive provider! It makes a huge difference. And I am with you on the postdates, sister -- I went 18 days late with my first, lots of OB pressure, had a shitty induction and a c/s. With my second I was only 10 (12? I forget) days late, with a more supportive provider, but still got some pressure at the end. It's NO FUN going late and getting the pressure -- esp when baby looks perfect, NSTs /BPPs are perfect. I would have to call my doula and decompress after each appt. I just am so emotional and vulnerable in the days just before labor starts.

Here's hoping you go into labor well within your comfort zone!
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#140 ·
Hey VBAC-ers! How's it going?

I hope everyone is feeling peaceful in the homestretch. I keep returning to wombatclay's idea (quoted below) of getting out of my head and into my body here at the end. I am feeling really good about things!
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Quote:
It's a bit unorthodox (both in terms of the standard medical birth prep world and the more crunchy natural birth prep world) but the OBs who attended my first VBAC had an interesting philosophy that they shared with their VBAC mamas...

Basically, they felt like a lot of VBAC mothers spend too much time in their heads. They understood that this sort of obsessive analyzing was normal, that it was important for VBAC mamas to process their past births and dig deep into the whole world of VBAC stats and stories and figures and risks and ruptures and rules and "how to do it right THIS time when you did it all right LAST time and it didn't work" stuff. The really encouraged moms to spend time processing and thinking and reading all the studies and doing that sort of "in the head" work. But only in the first half of the pregnancy. More or less for the entire third trimester they asked VBAC mamas to commit to being "in their bodies"... do yoga or belly dance or sing out loud as much as possible, garden or sit outside with your hands in the dirt, go swimming or hiking or camping, build things, have sex, get a body rub or massage, do moving meditations or finger paint your birth art, and just connect physically with the whole earth mama/birthing energy. Spend the first part of the pregnancy coming to terms with the "-ac" part of "vbac" and then the second half of pregnancy focused on the "vb-" part.

They even write Rx for that sort of stuff during the third trimester. You know, "take 5 deep breaths outside, three times daily". LOL (they do something similar for moms who are giving birth following sexual abuse and trauma, again with the goal of moving women out of their heads where everything is percentage of this and fear of that and into their bodies where the birth actually happens).

~~(my first VBAC was attended by Drs Heidi Reinhart and her husband Rudy Fedrizzi, Heidi wrote one of the chapters in Ina May's book so she's kind of on that earthy/birthy/sexual/physical wavelength, only with the OB/medical role experience grafted onto it... I think Heidi is practicing in CT now in case anyone is looking for a kick butt VBAC birth attendant)~~
 
#141 ·
Doing good here. Anxious to meet baby but enjoying my last few weeks of being pregnant at the same time, I know there will be moments once she's here that I'll fondly remember how easy and peaceful it was when she was still inside. The paradox of being a parent, they make life so unspeakably wonderful and so chaotic at the same time!

I'm reading Ina May Gaskin's book right now and I read the book with Heidi Reinhart and her husband. I loved hearing from an OB the exact thoughts I've been having, it's nice to know that not all doctors prescribe to the "ask no questions" rule of medicine. I always feel like doctors are so bound to follow the findings of their colleagues and predecessors that they aren't able to think for the themselves and go with their instincts as much as they should. Afterall, some of the brightest minds are doctors, they should be allowed to think outside the box.
 
#142 ·
Dear moms, I am really glad to have found this forum and to have read all your experiences!

i am new here (that's why I clicked on 'post a reply'), a mother of 2 boys (c/s) and we are expecting a little girl in November.

Until a few weeks ago, it was supposed to be a scheduled repeat cesarean...

now (for some weeks) I catch myself thinking more and more of a VBAC and have started reading and searching the internet. this is how I came accross your forum!

I was supposed to have a VBAC for the second baby and this is why we chose a Dr. who is famous for trying hard for VBACs. unfortunately, the baby wouldn't drop and as he was trying to get down, his head was hitting the uterus at a weaker point which, (as the Dr. saw during the cesarean) would have broken in the next hours.

as konayossie, the Dr. put his hand and saw that the sacral promontory was the cause for the baby not entering the birth canal.

Now that I read konayossie's story, I have become hopeful again. I really wish you that everything goes the way you dream of and that your hold your healthy baby in your arms soon!

Thank you.
 
#144 ·
Hi Jeanette3!

It's interesting to know there are more women out there who have the "funky sacrum" problem--I've never met anyone IRL who knew about it outside of textbooks and I scoured the Internet with no luck after the OB's report. Check out the Birth Sense blog. She has a post about her client who VBACed after a cs with our diagnosis and then she also did a post where she answered some of my questions about what to do to better my chances of VBAC success. I'll try to come back later when I'm on a computer and post links.

What I've been told is that chiropractic is the best/only thing for it, as well as avoiding squatting exercises as they will encourage the sacrum to move forward. So I've been avoiding squatting since I found that out and doing biweekly chiro adjustments the entire pregnancy. Also probably a squatting position in labor is out for us, but hands and knees is ideal since we may have a higher risk of shoulder dystocia....Fingers crossed it works!
 
#146 ·
We have our first graduate! Congrats on your VBAC, Smurfy!
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~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I also want to say that as far as I'm concerned, this thread is a supportive place for mamas whose VBACs do not go the way they'd envisioned, and/or who deliver via repeat section. One bad thing about my so-called "failed" VBAC in 2008 was that I did not feel welcome to talk about it in my DDC. I felt like I was as the only one who "failed." So I am just putting that out there as we begin to deliver our babies.
 
#147 ·
Oh thank you SO much! It was tough and I was sure I wan't going to make it, so I don't fault anyone for a "failed" VBAC. There were moments that it crossed my mind to just give up and let them do a c-section, but my midwife kept yelling at me and telling me that after having come so far with no epidural that would be ridiculous. Keep positive everyone, if it's meant to be you'll do it, but there's no shame in having tried and "failed".

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ms. B. Sprout View Post

We have our first graduate! Congrats on your VBAC, Smurfy!
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~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I also want to say that as far as I'm concerned, this thread is a supportive place for mamas whose VBACs do not go the way they'd envisioned, and/or who deliver via repeat section. One bad thing about my so-called "failed" VBAC in 2008 was that I did not feel welcome to talk about it in my DDC. I felt like I was as the only one who "failed." So I am just putting that out there as we begin to deliver our babies.
 
#150 ·
Absolutely this.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ms. B. Sprout View Post

We have our first graduate! Congrats on your VBAC, Smurfy!
love.gif


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I also want to say that as far as I'm concerned, this thread is a supportive place for mamas whose VBACs do not go the way they'd envisioned, and/or who deliver via repeat section. One bad thing about my so-called "failed" VBAC in 2008 was that I did not feel welcome to talk about it in my DDC. I felt like I was as the only one who "failed." So I am just putting that out there as we begin to deliver our babies.
 
#151 ·
Yay Smurfy! :)

And ditto... I even hate the term "failed vbac". It's just so loaded. :( Not that there is a really great term for a CBAC, but so many women don't even want to try for a VBAC because their afraid of getting their hopes up and then having a CBAC anyway. And I know in our ICAN group it's hard for women who have had a CBAC to come to meetings because they feel like everyone is going to judge them or try to figure out "what went wrong this time" and really, sometimes nothing "goes wrong"... a vaginal birth just isn't in the cards and that's life. It happens, and there is NO blame.

So, no matter how our babes arrive, YAY! HURRAY FOR US! It's like the NPR story yesterday about the team that reached the superbowl four times in a row and lost each time... the coach said that of course it sucked to lose, but the way to avoid losing was to just not make it to the superbowl to begin with. And that wasn't an option he wanted to take! LOL So really, if you think about it like that, just GETTING to the birth, no matter where it goes from there, is like making it into the Olympics/Finals/Superbowl. It's a huge success!
 
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