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How many vbacs have you had?

  • None, tried but it didn't happen.

    Votes: 7 11.7%
  • 1

    Votes: 19 31.7%
  • 2

    Votes: 16 26.7%
  • 3

    Votes: 12 20.0%
  • 4

    Votes: 2 3.3%
  • 5

    Votes: 3 5.0%
  • 6 or more. And if this is you I want to hear your story! :)

    Votes: 1 1.7%

How many VBAC's have you had?

9K views 29 replies 25 participants last post by  Naturelles Beauty 
#1 ·
I am wondering how many vbacs people in here have been able to sucessfully have?
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#8 ·
I had three VBACs after my primary c-section, then ended up with another c-section with baby number five. I still struggle with that last one because I had a great doctor fighting for me, but his boss standing over his shoulder saying just to cut me. I feel like I'll never know if I really needed surgery or not.

Anyway, trying for a VBA2C now with another supportive doctor.
 
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#12 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by owlhowl View Post

May I ask what your 3 previous c-sections were for?
I have also had 3 c-sections and am curious
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My first was for malpresentation. I had PUPPPs and was induced at 37 weeks. Pushed for 3 hours with an acynclitic and OP baby. Second was routine repeat. 3rd was after bait and switch with a doctor in a new town.
I had an HBA3C with a midwife who believed in me. My two losses were induced with cytotec around 15 weeks. And I just had my second VBAC last week.
 
#15 ·
Going for my 2nd HBAC after 4 c-sections. My first HBAC was a little over 2 years ago. It was long and laborous (no pun intended!), but very rewarding! Hoping this next one will be short and just as sweet!
 
#23 ·
This is an old thread, but this might be helpful to someone, I have five children, the first was a cs due to breech, and the following four were natural and uneventful VBACs. One at home with a midwife, two in the hospital, and one at home unattended. We are now expecting our sixth, which will be our fifth VBAC, and are planning a home birth with a midwife. Still having difficulty finding backup or parallel care since I live in a rural area and no one covers VBAC, and I dont feel like fighting the hospital.
 
#24 · (Edited)
I had 2 vaginal births, then I had a c-section for a transverse lie. Then, moved and was denied a VBAC attempt due to a then recent hospital ban on them. Went to a larger hospital and was discouraged by my "chances". Had a forced and unnecessary RCS. Then, I found an OB an hour away in another state and I've had a total of 4 very successful VBA2C's, all with large, healthy babies. My 6th baby was a homebirth of a 10 lb 9 oz baby. I am now due with twins, and hoping baby A will be head down to have by 5/6th VBA2C! If not, I actually trust a c-section is necessary, due to the respect and support I've received from this wonderful, more naturally minded/supportive OB! :thumb
 
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#25 ·
I know this an old thread, but I had to post on the poll. I am the mom that has had 6 VBACs. I quickly copied and pasted my 'initial story' from my business facebook page to hopefully inspire.

I often get asked about my own seven births so I thought I would share the story behind why I am a midwife/doula today. (at least the condensed version)

Twelve and a half years ago I was 2 weeks 'overdue' with my oldest daughter. At one of my regular OB visits an ultrasound estimated her weight at 8lbs. The OB told me then that I was having a huge baby (for my 5', 100lb non-pregnant frame) but that I could certainly 'try' to have a vaginal birth. Three days later, at another OB visit they told me that was as long as they would 'let me' stay pregnant and I was sent to the hospital for an induction. After breaking my water and starting a heavy pit drip, I opted for an epidural. I spent all day/night labor in a reclined position while dilating to 10cm. Once at 10cm I pushed at the nurses direction for a couple hours. When the OB came in to check on me he then told me that this baby was probably 8lbs and I would never have a baby over 6lbs vaginally. He 'threatened' that he would have to break her collarbone if I could even get a baby of her size to move down, so a c-section would be preferable. I was young, small and married to a large man. In that moment of desperation to see my baby I believed him. It was still a couple hours before I was wheeled back for my cesarean because other cases at the time were 'emergent', but when Morgan was born as a cute little 9lb 3oz, 22 1/2" long chub it was the perfect affirmation for the doctor to say 'See- I told you she was way too big.' My ultrasound 3 days prior had said she was a 19 ounces smaller than she really was!!!!

I didn't have a challenging recovery from my cesarean- I had plenty of people to dote on me. Our nursing relationship definitely suffered, but part of that related to a bad tongue tie that was eventually corrected.

However, in the weeks following Morgan's birth the wheels in my brain started spinning. I didn't want my future family size to be determined by some doctor who told me that my uterus had enough surgeries, I didn't want to be caring for additional children while recovering from a cesarean and I certainly wanted the safest route for my children to be born. In my research I started really looking into VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean), I read articles about how your body can grow the 'right' size baby for you and how mobility was important in labor. I learned all about doulas, birth plans and midwives. Birthing centers, 'trust birth' and empowered were incorporated into my daily vocabulary.

When Morgan was 13 months old I had my first miscarriage. How devastating that was, but it helped me realize that I needed to start thinking about what I was going to do with the birth of my next baby. I decided to go ahead and do a DONA doula training. I drove 2 hours each day of the training and LOVED every minute. I started on some basic midwifery study and I read everything I could get my hands on regarding pregnancy and birth.

I got pregnant again in 2004 and was under the care of midwives- they had a birth center but because of new regulations at their center, because I was a VBAC I 'had' to birth at the hospital. Care with them was night and day difference from the care I received at my OB office. They let you take ownership in your care, appointments were 10-15 min vs. the 3-5 at my OBs office, and when I went past 41 weeks pregnant as a VBAC they were still encouraging and knew that my body would go in to labor on its own when it was ready. At 41 weeks 4 days (January 1st, 2005) I was in active labor all by myself!!!!! NO pit, NO induction. My husband, Josh, and I drove to High Point from Winston-Salem and when we arrived at the hospital shortly after midnight I was 10cm dilated- COMPLETE! After a minor meltdown and a short nap (yes- I took an unmedicated nap at 10cm!) I was ready to push. Imagine our surprise when a cute little chubby girl was born......at 9lbs 20in!!!!!!! I guess my body didn't have a 'weight limit' and I certainly wasn't 'broken'. How victorious!!! (and for the record- I think I actually said 'I am ready to do that again' several hours after she was born) Recovery was a breeze, breastfeeding was fabulous and I was empowered.

When Raelyn was less than a year old I delved head first into my midwifery studies. Completed didactic learning via distance education and found a great CPM to do clinical learning with. In the years following I learned so much. I attended hundreds of births (as a doula AND a midwifery student/birth assistant), I spent hours upon hours with moms in prenatal and postpartum visits and had more sleepless nights than I could count. I loved 3am phone calls and leaving a peaceful, sleeping home to go help a woman laboring in a birth pool in a room filled with candles. I loved the Spirit that surrounded families welcoming their new little ones into the world. I was humbled that I was getting to learn from the best!

Eventually I decided to get my CPM. I was ready a couple years prior, but kept deciding against it for many reasons- but I knew NOW was the time. So in 2011 (and 20 weeks pregnant) I went and sat for an 8 hour exam. The day that I received my 'PASS' result is in the top 10 best moments of my life.

All in all, since my first VBAC I have had 5 more (so 6 total!!), my smallest baby was my first VBAC at 9lbs and my largest was 10lbs 15oz. Broken? I think not.

Am I angry I had my cesarean? I certainly was at the time. Am I angry now? Nope. It made me who I am today. I wear that scar with pride.

(picture is of Raelyn- my 9lb initial VBAC)

**The rest of my pregnancies/births have been under the care of midwives. I have now had hospital births, a birth center birth and home births.**
 
#28 ·
I know this an old thread, but I had to post on the poll. I am the mom that has had 6 VBACs. I quickly copied and pasted my 'initial story' from my business facebook page to hopefully inspire.

I often get asked about my own seven births so I thought I would share the story behind why I am a midwife/doula today. (at least the condensed version)
**The rest of my pregnancies/births have been under the care of midwives. I have now had hospital births, a birth center birth and home births.**
Loved reading your story, Thank you! I have had an amazing homebirth with baby 1, scheduled c-section at 36 weeks for twins because bottom baby was transverse, a 5 hr VBAC labor with my last one 4 years ago with a CNM at a hospital and a doula. This one we are planning on a homebirth again, I'm so excited! It will be my second VBAC. I loved your story of how you got into midwifery. I have some of the same desires and dreams :smile:
 
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