[Camellia]

Hi Everyone,<br><br>
This is my first time here on the VBAC board. I had a C-section on 4/24/04 per my OB's reccomendation. Looking back I am kicking myself for not researching on my own first. She said that since I had a 4th degree laceration with my first that I would risk not being able to control my bowels if I had another.<br><br>
*Now* my thinking is that I should have contacted a midwife and figured out how to avoid tearing rather than signing up for the CS.<br><br>
I would like to have one more chlid in another 3 years or so and I *really* do not want another CS. Is my ob's reasoning for me having a CS reasonable? I know nothing of natural birthing since I had PIH with my first child I had a medical birth and then jumped right on board with a CS for the second. I had bad bfing problems this time and I really attribute it to the medical birth, drugs, and rough recovery.<br><br>
Anyone have an experience similar to mine that led to a successful natural delivery? I was able to get to 4cm before even getting to the hospital this time, so I feel confident that I could handle a natural birth.<br><br>
TIA!<br><br>
Cheers,

 

[doctorjen]

I say find a midwife who can help you not tear and plan your VBAC. I had 2 moms this year deliver 2nd babies after a first with a 4th degree tear. One had a first degree tear that needed 2 stitches (and she pushed her baby out awfully fast) and the other birthed a baby 1 pound bigger than her first over an intact perineum! The first mom actually was planning a c-section with another provider, than that OB quit her practice and she was stuck with me. We discussed every possible option and she decided she'd prefer to deliver vaginally instead, and she did just fine.

 

[Mom2baldie]

Hi Lindsay,<br><br>
I havent had the same experiences as you, but wanted to let you know that I have a couple of friends who have had 4th degree episiotomies (as a result of forceps and vacuum deliveries) and went on to have vaginal deliveries with subsequent babies. They both were given episiotomies again, <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/angry.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="angry">, but they "werent as bad".<br><br>
I agree that you should find a midwife that can really help you avoid a tear and start planning your VBAC. VBACs are beautiful! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/love.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="love"><br><br>
Some websites that may help you or give you some ideas are:<br><br><a href="http://www.naturalchildbirth.org/natural/resources/labor/labor03.htm" target="_blank">http://www.naturalchildbirth.org/nat...or/labor03.htm</a><br><br><a href="http://www.gentlebirth.org/archives/perinealProtection.html" target="_blank">http://www.gentlebirth.org/archives/...rotection.html</a><br><br><a href="http://midwifeinfo.com/topic-episiotomy.php" target="_blank">http://midwifeinfo.com/topic-episiotomy.php</a><br><br>
Hope this helps you some! Good luck!

 

[MommyDOK]

I highly recommend going to ICAN and joining the list there. ican-online.org is their website and they have a list on YAHOO. It's got something like 450 moms on the list. Many of the moms have vbac'd and hbac'd and there is a broad spectrum of why they had a c/s the first time. Check it out, Ruthie