22 week appointment tomorrow and VBAC thoughts

[OrkneyGirl]

Hay ladies,

I have my 22 week appointment tomorrow and been looking more into VBAC as discussed my options last meeting and as it stands I need to go to Aberdeen. It's for my babys safety and mine so its best. I am just really worried I go away try for a VBAC and it fails. Last birth I was given a pessary and drip and waters broke and made it to 5cm but babys heartbeat dipped and ended up in emergency section so worried I maybe wont be able to give birth naturally. Can anyone give me some light at the end of this scary tunnel that's had similar experience before and had a successful VBAC.

 

[Nanaki]

Hello!

I had a EMCS with my first son, and went for trying to do VBAC and successfully to do so!

So you can attempt to try VBAC with this baby and there is nothing to lose once you have tried. I was worried that I would get another c-s with second one but nope!! he was out before I know it! Hugs xx

 

[bluecathy1978]

I have had 6 children. My 1st two deliveries were completely normal but I ended up with an emergency c section because of failure to dilate and fetal distress. I went on to have two vbacs after this but ended up with another section with number six as he decided to change to a transverse position during induction with his arm presenting first!
Hoping for a vbac this time. Although there isn't much data to provide statistics on the safety my consultant said the risk of uterine rupture is about the same as with the 1st vbac and is happy for me to try at this point. Just depends on babies growth ect.
There is a csection or vbac board on here with lots of others planning vbacs. May be worth popping over there.
Good luck with whatever you decide xx

 

[OrkneyGirl]

Thank you so much ladies, I will for sure pop over I haven't noticed this board but worth a look indeed!

 

[bitethebullet]

I'm making this decision at the moment too.

 

[OrkneyGirl]

It's a scary one eh with so much that could go wrong but then section has its own risks! It's such a hard decision to make

 

[m nonie]

I must admit me and OH made our decision, but it's a horrible one to make. What ever you choose all the best.

 

[OrkneyGirl]

I think I'm set on vbac or at least try best I can I do not want a cs if all can be helped. Just wanted to get an idea of how successful these can be that's from real women and not Google statistics ☺️

 

[bluecathy1978]

During your labour with a vbac you will most likely be attached to a fetal monitor throughout labour and they don't like you being too mobile. I will have the added pressure of being induced because I will most likely get gestational diabetes as with my past two pregnancies.
I would still prefer this to a c section though!

 

[OrkneyGirl]

I am going to be quiet pushy about being mobile as much as I can, I wasn't very mobile with the first and I feel maybe if I was I would of managed a normal birth (not that you can say the ifs and buts now) I am going to be very specific about what I want and expect after all it's your birth and you can take the advice and use as much as they tell you so long as me and baby are safe I want to have my birth my way so they may be in for some hard going with me this time around

 

[bitethebullet]

It's a tricky one. Part of me wants to go for the section as it went so smoothly for me last time. But then I wasn't really given the chance to experience Labour last time and part of me wants to vbac. My husband think I should go for the section. I think he sees it as the less risky option out of the two! As I say, our experience of c section was very positive and I recovered really well.

 

[Almostmom]

Hi ladies. I'm also wrestling with this same indecision and although I made it clear to my Obgyn that I want a vbac this time I was starting to sway to section just because I thought it would be better than a failed attempts plus emcs.

I was induced and it failed horribly, I didn't dialate past 2cm and dd's heart rate kept going down.

 

[OrkneyGirl]

I managed to 5cm and read that you can dilate faster second time around so all being well and things progress I feel I have a good chance for a vbac but I need to go back and speak everything out and go over all my details of last birth and get what percentage they believe I have for a successful vbac. Last thing I want is to be cut open again but if I should end in a section then I am happy in the knolodge I tried. I just want the chance to experience natural labour but I'm more mentally prepared this time if it should end in a section both physically and mentally

 

[cinnamum]

I have had a very successful VBA2C, I found it really hard to choose what to do. There are so many scary stats out there and even now, after a successful VBA2C (with no medical intervention, no stitches, grazes and no pain relief)I am questioning what to go for this time. I've been given an 80% chance of success.... That's still not high enough in my eyes! Uterine rupture is my biggest fear!

How do you feel in yourself?
Are you able to have the spinal?

When I had to have my csections I had to have gas as I have a curvature of the spine which doesn't allow me to have the spinal so I don't get to see my babies until they're almost two hours old!!!! <heart shattering!

Anyway.... If you can be present for the birth and have your hubby there then go for the csection.

By the time the medical team got the IV in my arm I was ready to push, my labour was an hour (previously 33hrs and more) I gave four pushes and there she was!!!

My BMI is higher this time, which is another factor against my odds.

But let's be HONEST!> uterine rupture is REAL it happened to a lady I made friends with at my daughters school, she sadly lost her baby during labour a few weeks before I gave birth. This was weighing heavily on my mind and was why I was never 100% committed to having a VBAC, in the first place.

my top tips (which definitely made a difference for me) are:

Perineum massage and evening primrose oil. Inserted at bedtime vaginally. Google it! It worked!

Raspberry leaf tea. In the third trimester. I love herbal tea anyway, so this one was a no-brainer for me!

Meditation> I talked to myself (in my head) the whole time. Because I was so sure I would have a csection I went to hospital ALONE I had no birthing partner and no husband with me. As he previously couldn't come into surgeory with me. I definitely went into a meditative state.

STAY AS ACTIVE AS YOU CAN! Even if it's doing the school run and the housework. Don't have a day off!

I hope I helped ease your mind a bit and possibly helped you make up your mind.

 

[amelia26]

I found this article about vac and uterine rupture risks quite interesting.
https://midwifethinking.com/2011/02/23/vbac-making-a-mountain-out-of-a-molehill/

 

[amelia26]

I've not looked through this site thoroughly but it seems to have a lot of info to help put the risks into perspective

https://vbacfacts.com/category/vbac/uterine-rupture/


In short, the risk of uterine rupture in vac is around 0.5% so around 1 in 200. Of these ruptures, about 6% are catastrophic (rupture right along the scar).

 

[cinnamum]

but even a small tear is STILL a rupture and WILL result in a hystorectomy, if you wish to have more children then this is worth taking into account.


how recent was your last csection?

 

[amelia26]

Really cinnamum? I've come across several women who are pregnant again after previously having uterine ruptures (not catastrophic), so they clearly didn't have hysterectomies. I'm not trying to minimise the risks at all. The risk of uterine rupture small but real. But so are the risks associated with c section.

 

[pinkpassion]

but even a small tear is STILL a rupture and WILL result in a hystorectomy, if you wish to have more children then this is worth taking into account.


how recent was your last csection?

This is horribly inaccurate ... it doesn't always result in hysterectomy .. I had a uterine rupture after pitcoin was used in my first labor with dd, I was rushed into emergency surgery, we ended up both fine and my rupture was where they would typically cut for section so it worked out well.. but please do not say it will end up in hysterectomy !!!

 

[missmayhem]

how did it go?

the maty suggested I try a VBAC and i cut them dead, after my last two horrific labours i'm going for and ELCS.

Fight for what you want, your midwife should back you if you explain your reasoning