Can they make you VBAC (UK)

[hercfreak]

DH and I are keen to try for No 2 in a couple of months. I had issues throughout my pregnancy with DD, from her sitting on my kidney and SPD. I worry that I'm told that I have to have VBAC even after everything we went through last time on top of my new medical problems (I have Fibromyalgia). I will apologise now as to the length of our story, but I would like your opinions as to if I'm being to over sensitive.

I had a small bleed on the Fri afternoon (2w + 1d before due date) and was taken in for monitoring. It turned out to just be my show but whilst they were monitoring us it was picked up that I was starting to have contractions, but my cervix was closed. Over the weekend I could feel the contractions but nothing further happened. I then had a consultant appointment on the Monday due to my kidney and SPD problems. They decided to give me stretch and sweeps to kick start everything early to help ease all my problems. The midwife found that I was at 2 cm, and booked me in for further stretch and sweeps for the week. On Wednesday the midwife said that she couldn't find my cervix so I couldn't have been at 2 cm, they got it wrong the other day! Personally we felt like the midwife disagreed with why we were having stretch and sweeps before my due date. My GP wasn't happy with this and sent me back in again the next day. Funny thing the midwife that day found my cervix and I was still at 2 cm! We went back in AGAIN (oh should say still having contractions throughout this whole time)on the Saturday for another stretch and sweep. Whilst we were sat waiting my waters broke at 2 PM and they were stained with meconium. We were put onto monitoring and we were still no further forward at 8 PM. By half 8 I was starting to need the gas and air. The midwife gave me an examination and found that I had finally gone to 4 cm and that my waters hadn't fully broken. By 9 PM she had broken the remainder of my waters, within minutes the contractions came extremely quickly and unbelievably strong. I couldn't cope with it and neither did DD. Her heart rate dropped to 60 BPM. Within minutes we were being wheeled down to theatre for an EMCS. Thankfully they managed to stabalise her heart rate enough so that I could have a spinal block and DH could also be in theatre with us to see her brought into the world.

I am petrified of going through this all again. After DD was born I suffered with PND. Although I don't suffer now I am still being monitored and worry that if we went through anything like this again my mental health will plummet to rock bottom, on top of my new medical issue of having Fibromyalgia. Am I thinking too much over this?

Any help or experiences will be greatly appreciated. XX

 

[QueenQueso]

I'm not in the UK, I'm in the US so it's going to be a bit different, but here you're more likely to find a doctor who wants to do a RCS than you are to find one willing to allow a VBAC. So I would say if you're 100% certain, you shouldn't have a problem.

I am wondering though, if perhaps your labor didn't go well because you weren't quite ready to go into labor yet? Like, maybe your water only broke because they irritated your cervix so many times and made it rupture too soon. It's common for bloody show to happen weeks prior to labor, to walk around a few centimeters dialated for weeks, to have the Braxton hicks contractions for weeks, etc. Now, your other medical problems could've very well required the early delivery, but I do know that interventions in the labor process are like dominoes. One 'helpful intervention' leads to another which leads to another, etc, which ultimately makes you more likely to have a cesarean than you would've if you'd just been left alone in the first place.

So what I meant by all that rambling, is that if you go into labor naturally this time, it might be nothing at all like your first one was.

 

[LDC]

Definitely not overthinking things at all, that's a scary experience to go through so completely understandable.

We all have this ideal birth in our heads, I think, and as soon as anything goes against that then it is scary to think about possibly having a "normal" (whatever the hell that is) birth afterwards. Well, that's the case for me anyway.

UK based yes you can have an elective after an emcs.

I will be!

They can really try and encourage you to go vbac but the choice is yours.

 

[RaspberryMini]

I'm in the UK and recently had an ELCS following a EMCS 2.5 years ago. This is how it worked for me. My midwife discussed VBAC with me at my booking in appointment and said that I needed to be referred to a consultant. I had my first consultant appointment at 16 weeks who discussed the reasons for my EMCS and my chance iof success at VBAC, they also give me a bunch of information leaflets, websites etc for me research to help make my decision. I should add my gut instinct was to ELCS prior to all these appointments but I did do my research so I felt informed about my choice and demonstrate it wasn't something I'd taken lightly. I was then made a further appointment at 36 weeks to discuss my decision - I was really nervous about this appointment but it was really simple! They asked for my decision I said section and it was booked there and then no questions asked - they even asked if I had a preferred date! So yes you definitely have the choice but they do encourage VBAC. As it was my gut instinct was right she was in a funny position with the cord around her neck.

 

[alibaba24]

no they can their best to convince you to have a vbac but they cannot force you to.

 

[SillyMoo1983]

I had an EMCS first time (undetected breech and baby's heart rate was 50bpm). Second time round I was simply asked what I wanted to do. I didn't 100% decide until 36 weeks but once I told them I wanted an ELCS they were on the phone trying to book it. No questions asked. They were really nice

 

[Amyface]

Nope, not at all. I wanted an elective this time after a horrific labour and emergency section last time, and health problems with this pregnancy. I told them why I wanted it, and agreed to go away and think about an option they gave me to try labour and see how it was progressing on the basis that if I wasn't happy I'd be taken down for a section. I thought about it and decided section was still the way I wanted to go. Next time I saw my consultant she suggested a VBAC clinic and I said I don't need to - I've been away and re-evaluated (which I had) and finalised my decision and that wasn't going to change now. She booked me in for my section. Job done! Worst case you go to the clinic, listen to everyone, talk it through and "decide" on a section. They can't force you so don't worry.

 

[hercfreak]

Thank you so much. I've been petrified that I could end up going through all that stress again! I can at least relax about that part now!!

 

[ispeakinsongs]

under the new guidelines even mums who have not had a csection have the right to have one if they request it. Please don't worry.

 

[bitethebullet]

in the UK now anyone has the choice to have a cs, previous section or not. My midwife offered me a vbac or elective cs straight off. She said it was my choice. How hard they will try to convince you to have a vbac will vary with the opinion of individual midwives however, they can't make you have one.

 

[Clarabell543]

Hi hun... i was also worried i would have to battle for another section... i saw the consultant a couple of days ago.. he listed the pros and cons of both.. offered me vbac leaflets and offered a clinic i could go to for more info but i declined. He was very supportive of my decision and not pushy and said he would see me at 36 weeks to book my section.. i an in the uk

 

[mummy2be...]

They can't force you to go for vbac, but they try to convince you to. Because in most cases that's what's best over all for you and your baby. If there is no medical need for you to have a section then it's a majorly invasive massive stomach op for no reason? I had a natural labour, then and cat 1 dropped to cat 2 emergency section (she had to be revived) but next time I will most defiantly be going for vbac because the experience is amazing. I know (from first hand) it's petrifying after what you went through, but the chances of that happening again are very slim.

 

[coz]

I didnt feel pressured to go vbac at all! Im booked in monday for my planned section, after having an emergency section after his heart rate dropped and nothing seemed to happen naturally. My consultant told me pros and cons for both natural and c section and said its up to me to decide at 36 weeks, when i w ent back they just asked do i still want a section and booked me in right away x

 

[littlesteph]

they can't force you, only advise you, you'd be closely monitored if you did have a vbac.
between my sections was just under a year, so didn't get much choice anyway. at the end of the day its your choice

 

[jessiebella86]

under the new guidelines even mums who have not had a csection have the right to have one if they request it. Please don't worry.

I'm afraid this isn't the case in the UK. You can't just book in for a csection - there needs to be a medical requirement for one due to the risks involved in the surgery. You are however entitled to a section if you have had a previous one due to the slight increased risk of uterine rupture, even so they will try and encourage you to have a VBAC if they believe your able xx

 

[hercfreak]

Thank you everyone again. This afternoon I got my so no2 looks they're on their way (hopefully just the one anyway!!)
We are booked in for our birth reflections appointment on 29th, where we'll be talked through the last pregnancy and delivery of Poppy. I've had it booked for ages but needed to wait until I broke up from work for the summer hols so I didn't need to ask for a day off work! Hopefully they'll realise that I've been thinking about this alot when I go for my booking appt, which I will phone for tomorrow morning.

 

[Pearlie]

I've been told it'll be no problem at all to go for the elective. Consultant appt in a couple of weeks!

 

[baileybubs]

Congrats on the bfp! Just wanted to add that in my experience they definitely don't force vbac, I actually opted for vbac and they were actually surprised (small age gap) but when I asked if I changed my mind at last minute could I have an elcs they said I could if I wanted to. My son then ended up being 2 weeks overdue and I wish I'd gone for the elcs but did indeed have a vbac. You shouldn't have any problems, just remember if you get a pushy consultant or midwife, at the end of the day it's your choice.

 

[sinead266]

Im currently 31 weeks pregnant and my last was a section due to being breech, i wanted a section this time and to be sterilised and was told no im to have a vbac, i never got a choice

 

[baileybubs]

Sinead don't accept that hun, they absolutely cannot force you to vbac. It is your choice, I would speak to someone about it, it's definitely not up to them. They can encourage you to vbac and some of them can be quite pushy but they 100% cannot force you. If you want a csection and you previously had one then they have to let you have one.