BrandiCanucks
Mommy of 4, WTT
- Joined
- Aug 18, 2010
- Messages
- 9,522
- Reaction score
- 0
Back Story:
I had an emergency csection (after 3 vaginal births) 13 months ago due to cord prolapse. I still dilated straight to 10, very quickly, actually. However, in order to save my son's life, a csection under general was necessary.
I suffered a lot of PTSD for a time after but have mostly recovered. I still have the occasional trigger, but nothing major.
My son has gross motor delays, which may or may not be related to his traumatic birth. He was crushing his cord with every contraction for 4 hours before the prolapse and his heartrate kept dipping to the 50's. At 13 months old, he only JUST started bearing weight on his legs with the help of physiotherapy, doesn't crawl properly (drags his left leg), was delayed starting solids due to left sided weakness of his tongue, doesn't walk, and only began pulling himself to standing in his crib yesterday. He cannot pull to standing against anything else. He'll be 14 months old on the 22nd.
Because of this, I had decided to just schedule a c-section for this baby, due in February. I don't want to risk another prolapse and another baby have to endure what he is. I also know there's no way in hell I would ever want to experience the physical trauma I experienced with my son's birth if there was another prolapse. If you think a baby hurts coming out, or recovery is painful, have hands shoved into your uterus trying to stop a baby from coming out while he desperately is fighting to get out (which would have killed him if he was born vaginally).
However, the further along I get, the more and more I'm thinking about trialling a VBAC. I'm not ready to give up on vaginal births, and I know that the chances of a cord prolapse happening once is rare. Happening a second time, even more rare.
On one hand, scheduling a csection would ensure the chances of another prolapse would be none. I could make arrangements for care for my other children, schedule so that I'm in hospital through the weekend and home for the next week. However, another csection also puts me in a position where I can't properly care for my other 4 children and a newborn for a few weeks. I'm a single parent, so I'm all they have. A vaginal birth would make recovery so much easier and I could just go back into normal life ASAP.
Did anyone else debate back and forth like I am? What did you choose in the end?
I know there's a group out there who help with decisions like this and promote VBACs but can't remember their name. My OB is very pro-VBAC and was encouraging at my 6 week checkup that I'm a very good candidate for one. The births are going to be 19 months apart either way.
I had an emergency csection (after 3 vaginal births) 13 months ago due to cord prolapse. I still dilated straight to 10, very quickly, actually. However, in order to save my son's life, a csection under general was necessary.
I suffered a lot of PTSD for a time after but have mostly recovered. I still have the occasional trigger, but nothing major.
My son has gross motor delays, which may or may not be related to his traumatic birth. He was crushing his cord with every contraction for 4 hours before the prolapse and his heartrate kept dipping to the 50's. At 13 months old, he only JUST started bearing weight on his legs with the help of physiotherapy, doesn't crawl properly (drags his left leg), was delayed starting solids due to left sided weakness of his tongue, doesn't walk, and only began pulling himself to standing in his crib yesterday. He cannot pull to standing against anything else. He'll be 14 months old on the 22nd.
Because of this, I had decided to just schedule a c-section for this baby, due in February. I don't want to risk another prolapse and another baby have to endure what he is. I also know there's no way in hell I would ever want to experience the physical trauma I experienced with my son's birth if there was another prolapse. If you think a baby hurts coming out, or recovery is painful, have hands shoved into your uterus trying to stop a baby from coming out while he desperately is fighting to get out (which would have killed him if he was born vaginally).
However, the further along I get, the more and more I'm thinking about trialling a VBAC. I'm not ready to give up on vaginal births, and I know that the chances of a cord prolapse happening once is rare. Happening a second time, even more rare.
On one hand, scheduling a csection would ensure the chances of another prolapse would be none. I could make arrangements for care for my other children, schedule so that I'm in hospital through the weekend and home for the next week. However, another csection also puts me in a position where I can't properly care for my other 4 children and a newborn for a few weeks. I'm a single parent, so I'm all they have. A vaginal birth would make recovery so much easier and I could just go back into normal life ASAP.
Did anyone else debate back and forth like I am? What did you choose in the end?
I know there's a group out there who help with decisions like this and promote VBACs but can't remember their name. My OB is very pro-VBAC and was encouraging at my 6 week checkup that I'm a very good candidate for one. The births are going to be 19 months apart either way.
