Preparing for a natural birth (vbac)

[msq]

Hi ladies!

I am going for a VBAC this time around and I'm currently in the process of switching to a more supportive doctor (he was recommended to me by a midwife that I spoke with and also is the same doctor that delivered youtube mommy gabeandjesss's twins) so I'm really excited about that since right now I have a doctor who isn't really supportive of my birth wishes. I want to go drug free and I will agree to continuous monitoring if I am able to have wireless monitors so I'm able to move around. Also, my current doctor will let me go to 41 weeks, but if the baby isn't born by that date then I would have to have a csection. My current doctor thinks I should have an epidural already in place early on in my labor, which I don't agree with.

I'm wondering if anyone else is going for a VBAC or has any advice on how I can prepare my body to birth naturally?

Thanks so much for reading!!

 

[LindseyMorrow]

I would check out ICAN https://ican-online.org/chapter/search

 

[roxane1986]

How soon are you since your last c-section? I'm attempting vbac as well and my doctor keeps recommending a c-section everytime I see him! It's starting to scare me now at close to 36 weeks!

 

[msq]

I had my daughter 3 years ago, so as far as time between births I am in the clear, but I am worried because of the reason for my c section. My doctor said my pelvis was too small so baby was stuck and said she wouldn't recommend I try for a vbac next time but I honestly dont believe it. I believe she was stuck due to all of the interventions I encountered at the hospital. I got there at 3cm and they broke my water straight away which had meconium in it. Then I had an epidural and pitocin so of course I couldn't move around while in labor. This time I'm going to stay home as long as I feel safe and not get an epi so soon or let them break my water and see how things go. I think if you want to vbac and you feel strongly about it then go for it!! You are totally capable to birth your baby the way you want to, but I would just keep the fact that you could end up having another C section in mind but only if medically necessary. I am totally fine with having a c section if it is for the health of me or baby.

 

[BeauMrs]

I had a successful vbac 2 weeks ago at 37 weeks. I had to be induced as my warers broke at 35 weeks, however I just remained as mobile & active as much as possible before and during labour, drunk lots of raspberry leaf tea, took evening primrose oil in the days & weeks beforehand & used the birthing balls as much as I could.
Good luck with your vbac!

 

[roxane1986]

Had a succesfull vbac as well 2 weeks ago at 39 weeks.. Although my labor was 27 hrs from when I broke my water, I couldn't be induced because of such a short time between the csection(15 months), I still did it.. I did take RLT 2 weeks prior every day and primerose oil but it didn't do too much.. It took 17 hrs of contractions to get to 3cm and then after that I took the epidural cause I could not bear the pain anymore and I pushed for 2.5hrs with no progress and ended up needing the forceps.. But.. I didnt need a csection!! I had horrible tearing too, still recovering from the tearing after a little over 2 weeks! I still don't regret it!

 

[hannah berry]

i'm going for one too. i had an emergency c section in june last year due to baby not descending and cervix never dilated past 1cm!! this time my doctor is pushing me to vbac at first i was so upset but now i seem to see his point. he said they will let me go till 41 weeks too. i did some research and found evening primrose oil and red raspberry leaf tea. i'm going to trying those along with pelvic movements on my ball everyday to get baby to descend down. my midwife said she will do acupuncture for me to help relax my body and prepare for birth. i'm feeling really confident this is going to work for me. maybe those can help you out. good luck and i hope everything goes well for you.

 

[yellowglow]

I’ve had 3 VBACs after a scheduled c-section against my wishes. My daughter was little and feet first breech even though I told my doctor at 6 mos that she would be breech because every first child in my family is born breech. (Including myself) I was the first in my family to have a c-section because my doctor made no attempt to turn her or believe me when I said she would be breech.

For four years, I held so much anger about that because I wanted to have a natural childbirth. I found a supportive doctor for my second child, who allowed the VBAC, but was also concerned about the size of my baby. They forcefully induced me at 37 weeks. The pain was too much and after much suggestions from the nurse.. I requested an epidural so I could sleep. I slept through my labor and woke up to push for 1 hour. I regretted taking the epidural.

The last two babies I had a different doctor that also agreed to VBAC. Although I trusted her, I wasn’t confident that the nurses wouldn’t try to talk me into an epidural because they got nervous. I called my doctor the minute I started labor, but I stayed home as long as I could stand. I arrived at the hospital with just enough time for them to attach me to the monitors. Both times, within an hour, my babies arrived. There wasn’t time for epidurals, and my labor was far enough to rule out a c-section.. so they made sure the baby was healthy.

Take a class. Listen to your body. Have your partner take classes to help you labor, and communicate with your doctor when labor starts.