VBAC info/support

[TTCinBC]

Im sorry, but Im not familiar with what a sweep is?

 

[NickyNack]

I would personally take the sweep as they only offer it twice, three times max. But it's really a personal choice....you might say yes but then they can't do it cos your cervix is thick/far back/closed etc.....

On the subject I apparently need the approval of my consultant before my midwife can perform a sweep on me - anyone else?

TTC - a sweep is a membrane sweep, where they sweep the membranes through the cervix to stimulate hormones to induce labour

 

[modo]

Not with me NickyNack I am under midwife lead care but a doctor will be informed when I am in hospital that my birth is a vbac. Are you under shared care?

Thanks for the advice hon. Will think about it in the coming two weeks.

 

[NickyNack]

No idea Modo - I hope not my consultant is a [insert bad word here]!!

 

[TTCinBC]

Humm, I've never heard of a sweep before so I wonder if they do them in Canada?

 

[lauraclili]

I think it's normally called stripping the membranes in the US, not sure if it's the same thing in Canada?

 

[TTCinBC]

We could very well still have it, it may just never have came up with my DD. All they did for me was inductions and breaking my waters. So those are the only things I really know about down in that area. I'll have to do some research on this and see if it is here and maybe ask my doctor about it.

I'm going to try to give everything I can a try this time so I can make trying for a vbac a lot easier. I didn't do anything before I was induced to try and bring labor on naturally with my DD. But I also didn't know of anything either.

 

[Mon_n_john]

Hi ladies! Thank you all for your good wishes! Someone must have heard your prayers because I VBACed with no epidural!!!

Here she is, Alyssa Rose!

 

[Mork]

Congratulations Mon n John!! She's gorgeous
Ladies, is there anything we can do/take prior to labour? i.e. evening primrose oil, raspberry leaf tea (although have read this is not suitable for anyone who's had a c section)????
xx

 

[chuck]

Hi ladies! Thank you all for your good wishes! Someone must have heard your prayers because I VBACed with no epidural!!!

Here she is, Alyssa Rose!

ZOMG lookit the super squishy cuteness!

HUGE congrats missus well done!

Congratulations Mon n John!! She's gorgeous
Ladies, is there anything we can do/take prior to labour? i.e. evening primrose oil, raspberry leaf tea (although have read this is not suitable for anyone who's had a c section)????
xx

Hi Mork, anything herbal like that isnt tested as it were for safety so in any pregnancy its kinda on your own head be it...BUT that said the amounts that you are going to be using are fairly low and as always listen to your body!

RLT is a uterine stimulant, so may cuse very mild contractions...if you feel they are too strong or you get pain then stop taking it.

My MW who applauded my planned HBAC encouraged me to try anything to being things on naturally, so I took RLT capsules from 35 weeks I think it was and then EPO internally and SFO orally too.

Just be aware that some EPO/SFO also has vit E and high levels of Vit E have been linked to some birth defects but you can buy SFO/EPO without the Vit E added.

 

[NickyNack]

I'm taking RLT....like chuck says if you feel try are causing strong bh's then just calm down or stop - I've been getting more frequent bh's but not painful so guessing I'm ok

 

[Mork]

Thanks ladies. I am getting lots of strong Brixton hicks anyway, and have been for some weeks. Xx

 

[TTCinBC]

Well Ladies, I had my consult with my OB today. He's the same one I had with my DD.

It didn't go exactly how I had hoped. He's open to me trying a vbac, but of course he had to give me all the risks and what not associated with it. And they scared the crap out of me if I'm honest. I always knew there was a risk to myself, but I was unaware of the risk to my baby. Things are set up differently in Canada then it is the States. In the States they can do a c-section right in the birthing room if need be. We are not set up for that. And that increases the risk of baby dying and/or complications after due to lack or oxygen if he survived. There's only really one hospital in Canada that does an emerg c-section in the birthing room and that's in Montreal.

Anyways, he said the chance of rupture is about 1in100 to 1in200. I forgot to ask what our hospitals success rate is, so will ask my regular doctor next week.

I don't see my OB again until 2 1/2 weeks before my due date, unless we change our minds and decided a c-section. Which might happen. My DH isn't wanting to take the risk , and I can understand why. We're just going to talk about it some more this weekend. I also have a scan tomorrow and we'll see how big he is.

My OB also said that based on my lack of progression with my DD after 6 vaginal inductions and oxytocin and breaking my waters, he doesn't think the chances of a successful vbac are high, but he's willing to let me try if I want to.

So definitely a lot to think about in the next little bit.

 

[angel2010]

I didn't know they did any sections here in the states in the birthing room. I was wheeled to the OR.

 

[TTCinBC]

He said not everywhere does. It's just more common practice there. They way he talked about it was that not every birthing room was like that. There will just be a few rooms set up for it. I live in a smaller town and our hospital is okay, but it's not huge and things get shut down at night too. So there isn't always the staff on hand at night.

 

[angel2010]

Ah, well good luck!

 

[NickyNack]

I too had "the freak out" after my consultant appointment.

Just think about what you want to happen and what risks you can accept. Either way, you have to be comfy with your decision.

Good luck!

 

[TTCinBC]

Thanks! It's definitely a tough choice. I think I just need some more information on my hospital. The part that is getting to us is the "response time" if something were to go wrong(uterine rupture) and getting baby out. Our hospital doesn't have the greatest set up for that and it could take up to 30mins if not more(if at night). I think I will talk to my regular doctor when I see her next week and get her opinion. I like my OB and I don't think he'd steer me wrong, but at the same time, I've spent more time with my regular doctor and she has a better idea of who we are and what's important to us.

I'm not feeling rushed to make a choice though. At my OB appointment today, things were left that I was still going to try for a vbac. If I change my mind, I just have to give them a call.

 

[NickyNack]

I would check the rates too - they seem quite high??

If they know your history they should be prepped for all eventualities. I'm getting a surgical team on standby just in case. As should you. It's their job to do things to help you if this goes wrong, so I would ask what extra precautions they can put in place. For me, I've agreed to continuous fetal monitoring as long as its wireless, and I can labour in water and move around as I feel I need to. Also a cannula in my hand in case they need to act quickly and can knock me out to perform surgery. Hell, I even offered to labour in the theatre if they wished lol.

 

[TTCinBC]

lol I've heard of places letting you labor in the OR. I wish they did that here! It would calm a lot of my nerves! I was thinking about it this evening and thought that it wouldn't make sense for them to NOT have the right staff there if I was to try a vbac. I mean, heck I had my DD at midnight last time and they had all the right staff.

I think I really should have brought my DH with me today. He wouldn't have been afraid or too stunned to ask the hard questions or be worried about making my OB feel uncomfortable lol

I guess I should have had a list of questions when I saw my OB today. I guess I was just thrown off by the risks to baby that I blanked out. So I'm hoping my doctor will have the answers I'm looking for. If not, I will see if I can get another appointment with my OB before the one scheduled for July 25th, to go over the concerns I have.