swotting for childbirth + VBAC

[emmajlh]

hi all,

I'm 4 weeks along in my second pregnancy, (DD is 2.5yrs).I'm a size 18 and don't do very much excercise. I think these things were factors in my emergency c section and even though my diet is better now i'm still fairly unfit.
This time around i really really really want a natural birth and since my csection I have educated myself a lot more about active birth and about one intervention leading to another etc.
What i'd like to know is can i start a gentle excercise program to try to increase my fitness level which might improve my stamina for childbirth? labour with DD was 56 hours.

Anyone have any other advice or ideas or in a similar boat and want to be a buddy?

thanks

[jancolls]

Hi,
Can't really give explicit advice unless I know why you had an EMC previously. You say labour was 56hrs, which implies perhaps an obstructed labour? That would certainly lead to an EMC. Your outward size usually has no relevance to your ability to deliver vaginally. It is more down to your internal os size and whether the baby has a large presenting part, which could lead to Cephalo Pelvic Disproportion, which in English means the baby is too big for the hole!

One thing that being overweight can cause is pregancy induced diabetes and there is a known risk factor of diabetic mothers having larger babies, which in turn is a risk factor for CPD etc etc, catch 22 situation.

Now is definitely not the time to diet, but you should aim for a balanced healthy diet. There are loads of books in the shops and libraries which give ideas for healthy diets for ladies in production. Try to do some gentle exercise, such as pregnancy yoga classes or Pilates has been recommended to me many times. The NCT is quite a useful source of information on this subject.

I'm making the assumption that you're booked for a hospital delivery. Have you checked whether any of the midwives are VBAC trained, as not all of them are. Both of my godchildren were delivered at home, in a birthing pool by VBAC trained midwives [same 2 both times 4 yrs apart!], but then again, my best friend paid privately to engage them.

In the meantime, think carefully about the sort of birth you want and write out a birthing plan, making sure that everyone knows exactly what steps you want taken, if things don't go according to plan. It sometimes helps to have someone other than DH, who can act as an advocate for you. This could be a friend, family member or an outsider such as a birth doula. It might be worth thinking about. The most important thing to remember and to remind your care staff about, is that every pregnancy and delivery is different and they shouldn't make assumptions about this delivery, based on your previous obstetric experience.

Hope this helps, good luck.

[emmajlh]

thanks for your reply jancolls.

DD labour went to EMC as my waters had gone for over 56 hours, she was in an odd position and i just wasn't getting further than 9cm fast enough for the doctors liking - i was too exhausted to argue. DD was 7lbs 10oz of loviness. the midwives said when i was in recovery that i would have gone to 10cm which was encouraging, (they obviously had a poke round while the sunroof was being stitched up)

haven't been to the docs yet as i thought i'd go at around 6 weeks.

my mum has said she'll come up for the birth so i'll have her and my DH (as DH past out in theatre last time!) I'd love to attempt a VBAC at home but our nearest maternity ward which is about a 2 min drive is closing at christmas and the other hospital is a good 25 minutes away and i would worry i think having a VBAC at home that if i needed a c section it would be a long unfortable journey and my DH would pass out again!

I'm going to do a lot more research this time around and make sure i know what i want and do everything i can to get it and to surrond myself with people who support that.

I'm trying to eat a lot healthier and i did a bit of cycling this morning. Going to look into swimming a few evenings a week and have also ordered a yoga pregnancy dvd.