Posterior baby - vbac chances?

[goodlifemummy]

Hi There

I am 36 weeks and was hoping for a vbac, but baby is posterior (not entirely) and was wondering if anyone had a successful vbac with a posterior bubba? Am seeing the consultant on Wed, but wanted to try and guage the situation beforehand, and go in armed. Not over-keen on having an epidural, but more worried about having an unsuccessful labour, and then a cs aswell. Feel like I'm rambling!! I know I still have a few weeks, so will do all I can to move the baby!

[loubielou31]

Get yourself on that ball and hope that baby moves.
DD1 was born posterior and my god it was a long and difficult labour (although first babies are always hard) with every intervetion, with a lot of stiches.

DD2 was lying posterior at a similar time in my pregnancy so I bounced on my ball, got down on my hands and knees and sat the wrong way round on a dining chair so I was leaning forwards as much as possible (knees lower than hips is I think what is important). She moved round and was born in double quick time. (quite surprised the midwife it was so quick!)

Get bouncing and good luck.

[mamasunshine]

I had a home VBAC last summer, with back-to-back labour. It was LONG and hard, but we managed. Lots of hard back rubbing from dh/baths/walking up and down stairs/tens/birth ball and gas and air later. Was held in very odd positions at pushing stage to try and turn baby etc.It was an amazing experience overall, but a bit stressful thinking it just wasn't going to happen due to cervix not dilating 'on time' etc ! We had our time limits increased by head of midwifery as baby and I were coping well. Even though it wasn't the perfect labour, it was so much better than the alternative (for me)...and we're still on a high about it a yr and 1/2 later Good luck! Oh check out spinning babies website and get on that birth ball!

[maxpower]

me too GLM - 35+3, hoping for vbac and been told today baby is OP. I think I've got an anterior placenta too which doesn't help.

[rodformyownback]

Sorry this is epic and blah, just letting off steam because I've nothing better to do!

I was in just the same position as you OP but the baby has finally turned and is now ROA. I've been doing lots of walking, crawling and time on the ball (and even a bit of shagging) but I think the thing that turned him was floating in on my front in the swimming pool for ages and ages (kept bumping into lane swimmers !) But I'm still not in sodding labour at 41+1.

The hospital I'm going to have been very encouraging of my plans for a VBAC and that wasn't changed by the baby being OP. However I had decided to go with an elcs now the baby is so late if he was still OP. This is because the consultant told me that they would be reluctant to start induction with prostin gel as this method carries the highest risk of cs scar rupturing. They would therefore want to go straight to breaking my waters and syntocin drip, and can only do this if my cervix is already effaced.
My midwife had already told me that the baby is much more likely to turn during labour if waters haven't broken, so if they get broken at the start of the labour I can't see him turning. I don't fancy another long painful labour followed by emcs, hence my decision to have elcs.

This all seems by the by now, the baby has turned but I saw the midwife yesterday and my cervix hasn't even begun to efface. So it's unlikely they would be able to break my waters when I go in on Friday anyway. The ob did say they will give me prostin gel if I'm "desperate" for a VBAC and understand the risks, but I can't say desperate sums up how I feel about the prospect of pushing a baby out of my very reluctant fanjo!

So am now anticipating elcs on Friday. Is that a daft decision? Any feedback from OP or other posters would be appreciated (really sorry to hijack OP , I will get orf your thread shortly!!

All the best , get that baby turning!

[bluecardi]

I've had this & it was no problem. I stayed upright and births were super quick, no pain relief (but not painful) and no problems. Good luck

[arizonagirl]

Can't stop but just seen your post. I had a vba3c three weeks ago. Baby arrived at 41 weeks and 4 days (had section booked for 42 weeks). All fine and recovery so much better. I wouldn't have agreed to be induced. I would hold out if I were you. And try everything - I did. And I have to say the old saying was the only thing that worked for me ; ) Oh, and go down to Neal's Yard and ask for something to speed things up with clary sage in it. Good luck!!!!

[rodformyownback]

Thanks Arizona.

[goodlifemummy]

rod I am the same as you, I will go for an elcs over induction too. My cons wants me back in on 22nd Dec at 40+3 to talk about it, but then I run the risk of being in hospital for Christmas, and I can't miss my girls opening their prezzies, so will be bouncing, pineappling, walking etc shagging if I get that desperate! Good Luck!!

[rodformyownback]

Good luck to you too goodlife!

Just wrote an essay on the nightmare of Christmas babies and the bloody cat deleted it!

I know just how you feel about Christmas - DS1 was due on 19th Dec but didn't come til new year's day. I was so keen to avoid a repeat of that I was planning to skip a month of ttc if I didn't get pregnant in March (having said that I was so broody, I can't believe I would have actually gone ahead with it. The urge to breed does funny things to us!)

They wanted to induce me with DS1 at 10 days late, I fought really hard for the extra few days and did go into labour at 40+12. I'm glad I did because labouring at home was lovely (at least until my waters broke and were dark green!). I ended up with an emcs - and an extra term of preschool to pay for!

I've had to think really hard about my priorities in the last few days. A big part of me knows that if I put up that fight again, I will go into labour naturally. But who knows what will happen after that? Although I wasn't really traumatised by DS1's birth, I've no desire to go through it all again. What I really want is a peaceful birth. Ideally this would be at home, in a pool (check out the waterbirth photos thread, they are really beautiful) but failing that an elcs seems the most peaceful option.

Sorry to blather - again! Writing this has been really cathartic. I've obviously made my decision so I should just stop angsting about it. I don't want to fight this time, I just want to have my baby and bring him home. And it's Wednesday now, so DS2 will be with me in 2 days!

[rodformyownback]

Arizona I forgot to say, congratulations on DC4! and on your VBA3C (3!!!). So inspiring to know there are still choices however many babies you've had.

I'm sorry for my short response before - I didn't know what to say because you didn't tell me what I wanted to hear! That did help me to realise that I've made my decision and I'm just looking for ways to justify it . I was such a fighter last time, but all the fight has gone out of me. Not in a negative way, just somewhat fluffier than the Amazon I would need to be to fight the system and push a baby out! I'll try for a summer baby next time, I'm much feistier when the weather's hot!

[arizonagirl]

rodformyownback - thinking of you tonight. Hope all goes well tomorrow. Sorry if I confused you further - didn't mean to.

If it helps, there are a lot of pros and cons for an elcs and a vbac. And you sound like you are in a good place mentally and that is what the key is. Even having a vba3c it still wasnt' perfect and there are things I would have changed. I am still uncomfortable three weeks later due to the stitches. So it isn't a walk in the park. Having been on both sides of the fence I think I can truly say that it does not matter how little one gets here - just so long as you are both healthy. It was a long journey for me to find that out (five years) and I am so glad I got the vbac but it did also make me realise that it isn't such a HUGE deal that I was making it out to be. I thought it would be the biggest regret of my life and now know how stupid I was being. It really doesn't matter that much. Good luck and enjoy those baby cuddles

[TheBreastmilksOnMe]

DON'T BOUNCE ON A BALL WITH A POSTERIOR BABY! Most posterior babies will turn during labour if you adopt positions that keep your back parallel to the floor, so leaning over during contractions, getting down on your hands and knees or leaning against a wall/table will all help to turn the baby and even if they don't turn the baby completely they might help it to move into a more favourable posterior position. Bouncing on a ball whilst you are contracting with a baby in a posterior position will only make the baby sink lower into his position which is not ideal.

When you are in labour and you think that your baby may be posterior, wait for a midwife to confirm this. If the baby has turned to an anterior position then it is fine to bounce on a birthing ball.

[goodlifemummy]

Oh crikey! Thanks for that! Will clean floors instead!!

[goodlifemummy]

I use too many exclamation marks