Anyone had c-section and vaginal birth???? Help!!!!!

[AnotherHelen]

Hello everyone! i had an emergency c-section after 52 hours of labour with my first baby, which obviously dissapointed me greatly, he turned out to be 9lb 14oz witch is probably why he was getting stuck! i was then told with my second that subsequent baby's are almost always bigger so i sadly booked an elective c-section only to have a 7 1/2lb baby! so this is my third pregnancy and i have obviously had 2 sections but i would like to have a vaginal delivery, i just wandered if anyone had had both and what they think as i have come to a dead end with my decision making so far! baby isnt due until september. xxx

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

I'm sure there's someone on here who's had 2 c sections and then a vaginal birth. Can't remember who though!

Thing to do is bump this, so it stays on active conversations and someone who can help might see it .

[pupuce]

Jimjams was offered one but she didn't manage it but she (as many of us) was very surprised that her OB suggested it!
SueW has a friend who had a VBA3C - at home in water.

[dabihp]

AM in same position (baby no.2)... anyone else manage it?

[milward]

I had a cs for 2nd & a vbac for the 3rd. Beforehand - about 35/36 weeks (I think) I had a scan to estimate the thickness of the womb, in the area of the previous cs, to see if it could stand the stress of labour. I thought it was a useful checkup and I felt confident in having a vb. Best wishes.

[jamiesam]

Hi. I had one cs and then a vaginal delivery. First baby got very stuck (although I wasn't fully dilated) - to the extent that drs had to call in re-inforcements to get him out! He was 7lbs 10oz. Second baby was 9lbs 3oz and I put a lot of credit for vaginal delivery down to pregnancy yoga, some research on active birth and optimal foetal positioning, and a GREAT midwife who really supported me on the night!

Good luck with your quest for vba2c - do keep bumping - or hold out for Mears (great mumsnet midwife) - or try slightly more specific title (ie after 2cs...)

[swedishmum]

Hello
I had a caesarian for my 3rd delivery (emergency due to baby coming out foot first) then 7 years later found myself pregnant again. I was terrified at the idea of normal delivery - each of mine had been traumatic in different ways ie student midwife, one twin having (known already) lethal condition. I made sure the consultant was aware of my concerns and agreed to try for vaginal delivery, switching to c section if I was too stressed or baby in difficulty. I'm so pleased I had normal delivery - baby arrived very very quickly and at last I feel after giving birth to 5 children I have had a "normal" delivery. My advice is go for it but make sure medical staff are very aware of your concerns, and be prepared to enjoy having a healthy baby by whatever means - through having all my children, I think birth plans are vastly over-rated, great if everything goes to plan, but almost designed to disappoint. Go for what you want, but bear in mind that once you're home with your lovely baby, how he/she arrived ranks fairly low in the overall scheme.

[Corrin]

Hi
I'm in same position, would like vaginal delivery. Had C-section 2.5 years ago due to DD being breech she was 7lb 2ox at 38.5 weeks. Have been told 2 completely different stories by registrars under my consultant at hospital...one says won't induce (pessary or drip) the other said would and that 2.5 years is enough for scar to heal and not be problem.
My mum had to be induced 14 days over for all four of her kids...am on Raspberry Leaf tea and am 37.5 weeks now. Not sure what I can ask for or what might happen...anyone advise?

[Kaz33]

Hi emergency c-section for first delivery fully dilated but baby was OP ( back to back ) and was not coming out. 35 hours of labour with only tens as pain relief.

Managed ~VBAC with second baby, but exactly the same labour as first - no quicker and baby was OP again. Very close to another C-section but thanks to a timely epidural and great midwife managed it.


You are not going to know until the end whether this baby is going to just pop out being smaller or whether there is another reason you had difficulties. This puts even more stress on you, for me I was so stressed and scared of another c-section that I failed to progress beyond 4 cms for about 7 hours.

Give yourself the best chance - get a doula or private midwife who you trust and understands what happended last time. Get as much info as possible.

Saying that I am so happy with my VBAC - giving birth to Cameron was one of the finest experiences of my life and healed a lot of the pain from my traumatic c-section.

[chipmonkey]

I tried for VBAC on ds2. ds1 had been breech. However my previous scar ruptured and I was told never to try vaginal delivery again. I was given synotocin which I think might have speeded things up too much.

[Corrin]

Crikey chipmonkey...how long was it between your two kiddies? Was that the drip or pessary?

[Corrin]

Thanks Kaz33, was elective C-section after external turning didn't work...was advised by both docs and hosp midwives to go for c-section...wasn't what I'd had in mind and although fine would rather not have another...

[chipmonkey]

2 years and 2 months and it was the drip!

[tiggywinkle]

Had a c/section 1st time round due to slow progress and large baby. Was almost routinely booked in for c/section again but told there was no medical reason why I could not give birth naturally. My mind was in turmoil not knowing what I should do. On day of op. I had a show and things looked ok for normal delivery so I changed my mind on the 11th hour and had VBAC which I'm so glad I did as I had great sense of achievement and better recovery. Was expecting everyone to pat me on the back but not many people ask you about which hole they pop out, just how big the baby is and what her name is!

[swedishmum]

I was induced by pessary - said they would only do 2 attempts in 24hours and monitored me hourly. Baby born after 2 pessaries (it was 7 years since last pg and I was nearly 42 weeks). DH had just headed home for the nigh when it all set off and he got back just in time. Woman in next bed to me in same situation - ended up with c section 24 hours after me - BUT we both had gorgeous, healthy babies.

[saadia]

I had an emergency c/s with ds1 and vbac for ds2. I found the recovery after the c/s to be easier than the vbac, as I had to have an episiotomy and the stitches down there were VERY painful and really restricted my mobility, whereas the c/s stitches and aftermath were, for me, easier to live with. But all pregnancies and deliveries are different and unpredictable...it's a very difficult decision. My ds2 was three weeks early and heavier than ds1 who was only ten days early.

[Kidstrack2]

Oh so glad to have found this thread! I had an emergency c-section after 24hours labouring, baby was very distressed and I had been pushing for two hours, baby turned out to be 9lb 2oz and I had a small vaginal wall so he couldn't get out. However 4yrs later i was expecting baby no2 and my consultant advised a planned c-section. I said that I really would like a trial of labour and he was very understanding. What they did was give me regular scans to check babys size and weight gain and if at 38wks they thought the baby was going to be over 8lb they wouldn't let me labour. They said it was unlikely that the second baby would be smaller but to my delight baby was about 6lb 12oz at a 37wk scan and they said baby should be about 7lb 7oz if born on due date. I went into labour four days late and baby was 7lb 10oz so the scan they gave me was I must admit really accurate. I had a 16 hour labour with gas and air and an anti sickness jab and baby was born without any problems although I did have many stitches but it was very much worth it and I may even do it all over again one day!

[mumfor1sttime]

Hi everyone, I had an emergency c section as my little boy was infact a very big boy!! He was also undiagnosed as a breech.My waters broke at 6am {in bed!} and my 1st contractions started at 8am, by 3pm my contractions were every 2/3 mins, so I left for the hospital. They noticed something was wrong by a discharge I had. I felt like I was outside looking in, noone told me what was going on. Doctors kept popping in to look at me. My blood pressure went through the roof, my baby was in distress, so they pumped me full of drugs.I then passed out. My husband was terrified as this is our first baby.I came round and they were doing ultra sound, they discovered breech position, and rushed me to theatre. I had had no pain relief at this stage so felt that I deserved the epidural!!!! At 7.29pm my baby boy was born. He was 9lb 12oz. I felt very bitter and very down for first couple of weeks as I kept re-living my experience in hospital. I felt my midwifery care was very poor- I saw a different midwife at each appt, and saw 1 midwife in the last 2 weeks of my pregnancy. I am now enjoying my baby who is now 14 wks and weighs a healthy 15lb 2oz!!! x

[SusiS]

i don't know either what to do! had to have an em.c-section a year ago due to very long labour, ds got distressed, head was in wrong position and too big for me anyways - they told after 2hrs pushing!!! (ds was 8lb15oz) - i am due in october with #2 and i told everyone so far i'd like to try a 'normal' birth (theatre is always at hand) - but i am getting second thoughts now! babies seem to get bigger the more pregnancies and i also seem to have a 'problem' with last birth (every time i think of it i start crying) - consultant was well pleased to hear i'd try a 'normal' birth but i think i'll ask for close monitoring and sizing scans and i always can change my mind and ask for a planned c-section!

[bargainhunter]

I Have 4 Children DS1 Was Kieland Forceps(?) now banned in our local materity, he was back to back and i was in agony , midwife said to stop being silly it was too early to be in so much pain ,water's went at 6 a.m, was 9 pm before a doc checked me, was rushed in to theatre ds1 was born at 9 .42 p.m he was 9lb 6.
Ds 2 was emergency c/s no pain whatsoever until midwife broke waters and baby went into foetal distress. No time for epidural, had to be put to sleep. He was 9lb 4.
9 years later, had Ds3. He was to be a normal delivery until 2nd scan which showed placenta had dropped. He was a planned c/s. He was 8lb 8.
6 years on, had Dd1 ( finally). We were told she HAD to be a c/s as I had already had 2 c/s even though they were years before. Dd1 was 7lb 10.
It all depends on your maternity dept as the staff around when Dd1 was born were a lot more helpful than when Ds1 was born 16 years ago.
The episiotomy scar from Ds1 forceps delivery still hurts to this day. I would have a planned c/s every time as the procedure is all planned, even DH could book time off work as he worked away a lot.