VBAC and going "overdue". I don't want interventions to get things going but....

[justlookatthatbooty]

Hello
Posted a few related threads recently so apologies for yet another on similar subject but I have specific questions and wondering if anyone can shed light. Does anyone know or have experience of going over due (from week 40 onwards) and still having a successful VBAC?

I'm 39+3 and midwife booked a sweep for me for next week, when I will be 40+2. It feels wrong to have the sweep as I actually just feel totally relaxed about letting baby come when she's ready. There is absolutely nothing to suggest that I should try to poke her out earlier except that I'm very much hoping for a VBAC (HBAC if possible). In midwife's eyes this is reason enough but in my mind any intervention at all before baby is ready could contribute to a series of interventions that could take me down the same road as last time. apart from that I just have a NO feeling about it, she'll come when she's ready.

Presumably it's because of the uterine scar that an earlier than usual induction or sweep is recommended? Any other reasons?

I'd be really interested to hear of other VBAC's that happened in their own good time, or other experiences where things did not go according to plan and where earlier induction could have been useful.

Many thanks

[misscreosote]

Just had a VBAC, but had an independent midwife so no pressure. Happened at 40+4; I also had pre-labour acupuncture every week from week 37 which I think helped (she had a darn good wiggle around the day before the night I went into labour!). No reason so far as I know to worry about going overdue (my midwife never mentioned it would be a problem if I did go to 42 weeks again) - think its just hospital policy and unjustified general nervousness around VBACs...

[justlookatthatbooty]

Misscreosote your story is inspiring and positive. Thanks for sharing. Very happy to read that your VBAC went well. Congratulations. My feeling through the day is to decline offers of stimulating an earlier than ready baby and staying with my acupuncture program which has been feeling good.
Was your VBAC a long labour for you and did the hospital leave you and midwife alone with your choices? Seeking every bit of assurance I can at this stage! Thanks again.

[GentlyDoesIt]

ooh can I join in? 35 weeks here and have had similar questions floating around in my head for my VBAC.

Are you both having pre-labour acupuncture? May I ask whether you are addressing anything specific with it?

[justlookatthatbooty]

hi gentlydoesit..... you can ask anything you like!

Have been having acupuncture since about week 20 but from week 36 am on a birth prep program with weekly sessions which build on each other to 'gently encourage' baby and body to be ready and ripe at 40 weeks. This means my acupuncturist is gently starting earlier than non VBAC clients with stimulation so as to encourage a timely birth. She works on my feet too and I take homoepathic remedies Caulyphyllum 200c Monday, Arnica 200c Wednesday and Cimufuga 200c Friday. She has me insert Borage Oil capsules vaginally every night (pricking caps with a pin before insertion) This is to ripen the cervix. Supposed to get it right up to cervix but have trouble reaching so just push it up as high as poss. I also take x 2 capsules orally before bed of the same Borage Oil. I drink a mix of Raspberry leaf and horsetail (at least I think that's the English translation of the Dutch Paardestaart?) daily along with a home made ginger tea (grated ginger and boiling water).

I find the Natal Hypnotherapy VBAC cd's great too.

Hope this helps and wishing you best of luck. Keep each other posted? Fire any more q's as they come up ok? All the best to you.

[GentlyDoesIt]

Thanks for the nice welcome justlookatthatbooty!

I wondered if there was a birth preparation program... sounds good! I'm on the raspberry leaf tea too, getting quite a taste for it...

I'm trying hard not to invest too much hope in a vaginal birth this time as I think that contributed to some feelings of failure and PND last time. It's a delicate case of doing all I can to encourage VBAC, whilst not pinning all my hopes on it, either...

Looks like you're well set up there, I wish you a great result with it!

[nellyup]

I had a HBAC at 40+10 last time, went into spontaneous labour. Am currently booked in for a sweep a week today when I will be 40+5 with dc3 - because to my mind a sweep isn't quite the same as induction, I would never agree to full on induction. But will see how I feel on the day as to if I go for it or not.

[Caro1302]

I'm also hoping for a VBAC and have been given a deadline of my EDD to go into spontaneous labour. I'm 39+3 now. I've been told that they won't allow me to go overdue and they won't induce me, so basically it'll be another section. I don't want to be induced so am happy with that, I'm just concerned that they'll potentially give me a section and I could have gone into spontaneous labour well before the 42 week window of "normal" gestation. I'll be watching this thread with interest.

[misscreosote]

Hi justlook ..., most of my labour was at home as I was planning a home VBAC. Only transferred in right at the end, as DD2 was 'stuck', so can't really say what the hospitals attitude was. A friend recently had a VBAC at the same hospital though, and 'negotiated' with the consultant to have CFM for only 15 mins each hour, use the bath etc; and another friend is due to try for a VBAC at a different hospital and they have waterproof monitors which means she can use the pool at the hospital. So it depends on your hospital and their policies, worth talking to your consultant about what is important for you and what they will and won't 'let' you do (I use that word advisedly as you can do whatever you want, just that you might need to fight your corner for some things). And of course, each labour will pan out in a different way, so you might not get what you 'plan' for anyway...

[misscreosote]

PS the friend who is due to try for a VBAC is actually currently 40+3, and booked in for a section at 40+10 if she doesn't go by then - so definitely no universally accepted reason to get all trigger happy before or on the EDD!

[Olissa]

I had a VBAC at 42 + 4 with my second baby.

My first was an emCS after failed induction at 42 + 1. I cook things slowly. Nobody ever told me earlier than usual induction was recommended after a CS. That said, I didn't much enjoy being 42 weeks plus, and I did have several sweeps, reflexology, homeopathy...

The birth was in hospital and I was continuously monitored but able to move around.

Very best of luck! (I would have loved a HBAC but other medical issues mean it's not wise).

[CarmenSanDiego]

Caro, are you in the UK? They can't not 'allow' you to go overdue. They can strongly advise against it but it's your choice. (Actually, this is true in the US too but they don't like to tell you that)

If you're unhappy with their advice, you can ask them for more information - ask what the risks are of going overdue and what will happen if you choose to wait. Is there an alternative like agreeing to check in for monitoring from time to time?

OP, I had 2 VBACs but not much help because mine were both before due date... but I had them both in very different systems - 1 in a Channel Island hospital and 1 with a US midwife. However, I know that going overdue would have been no more an issue for a VBAC than for a non-VBAC. It might be useful to tactfully ask your midwife for more information - why exactly she feels this needs to happen (does she think the baby will grow too big?) and for any alternatives. Perhaps you could agree to monitoring as a compromise on a regular basis after your due date.

[Caro1302]

Carmen thanks, yes I am in the UK. I already have a list of things I've been told will happen which I want to question- such as being cannulaed immediately and CFM. So I'll definitely question the protocol of not allowing you to go over your EDD. Mind you, the way I'm feeling now I don't much fancy being 42 weeks but I will make sure I get a decent discussion on Monday if I'm still around.

[Caro1302]

Thank you Loopymumsy, that really helps. I'm feeling confident about questioning them now.

[Mammina]

Reading with interest as I had a sweep this morning (wasn't booked in for one, just had a consultant's appt & she decided to give me one) - my due date is this Sunday so I'm not even overdue yet. She's booked me in for an ECS for Friday (so 40+5) if nothing's happened between now and then - she said my cervix 'didn't look favourable'.

Anyway after coming home and thinking about it, I'm thinking why can't I call them up next week and ask to put the C-section back a few days just to give nature a bit more time..?

(had an elective for breech last time btw)

[CarmenSanDiego]

I could be wrong, but I understand an unfavourable cervix CAN change in a matter of hours. It can definitely change in a few days.

Supposedly, breaking open an evening primrose oil capsule and applying it internally can help things along though but I've never tried it. Might be worth a google though.

Good luck if you talk to them. There seems too much of a hurry to induce at the moment and far too much emphasis on due dates which are only approximate and vary from woman to woman.

[nulgirl]

I had a VBAC at 40+9 with my ds. I was booked in for a cs the same day that I went into labour. My waters broke several hours before my scheduled time. My consultant was happy for me to go longer and get to 40 + 14 but I was the one who opted to book the cs as by that point I was totally fed up.

At the cs booking in appt I was told that the baby was not engaged and my cervix was unfavourable. 18 hous later I was in labour

[JeMenFous]

I had my end VBA2C at 42+3 in hospital, no cfm just intermittent sonicaid.

I had it because I found a consultant who would go with my wishes

For my first VBA2C I changed hospital and gp, I went with the same with my 2nd.

You have to find someone 'on your side'

It is not too late to change your care if they are dictating to you.

They can only advise, they cannot dictate.

Go onto the yahoo chat room UKVBACHBAC they are great for advice and guidance and support

Good luck

[Mammina]

thanks nulgirl and carmen, very encouraging. Will get some evening primrose tomorrow, worth a try, and have been eating pineapple all day and just ordered a curry! I wasn't at all given the impression that the 'status' of my cervix could change so quickly.

[morocco]

hi there
i had ds2 abroad where you aren't overdue til a week later than in the uk. ds2 was born a few hours after his due date but of course in the uk he would have been 8 days late. dd followed the same pattern but by then we were back in the uk, so she was also born 8 days over. i had a hbac with her and a vbac with ds2. i had a sweep with dd but was already in slow labour I think cos already at 4cm at sweep. it worked instantly. had sweep at home, mw went away for lunch then came back after
do you want cannula? monitoring? if not, just say no. I let them give me a cannula for ds but was only in hospital for the last hour as I stayed away til then. never bothered with the monitoring - keeps them on their toes with the handheld instead . all up to you - just do the reading and make your own mind up.

[morocco]

migola - sounds a good plan to delay the c section if you want to give a natural birth a good chance- a couple of days over the due date is hardly really overdue