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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be considering a VBAC after 2 elcs...?

24 replies

MoodyDidIt · 21/03/2013 10:43

my last 2 deliveries were ELCS due to a fear of childbirth. tbh looking back i think my fears were largely due to just not knowing enough about vaginal births, and also - dare i say it - a lot bit of immaturity, i was quite young when i had dc1, and was a bit "ewww" about a baby coming out of my fanjo (i know, i know) was a bit obsessed about damage down below and also worried that dh wouldn't fancy me if he saw me give birth (completely irrational), and i also didn't want to be out of control

while the elcs went very well, the recovery time was awful and very painful, esp with dc2. and i need to consider that as this time round i will have dc1 and dc2 and a newborn to look after. also i now have a horrible CS "shelf" which i fear will only get worse if i have another cs..... Hmm

i do still have some fears of childbirth but no where near as bad. i have grown up a lot since my first dcs, i know a lot more about childbirth, and i sort of feel i may want to experience a "natural" birth, as this one will probably be my last dc

what do people think? has anyone else done this, how did it go?

OP posts:
Original poster
MoodyDidIt · 21/03/2013 11:21

anyone? please?

OP posts:
5madthings · 21/03/2013 11:27

Yanbu at all. Its totally your choicd to make. You need to speal to your midwife and a consultant :)

NK346f2849X127d8bca260 · 21/03/2013 11:31

I have a friend who wanted a VBAC after 2 CS and luckily our local hospital had a female consultant who supported her choice and was happy for her to try for one.

Friend had second thoughts at the end of pregnacy and requested another section.

SwirlyCarpetShirt · 21/03/2013 11:40

I would imagine it will make a difference that your previous C-sections were elective due to fear of childbirth and not any known physical/medical reason. I had 2 emergency C-sections and was told after dc2 that I would be strongly advised to have another section should I want a dc3. There is a small risk of the internal scar rupturing during labour, but also with me it looked unlikely that I would be able to deliver anyway.

I had a 3rd C-section and my "shelf" is no worse than before. Can't comment on recovery differences obviously but I found it ok, and you also know more how to pace yourself when you've done it a few times.

lottie63 · 21/03/2013 11:48

I had a similar wish to have a VBAC after dd1 who I had by elective (same fear as yours in part).

Birthed dd2 vaginally. Best thing I ever did. I loved every moment of it and if I wasn't so old, would have gone for a third! I did however prepare myself mentally (through antenatal yoga) and physically (I was quite fit despite being 42). I also hired a doula as I knew I'd need support of someone on my side. Midwife was very pro VBAC, and I changed my consultant to one who was after the first meeting as he d said to me 'what makes you feel you can possibly give birth vaginally this time as your body failed you last time?' !!

Original poster
MoodyDidIt · 21/03/2013 15:18

thats awful what your first consultant said lottie Shock

good for you

what was it like, was it horrifically painful compared to cs?

thanks for all the replies so far :) x

OP posts:
EasilyBored · 21/03/2013 15:25

If it's what you want you should go for it, discuss it with your midwife and consultant.

Although, the tummy shelf? You get that with vaginal births too. Sad face.

BartletForTeamGB · 21/03/2013 15:28

The RCOG guidelines are:

www.rcog.org.uk/womens-health/clinical-guidance/birth-after-previous-caesarean-birth-green-top-45

I've never had a CS, so I don't know what I'd do. If I had to guess, in your situation, I'd probably have another one. The decision can only come from you though after a good discussion about the risks (which might be greater or less than you imagine) with your consultant and midwife.

maddening · 21/03/2013 15:47

Wouldn't it depend on your wounds healing? Did they say anything about how it looked last time? As in the scar from the first cs?

I know once you get to 4/5 cs they advise against further pregnancy at all ( not that it doesn't happen) due to weakening from each cs.

lottie63 · 21/03/2013 19:10

I thought the pain perfectly manageable. I d got some music and had taught myself some weird kind of deep-throated breathing - which worked bizarrely so I just used that as pain relief. That said, it was a v quick labour (1.5 hrs). I was 15 days late and induced. I loved it. Really, just loved it.

Tolly81 · 21/03/2013 19:18

My SIL had a VBAC after 1 C-section and was pleased she had. How long has it been since your last delivery? It ought to be over a year to reduce the risks. Speak to mw and consultant about it and it might be worth going to some kind of birth class to prepare.

devon00 · 21/03/2013 21:28

I was advised to have an elective section due to 2 previous emergency sections. I guess I could have queried this but as consultant said it was safest I didn't question it. I felt much better after elective section. It was painful but once pain relief sorted it was fine. I would recommend taking advice from midwife and consultant.

MsJupiterJones · 21/03/2013 21:50

Lottie, I thought you couldn't have induction after CS? Have I got that wrong? Hope so as I'd like a VBAC next time (not yet - DS1 only 5 months!)

Anomaly · 21/03/2013 23:23

I think you'll find the hospital reluctant to 'let' you do this. After my second section I was told another baby would mean another section. It didn't bother me and I've since had DD1 by section.

The downsides for you will be that they will almost certainly want to monitor you continuously during labour. So you'll be hooked up and that can restrict movement which in turn can lead to the need for another section due to failure to progress.

Original poster
MoodyDidIt · 22/03/2013 07:37

thanks for the advice, its been really helpful

am surprised to hear that you still have a "shelf" after a VB, thought it was the cs scar that caused this simply gorgeous, sexy effect, lol... mind you as i already have a cs shelf i suppose having a vb would not make it go away would it Hmm

am not sure i would want to be monitored, as anomaly said, that could slow down labour anyway due to restricted movement and the last thing i would want would be a complicated labour and possibley intervention, would far rather have a CS

plus, a massive plus side for a CS (planned) for me, was the fact i knew when the baby was coming, so could plan childcare and for when DH to have time off work etc

anyway its given me food for thought, so thank you all x

OP posts:
lottie63 · 22/03/2013 08:30

There is a line of thought that says that it risks rupturing the scar. I did alot of research on this and wasn't convinced the probability was high enough for me not to go for it. I had had only the one CS however, so I don't know about increased risk for more than this.

Also, I knew from past experience that a vaginal pessary didn't work for me. I opted for a different type of induction (first a foley catheter, then the drip) as I didn't want to be labelled 'failed induction' and then whipped off to theatre for a CS without trying alternative means to get it started.

With induction, they do like to monitor you but you can move around. I was hooked up to a drip (they brought in a stand on wheels) and then when it started, I was off the drip. They manually checked baby's heartbeat in the early stages of labour and later on, I had a monitor around my waist but even with this, I was standing up most of the time through labour. I was against laying on the bed as I thought gravity would best help the baby out lol. I did climb on it for the actual birth... well on our fours on the bed. The single most important advice I d offer is to try and get someone in the medical team who is on your side. I had a consultant and midwife and doula. The dr on call in the hospital was dismissive of what I wanted to do but I had other medical staff who werent. She was proved wrong in the end and actually said, afterwards, that she d thought I'd end up in theatre. Perhaps it was a learning curve for her too. I can see why they want to 'play safe' and are scared of the risks but I'd read and researched an awful lot myself.

tourdefrance · 22/03/2013 09:16

Yanbu. I had a vbac after one c section and it was sooo much better. I would second getting a doula to give you support too. I refused constant monitoring and they just checked pulses at regular intervals.
There is a really good yahoo group where you you will find loads of support. If you search for vbac or UK.vbac you should find it.

MsJupiterJones · 22/03/2013 09:50

Thank you Lottie, that's really useful info. I had CS due to failed induction via pessary so am going to keep note of what you've said.

Fragglewump · 22/03/2013 11:38

I am also a vbac success story after a cs due to breech baby. I feel privileged to have experienced both types of delivery. Natural childbirth was much better than a section and obviously shorter recovery time! Xx good luck. Oh yes they wanted to put a line in during labour just in case but I said no as they can do it fast if needed and I didn't want to be hooked up and less mobile! Good luck xx

jellybeans · 22/03/2013 13:18

yanbu. If you are a low risk a VBAC2 should be possible. I have had a VBAC1 twice. I also then went on to have a 2nd section and then was advised c section 3 because I was high risk (blood clotting, cervical stitch, previous stillbirths etc). But they would have accepted if I was low risk. the odds of rupture are not much more I don't think.

I am not planning anymore DC (I have 5) but if I did I would like a VBAC. So much better recovery wise.

Christmasberry · 22/03/2013 14:44

I had two emergency sections and third was elective, easy for me to say now but I wished I had tried given birth naturally, my first two sections, although tramactic were quicker to recover from and my third section felt brutal, maybe because I had time to dwell on it before hand? Also I think my shelf is slightly worse but still tucks in to my pants and hides so not that bad.

notactuallyme · 22/03/2013 14:51

Think it will depend on your hospital and care tbh. And then how persuasive you are.
I argued for another cs after my first despite pressure, and then wanted a vbac and was refused for my third. No chance with dc4 - had to have elcs.

lottie63 · 22/03/2013 21:53

Good luck MsJupiter. Feel free to pm me if you need more information. Hope all goes well, whatever you ultimately opt for

fuckwittery · 22/03/2013 22:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

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