To ask for honest opinions of vbac after emcs.

[Rubberyduck]

Crappy first birth, 4days long resulting in failed forceps and ecms. Me and DS then had septicemia so we had a 10day stint in Hosp. I am now expecting no.2. Mw said straight up 'you will want another csection then' we have a consultant appointment in a few weeks to discuss the choices. DH seems keen to have a elective c section as it would be 'easier' to plan around our 2year old obviously worrying we will have a similar long experience. I am concerned about recovering from surgery with 2 little one's.

Experiences please?

I had a not great VB with DS1, EMCS with DS2. DS1 wasn't quite 2 (21 months) and he actually had some delays, Inc couldn't walk up and down stairs. Recovery was fine, out after 24hrs no infections etc. Not been able to drive was a bit inconvenient.

I had a VBAC with DS3. As I'd had a previous VB with DS1, this increased chances of a VBAC . I was on the fence the whole pregnancy, the Consultant was supportive either way. I did have a VBAC but it wasn't a good experience and for DS4 I had no doubts. I went into labour the day before my booked C-section, so I think that's a semi-elective CS.

That's probably not a great deal of help! But it reads like you feel others are walking you towards a CS. I think it's important you explore a VBAC a bit more.

It's a very personal choice.

For me, I decided against it which turned out fortunate as dc2 had a double cord tie and I'd have likely ended up the emcs route again in my drs opinion. There were other factors like being breech until quite late and dc2s head size (still big now) and the trauma that stemmed from dc1s birth. The biggest thing that swung me though was when they gave me a fact sheet that said statistically there was a 1 in 3 chance of requiring an emcs in a no complication pregnancy, it seemed too high a chance given the other stuff.

I know a few people who have gone vbac though and it seems roughly 50/50 as to whether they ended up fine or emcs.

Failed according to who? You really dont get a medal or best mum award for having a VD over a csec. It really doesnt matter to anyone least of all your child. What matters is both of you are safe and the baby is delivered. X

i had a VBAC after an emcs at 9cm for a normal ctg and sepsis. I need blood transfusion and baby had meningitis. I also developed cellulitis in my wound.
Had a VBAC second time (was induced actually for big baby, acute polyhydramnios). Had an normal birth with a 3rd degree tear and lost 2.5L blood. Still glad I had a VBAC and would do for no3

I had a VBAC after emcs which went well. However, my emcs was for undiagnosed breach so it was easy to check if the issue had recurred.
If it’s not clear why you had issues with your first delivery then it’s harder to predict how a vbac will go.

I've had 2 vbacs after ECS. Both were massively different labours from the first. Both were the right choice for me.

In the nicest possible way, it doesn’t matter if your baby comes out of the shoot or the sunroof- as long as you are both ok is what matters. You will not have ‘failed’ your baby.

This will undoubtedly sound strange, but I had two spontaneous births. Going from show to delivery in 3 hours on ds1 and 1 hour 40 on ds2. For both I had no contractions until about 30 minutes before delivery, nor did the midwifes believe I was in labour. I never got to do the timing of contractions. My waters went both times as I was pushing, and their head followed immediately. Even though I delivered safely and very quickly, I feel like I haven’t experienced ‘labour’ like everyone else does. I felt like I missed out on standing up and my waters going, walking around the house timing my contractions, having a bath and so on.

But ultimately I delivered two babies safely and that’s all that matter. I try telling my Ds14 & 19 my labour stories and they pull a face, and tell me to stop. Because they don’t care how they come out!

I went for 'normal' delivery after having had c-section with first (breech presentation. Thought I went into labour but it turned out to be my womb rupturing ;( When my waters broke it was obvious the baby had passed meconium, so there was a scramble to find a surgeon for section, which took several hours.

I have no advice, just passing on my experience.

The first delivery DS was back to back. He was stuck against my pelvis. Even mw as we left admitted they should've acted sooner and not put us through an attempted delivery when csection was almost a dead cert. As a result DS and me were extremely stressed and exhausted after he arrived 4days later. DS lost 14% body weight as he wouldn't/couldn't feed so we had to stay in for that on top of the sceptacemia. I also had 1.5l of pph which left me anaemic for 4months (no transfusion). DH is worried this could all happen again in top of having to look after DS.

I wanted a normal delivery as it was just one of those things I envisaged I would do in life. Sorry if that's stupid. I'm not going to put me or baby's life at risk which is why I am asking for real experiences. I do feel medical advice is often swayed by cost unfortunately.

I had a vbac although he was born by ventouse so I've never given birth 'naturally' - other than to DS2's placenta. In my case we knew why DS1 needed an emergency csec - he was very big and back to back and just got wedged in. DS2 was smaller - not a lot, but enough, and better positioned. I found recovery a lot lot easier from the vbac than from the emcs. So why you had an emcs and your chance of whatever it is happening again is really important. I had a midwife go through the notes of my first birth with me and that really helped. Ultimately its a really hard decision only you can make.

I had a very difficult birth too and requested an appointment with a consultant. When I mentioned that - if safe - I’d prefer a vaginal birth, he said that second births are often very different and there’s no reason not to “go for it” in an MLU attached to a hospital, so I am.

I’ve been doing a hypnobirthing course through The Positive Birth Company that is helping me feel more positive about the whole thing. Lots of women on the Fb group had wonderful VBACs. I’m also going to counselling to try and process and get over what I experienced during my first birth.

I know it really doesn’t matter how babies come out but I’d like to try to experience a low-intervention birth, if I can. I think it’s a personal choice.

I had s vbac 18 months after an emergency (put to sleep) c section and it was amazing. But I had family close by to help with child care when I went into labour. Recovery was 100 times easier for me than my c section

Rubberyduck you can also change decisions based on how things play out I.e. CS if back to back again, or if you go really overdue and they feel you medically should be induced (being induced is what I think fucked everything up for me!), but VBAC otherwise.

It doesn’t sound like the outcome you had was so much to do with you or your body as the baby’s position and circumstances at the time. If you do decide to go for VBAC I would 100% recommend looking at the positive birth company course.

I had an emcs for positioning with DC1, an "elective" cs (overdue but no induction with a cs scar, and tbh was an awful experience and horrible recovery) with DD then a VBA2C zero intervention very very easy birth with DC3.

I second pp advice to go to see a head of midwifery or consultant midwife and get them to talk you through your specific options. The reasons for the complications with your first birth (sometimes its just luck) and read up on the NICE guidelines to inform your decision.

I'm in exactly the same situation, it's hard isn't it! I'm going to wait to go into labour and give it a go, but will have a drip and monitoring, and basically be prepped for the surgery anyway.
I've noticed a lot of people saying that it's safer to have a repeat section, but the NHS statistics say overall it's higher risk to have even a planned c-section than to have a VBAC. Do whatever you feel most comfortable with of course, personally I want to avoid the lengthy healing process, but then again lots of people have said it's much easier with a planned one.

I had an EMCS with my first due to a cord prolapse.
Wanted to go for a VBAC with my second but ended up having another EMCS due to distress.
Best talking to your consultant for honest advice.

I 'get' the wish to experience a self-afirming 'normal' birth, but as you discovered, wanting that experience doesn't mean you will get it.

I have no idea why anyone would rationally chose to risk the wild range of possible outcomes and sheer uncertainty of a VBAC, when they could have a sign on the dotted line Elective CS.

If I could have my time again I would 100% swap my 'normal' birth for an ELCS. I would have saved years of recovery and ongoing physical and mental health problems.

I had a forceps VBAC. Fairly messy birth, but a quick recovery and no long term damage done. TBH though, if I knew then what I know now I’d have gone for ELCS.

Dd had a beautiful vbac, she really wanted a vd as her toddler loved being picked up/carried. She couldn’t imaging how she’d manage post-op so thought vbac was the way to go.
Lives in London, went into labor rush hour on a weekday morning. By the time she made it to the hospital she was probably fully dilated, a bit of faffing about with putting in an epidural and the little one was born 1:10 minutes after arriving at the hospital. It was a beautiful delivery. Dd reached between her legs and (with a little help) delivered the baby herself.
But I agree it’s a person choice to try it or not and it doesn’t work out for everyone.

I had a vbac after an emcs. I declined continuous monitoring unless there was a clear reason, it wasn’t necessary.

My labour was around 7 hours from first contraction, he came too fast to get in the birthing pool or have an epidural. I had a 3rd degree tear which wasn’t pleasant but healed very well. This meant I needed an epidural after giving birth to be stitched up properly. I had a mild prolapse which I found very stressful in the early months. I don’t regret it despite these issues and am pleased that I was able to experience a drug free natural birth. However there is nothing wrong with an elective c section, but it needs to be your decision. My husband was also keen for me to have an elcs because it would be ‘easier’ and he found the experience of my first (36 hour) labour more stressful than me by the sounds of it.

Thanks all. I do think DH has been traumatised by the process so I am thinking of him too. He was back and forth like a yoyo those days and he was obviously very stressed.

I have my consultant appointment later this month so will do some reading before then. I appreciate you all sharing your experiences.

Best of luck to those in the same position.

You haven’t failed anyone, there are no medals awarded for birthing a baby from your vagina! You tried, it didn’t work and an EMCS was the safest option.

Imo an ELCS would be far safer, I wouldn’t risk a VBAC but it’s completely up to you.

I had an unexpected emergency section. Baby number 2 was born 2 1/3 years later and it was assumed I would have a section and could without fuss if I wanted. I told my consultant I didn't want one so he said I didn't have to but one was booked in anyway for five days after my due date.

I naturally went into labour at six days late and dd was born. Stupid midwife pulled the cord which snapped so I ended up in hospital for two days. Purely because f the snapped cord I had a retained placenta and one isn't allowed home for 48 hours after a procedure.

Twenty months later I had baby number three. I was given a set time to get him out or it would be a section. I got him out fifteen minutes after the deadline but my scar nearly ruptured. Midwife advised us to have no more children.

I am utterly convinced the scar issue was due to the botch repair and needing another operation after baby number one.

I would say the choice about VBAC or planned section is usually down to why the section was needed in the first place. I remember a neighbour having baby number two had a section with number one and was told she'd never be able to give birth vaginally due to the size of her hips. Baby number two was not a section.

With kindness, you are being daft thinking you have failed DS1. He doesn't care how he was born!!

In your shoes, I'd think about the factors that would influence my odds of a straightforward VB and about the risks and benefits in my situation. So how old are you, what do you weigh, do you want more children. The older and heavier you are, the less likely a straightforward VB is, on average. Also one of the main risks of CS is small increase in future risk of pregnancy loss, which might matter a lot to you or not at all.

These are all only on a population level, so there's no guarantees of anything, but it's worth arming yourself with info about risks and benefits as they apply to someone with your characteristics.