To consider a VBAC?

[Sosocold]

Had my first born by emergency c section after induction sent my body in to overdrive and essentially meant I was contracting non stop... wanted to push when only 4 cms dilated. That was in March 2018. Recovery I personally found very tough, physically and mentally.
Now pregnant again and still fairly early stages, due May 2020. I know quite a few people who have had an elective c section if they've had emergency first time round, and it's a very different experience, but has anyone had a vaginal birth after c section and it been a positive experience?! I really felt like I had failed having to a) be induced and b) have a c section.

Have you considered saying that you will either go into labour spontaneously OR you will have a caesarean? I.e. you do not consent to induction.

Emergency CS with DD after waters breaking / induction / epidural / got to 5cm and stopped. Had VBAC with DS and very glad I did. For me (and realise it might not just be because CS v VBAC), there was less recovery time, quicker bonding with baby and able to leave hospital quicker. DH was against it, as was convinced I'd end up with CS again, and consultant was pushing me a bit towards CS (though couldn't really give me a good reason) so to some extent I was determined to hold off the interventions as long as possible to increase chances of VB and being proved right! I did - gas and air only then DS needed a bit of help from ventouse but overall for me it was a positive experience. I was proud of myself and DH had a newfound respect for me. Right choice for me, but not necessarily for everyone (and if I had ended up with CS I would have been disappointed after long labour and wished I'd gone straight for ELCS).

Agree with PP above though re options - I was planning VBAC if went into labour naturally but didn't want induction then VBAC due to higher risks of uterine rupture so would then have gone for CS.

My first child was two weeks late. Gentle forms of induction didn't work, so had full induction and an immediate epidural. Tried to deliver vaginally, but baby's head was turned. Tried Ventouse and forceps, but neither worked. Had a C-section. Was horribly bloated and exhausted after the whole experience. One doctor told me while in recovery (!) that all future births would have to be C-section.

Got pregnant with second child. Team of midwives told me that I could, in fact, have a VBAC. And that's what I did. During delivery a doctor was on standby to help with any complications from the uterus stitches. Start (waters breaking) to finish was just over 2 hours. There were no complications, and recovery was fairly easy.

Third child was also VBAC, but this time I delivered him in my living room (onset of labour was so fast (again, two hours) I didn't have time to get to a hospital). Fortunately I had had a private midwife looking after for me for final two months of pregnancy, so she was with me for the delivery.

I think each woman, each pregnancy is different. For me the two VBACs were so much better than the C-section had been, in terms of post-delivery recovery. But if there had been any complications with my second child, I would have agreed to a C-section rather than try to force a VBAC. With my first child, the doctors told me to go for a C-section when the induction didn't really advance my labour quickly enough. But I was stubborn about giving birth vaginally. As a result of the extensive Ventouse use, my son was severely jaundiced and was in a light box for the first week of his life, which seriously affected our post-birth bonding time. If I could do it over, I would go for the C-section immediately and save both of us that horrific stress.

What I'm trying to say is that VBACs can definitely work - I had two successfully. But, the most important thing is to try to deliver your baby in the best and safest way for yourself and the baby, even if that method goes against what you would really like to have happen.