Come tell me some really positive VBAC stories!

[DomesticG0ddess]

Due in October, attempting a VBAC. I guess I am worried about giving birth anyway, but having the scar and possibility of another emcs to worry about is making it worse. I really need to hear more positive stories. Also, the actual pushing out bit - is there anyone who found this not as bad as they thought it would be? Or is it, indeed really bad?!

sorry, i haven't actually had a vbac, so can't comment on that, but on the actual pushing out bit
yeh, it's pretty bad! it hurts like hell in fact. BUT, you feel so fucking proud of yourself when you realised that YOU and you alone pushed that baby out... it's just amazing, it really, really is

i've had 3 babies and it was as amazing the 3rd time as it was the first.

just hold onto that thought. no matter how much it hurts, or how hard it is.... you're going to get that little baby at the end of it and it just won't matter then

sorry, i am not normally this soppy!

Lots of stories here-
www.vbac.co.uk/stories/
And a couple on my website-
www.magicalbirth.co.uk/6.html
Selina x

My sil had one recently and it was a fantastic experience for her. You can do it!

I have never got as far as the pushing out bit, it does sound an amazing experience.

I had a good experience of my VBAC. The only problem I had was that the epidural didn't work and I did no preparation beforehand of how to successfully get through the pain of labour and so it was my own fault. The pain was a lot, but I don't regret it at all.

Oddly enough when I got to the pushing phase I didn't feel pain at all. I am not kidding. It was uncomfortable at times (as the midwife told me to stop pushing at times), but it really was just like bad constipation. I had no 'ring of fire', and the pushing phase was the best part of labour for me as I was going to have my baby.

Also, with my first I only got to 2cm's and had an EMCS. With my second I went into hospital at 12pm as I wanted some pain relief. I was gutted to find I was only 2cm, then my waters broke and my baby was born at 4:30pm. So all in all a good day.

I hope you get the birth you want.

Good Luck !

My attempt failed (not what you want to hear, I know) but I still enjoyed 90% of labour. The labour was very intense and although it did hurt pain is not my main memory, but I didn't push the baby out obviously. I made it to the second stage, though and I really liked the sensation of the pushy contractions since I felt as though I could work with them.
I'd love to have a baby without surgery, to hold the baby all covered in gunk and have my pain stop, to be able to walk around and not be drugged up in the following days. So you just go for it, focus on the end result.

With DD1 I was induced & went through 12 hrs of intense syntocin assisted labour with no pain relief (looking back I was being ridiculously stubbon on the pain relief bit..) DD1 was back to back & I was suffering from pre-eclampsia therefore I wasn't allowed to try pushing for more than an hour & it ended with a failed ventouse & CS.

With DD2 I had a successful VBAC. Lots of monitoring but otherwise very straightforward. I didn't have an epidural, just pethedine (I hate gas & air) Pushing our bit I found no worse than the rest of labour really - possibly it helps as you know this is it - it will soon be over.

The birth with DD2 was so so much better - I was walking around within 30 mins - in the shower in an hr & home in just over 3 hrs. Plus the recovery was so much better - a major consideration with a toddler already!

My advice would be go for it - you will be monitored for the scar which is a very small risk & the pain of giving birth is imho much easier to deal with than the recovery from a CS.

I had a V2BAC 9 weeks ago with DS2 and it was amazing.

Got to the hospital about an hour before DS was born, no time for any pain relief, but tbh I was just high as a kite from the hormones. I didn't find the pushing bit especially painful (fucking bizarre and intense, but not painful), and in between contractions zero pain and absolute clarity. Transition was pretty horrible, but very brief. Had a tiny tear but only needed half a dozen stitches and good as new now.

The difference in my recovery was phenomenal, within a week I just felt like a tired version of me, rather than miserably post operative.

Good luck!

Thanks, keep them coming! I just love the thought of going home on the same day or next morning or something, and not feeling like an invalid afterwards.

Nothing to add, am just interested - at 41 weeks am needing some positivity....

I just had DS2 and managed a VBAC - all be it with assistance (forceps).

DS1 was an emergency CS because he was back to back and just wasn't coming out, this time round I got to 10cm but DS had turned back to back during labour (doh) so was making hard work of it and showing signs of distress (cord round his neck and one leg!) so I was taken to theatre, given a spinal and they pulled him out! I really thought I was going to end up with another C-section which would have been a real pisser having gone through all that.

I was home 21 hours after birth - had to stay in for 12 hours because of the drugs / catheter - and then had to wait to be discharged, etc, etc.

Straight into playing with DS1, doing the washing, etc once I got home - even though sitting down has been uncomfortable (stitches) - definately less painful and inconvenient than a c-section.

Must say that I think I recovered well from the section as well and was back running by 6 weeks post-op.

Good luck Gwennie, let me know how you get on!

Tallbird, what bad luck having 2 back to back. My mw says there is no reason why I should have another one that is back to back, or brow presenting (as DS was), but I am not so sure! I have thought I would prefer c-section to forceps and epis (better the devil you know), but perhaps I am just being silly.

I just wanted to add that I found the pushing stage intense, but not painful as such; just really super intense, like a huge pressure building up.

Part of me really wants to experience it. The other part is just dreading it. Ultimately I should want to have a more positive experience, but there are no guarantees, and I don't want to have an elective c-section "just in case".

I had one and it was a far better experience than my C-sec. I was buzzing for months after it. I still am very proud of myself actually!
Didn't think the pushing bit was that bad (at least it doesn't seem that way now!)

Had great, very encouraging midwife who basically told me that I was having VBac and that I could do it. She kept telling me positive things like every contraction is one step closer to your baby etc

Good luck, hope you get the birth you want.

I've had 2 VBACs after an em c-s under GA (failed epi and brow presentation). Both my VBACs were with an epi in situ, so I didn't get the ring of fire bit at all (not complaining, mind you!).

DD2 - forceps birth, lots of monitoring which didn't bother me too much as I spend most of my labours sitting up anyway, did need quite a few stitches. Was out 36 hours later - needed to stay in as epidurals make my blood pressure crash through the floor and they wouldn't let me go home till I could walk unaided

DD3 - induced with synto, fantastic birth, lovely mw who got me to catch DD3 under her arms myself and pull the mucky, screaming little urchin out the last bit and up onto my chest (where she promptly weed all over me, but hey ho). Needed a couple of stitches where my scar tissue from DD2 wouldn't stretch but otherwise fine. We were in hospital for 7 days afterwards, but that was because DD3 was in SCBU for 5 days (blood disorder problem that we knew about before birth) and I was up and about the next day no problem. In fact, MWs were most surpirsed that I got up, had a shower, dressed then made my own bed.

My fourth was a vbac after my third was a crash section prem under GA.
My first was a straightforward birth with pethedine, second straight forward without pain relief.

My VBAC was also without anything and it was the best of the lot. I had a physiological final stage and I treasure that time so much.
I did find I had to stop them interfering though I had a supportive mw she had guidelines to follow to I had to vocalise my dislike for some of the things. They were supposed to monitor me continuously but as I liek to move around I told her she could listen in every 5 minutes or so and when my contractions stopped for over an hour fully dilated I had to refuse the doctors insistance that I was put on a drip.
Hes 14 months and I'm still singing the praises of havign a physiological final stage to anyone who will listen

Great stories. Poledra, when you had the epidurals were you not worried that they would slow things down and end up with another c-section? Or did you have the one with DD2 because of the forceps? Wow, catching the baby!

Bronze, by physiological final stage, you mean pushing him out? You must have been quite steadfast to prevent them from using the drip for a whole hour.

The final stage is after the baby is born and when the placenta is delivered.
Basically I had my baby (onto the bed, was on my knees), picked him up, fed him while eating a sandwich and chatting to dh and the mw then about 45 minutes later delivered the placenta. His cord was then clamped and cut. Bonus was I didn't need the jab

To be honest it wasn't as hard to stop them dipping me up as I wasn't in much pain as there were no contractions. If it had been contractions but no dilation it might have been another matter.

I went home as soon as they released me and hes been a chilled happy baby ever since. I don't know how much was his birth but I really think it helped. I also felt better after this birth than the others and only bled for about 2 days as opposed to weeks for the first two.

my 2nd VBAC story is here

DomesticGoddess, at the point I had the epidural with DD2, I was actually begging asking for another section, as I was terrified that the epi would not work again. Slowing things down was not at the forefront of my mind at that point - I wanted that section. The obstetrician gently talked me into the epi ('as we'll need it anyway for a section') and lo and behold, it worked! I had a bit of a rest then it was time to start pushing. The forceps were a result of the obs not wanting to me to push for more than 2 hours (because of the strain on my scar) and DD2 having an enormous head!

I was so much more chilled with DD3 - I guess I knew I could do it, and I didn't really doubt she'd be a vaginal birth. I had a choice over whether to take the epidural before they started the synto drip or to see how I went. I suppose that there wasn't much danger of things slowing down since the drip was going in. I decided (with DH's fervent support!) to have the epi and let the synto get on with it - good decision!

I had a VBAC a year ago after a first c-section due to baby being breech. It was amazing and I would fully recommend giving it a go. I wasn't progressing very much and the consultants were threatening a c-section which was crushing to hear after going through labour, so the midwife broke my waters to see if it would speed things up and it did. About 45 mins later DD was born.

I just had a tens machine up until the pushing bit, when I had gas and air (gas and air made me sick earlier on but I gave it another go). I only had to push for 11 minutes, and strangely enjoyed it . I did have to have an episiotomy though because my scar started to hurt and the baby was in distress, but it was a small price to pay.

Given the choice I would definitely go for VBAC over another C-section next time - because of the experience and because of the recovery (especially having a toddler to look after). I went home about 10 hours after giving birth)
Good luck

forgot to say that I didn't have constant monitoring either, both midwives were very understanding and let me move/walk around loads. They did make me go on the bed during pushing though because it all happened so fast and I think they panicked. I didn't want to give birth on the bed but I didn't really have time to think about it to be honest and it was fine

I had an epidural to slow things down because I couldn't stop pushing but was only 8cm - probably because of his position. It worked in that I was almost instantly at 10cm, but then I had lost the urge to push which was a shame as I might have managed without the forceps otherwise.

I can't even describe the pushing sensation - it was truly the most intense thing ever, especially because I was trying to stop it and just couldn't - but I'm not sure it was painful.

What I didn't like about the whole thing was not know what was going to happen or how long it was going to take. When I was at 5cm it was already quite painful (although I hadn't even hit the G&A by then) and when they said to expect to dilate half a cm an hour I felt pretty desperate - 10 more hours of that! They were wrong though and it was all done and dusted within 4 hours.

Have to be honest though - if I had anohter I'm not sure whether I would go for another VB or an elective.......