Anyone heading VBACwards and wanting to hand-hold?

[Unbuffy]

There WAS a VBAC support thread on here, there WAS. And now I can't find it, so I thought I'd kick off another one.

I am 32+2 weeks pregnant. DD was ELCS for breech positioning (diagnosed at 38+some). I am very keen, no, determined, to do my best to have a natural birth with DC2 if at all possible. And now the nerves start to kick in...

So if anyone feels like joining in the panic nervousness, sharing stories or just hanging around and waiting together, jump on board and keep me company!

I had a section for breech with my first baby and have subequently had two lovely VBAC deliveries.
I'm 35 weeks with no4 (and hoping for my 3rd vbac) but this little monkey is refusing to cooperate and has been stubbornly breech since 22 weeks!

So, I'll join you :)
Off to the midwife now so fingers crossed she's moved round.....

Go for it. DS1 was B2B- 50 hrs and got EMCS - horrific experience.

Had 2xVBACs for DS2 and DS3. DS3 was waterbirth and was just lovely. Can't tell you how much better I found the VBACs over the sections. Know lots of people who have had successful VBACs.

Ooh Yes please. I'm 38+4 and really want a VBAC. Want to give birth before my due date as I don't want the consultant to start getting twitchy and wanting to push things along (or booking me in for a cs too soon).

Have to decide whether to decline a sweep on my due date (their policy) - from research, my head says no, my heart syas no, but I don't want to end up with a cs and think 'I wich I'd given it a go as it might have kick started labour...'

Nice to hear of the positive VBAC stories.

I'm 30+5 and had a very similar experience to you, Unbuffy, with my ds.

I'm headed for a VBAC in a hospital that is quite keen on interventions (according to word of mouth). I've got my 31 week midwife appt coming up and was wondering what sort of questions other prospective VBACers asked?

I can't find any statistics on VBACs for my hospital - just general stats on caesareans etc... do you know of any specialist websites?

I had a VBAC 2 weeks ago today (first DC was ELCS for breech) and despite pre-eclampsia necessitating interventions (ARM and synto drip) it was fab, and so much better than the section. Recovery has been incredibly quick by comparison and people keep telling me how great I look! Thoroughly recommended :)

That's great news and Congratulatins TDDog!

It's comforting to hear that the synto drip worked well for you also - as that's one of my concerns.

Ah that would be Congratulations!

I would have had another section rather than have prostin, but fortunately my cervix played ball and was softening and dilating at the point when the consultant was getting keen for baby to be out. We'd hoped that breaking my waters would be enough to get me going but things didn't happen fast enough hence the drip. Were it not for the pre-eclampsia I'd have refused it but I felt it was justified in the situation. The American College of Obs and Gyns' most recent stuff is ok with synto in VBACs I think. Was a fast and painful culmination but I'd do it again tomorrow over a section. Good luck to you all :)

Hiya Saucetastic
You need to ask things like:
Do the hospital operate on trial of labour (the length of time they'll let a VBAC mum labour for). Usually this is 10 hours after which the mum'll be whisked off for a CX.
Is this time negotiable?
Do they operate a policy of continuous fetal monitoring? You want them to say no, that intermittent monitoring is acceptable.
How far will they 'let' you go after your estimated due date. If they try and book a cesearean any time before 42 weeks, you want to ask if this is negotiable. Don't let them scare you by telling you it's dangerous to wait!!
Find out what the VBAC percentage success rates are for the hospital?
Do they have VBAC targets?
If you need more support, PM me. I'm a VBAC coach, in North West London.
Best wishes
Mads
Bump to Birth and Beyond
ps. most hospitals won't induce a VBAC mum. It can cause unnecessary strain on the previous scar and also start on the cycle of intervention.

Me please! Will be overdue as of tomorrow. Baby has measured big all along and I keep getting THAT face when I tell people I want (safety permitting) to try for VBAC right up to 42 wks if I can.

Previous section was emergency when baby became distressed following long labour, but did get fully dilated- which lovely midwife told me is a great sign and stands me in good stead.

By sheer pot luck I've been able to change consultant from a pretty old school traditional one (probably helped that I'd never seen them!) to one that seems much more modern and less interventionist as possible, who's keen for me to keep going for VBAC. I didn't even know it was possible to do this, so would recommend it to others. I found out through listening between the lines, so to speak, of what the midwives were saying, and then a chance conversation led to me being able to change.

Really, really, really would like to go in to labour soon. May even have to resort to sex, just what I fancy at this point! Surely hours on the sofa with Strictly/ X-factor/ Spooks are all just as helpful??

I could do with some hand-holding too although I'm only 23 weeks along, not a day goes by when I don't think about the impending birth. My 1st DC was born via emcs after a b2b labour and synto. I got to 9cms after 3 days in labour so I was exhausted and so was he so I was whisked off for the op. I would love a waterbirth and just G+A this time which is what I wanted the 1st time but things just didn't go to plan so I am hoping for a more natural birth this time.

Bumptobirthbeyond thanks for the list it will be useful when I see my consultant in a few weeks.

DS1 was EMCS at 41+5 as once i had fully dilated he turned and his head wouldn't pop out! I had to be induced with DS2 at 38+4 and had a successful VBAC and am hoping for another VBAC with DS3. Good luck everyone!

Good luck to all Vbacer-to-be :)

I had DS1 at home no probs, then DS2 was an emc-s as he was undiagnosed breech.

Am now 12 weeks with DC3 and intending to have another home birth (so HBAC), baby permitting.

Ao a long way for me compared to most of you but will keep an eye out for how things go for you all :)

Hi Effie

Just want to point out, that you're not 'overdue' tomorrow. Offical WHO stance on this, is that babies are term from 37-42 weeks.
The reason I believe this is of importance, is that physcologically, mums who are past their estimated due date (EDD)find it much harder to resist pressure their medical care providers put on them to accept ceseareans beyond the 40 week point. If you believe that everything is still fine after 40 weeks, it most probably is.
Do accept regular monitoring and scanning though, just to ensure the placenta is still functioning properly and the fluid levels are still acceptable.

Go for plenty of sex and if you can stomach it, oral sex (you to him). It helps ripen the cervi). Just proves that god is a man!!!!!!!!!!

Good luck!

Mads
Bump to Birth and Beyond
Antenatal teacher and VBAC coach

Bump- Are you male? Just how the hell can oral sex be good for ripening the cervix (you to him) I don't belive a word of it and I think you've been had.

Now regular sex I can believe due to the prostglandins in the semen and all of that but semen that has been digested doesn't come anywhere near the cervix!

I've heard this too, Breastmilk. The semen will be digested but the prostaglandins will still be there. Can't reference this but I'm fairly sure it's got a sound basis!

I've heard this too, Breastmilk. The semen will be digested but the prostaglandins will still be there. Can't reference this but I'm fairly sure it's got a sound basis!

I really don't think it has ThatDamnDog, prostglandins need to have direct contact with the cervix in order to work and there isn't a huge amount in semen anyway, especially semen that has been through the digestive process, so largely a myth I'm sure.

Those questions are exactly what i need to ask. Thank you Bumptobirthbeyond. How fantastic that there is such a person as a VBAC coach!

My dh read about the oral sex and thinks that you must be right. I'm reading Gaskin atm, and I wonder if there is any link between opening your mouth for kissing and oral sex, both triggering because of muscular effort since most people hold stress in their jaw?

Oooh goody lots of people to talk to - it's amazing how much this seems to have taken over my life!! TDDog do I remember you from the Lost Thread? Congrats on your successful vbac and stick around for advice if possible!

Saucetastic I would strongly recommend doing research and finding out as much as possible about what you would like to do, and being very determined! I saw a registrar at 20 weeks, expecting to see consultant, and she was completely thrown when i came out with terms like, erm, vbac, and erm, intervention. They expect you to be totally clueless and to do whatever they say - makes me really angry!

Well, I have (finally) had some feedback from the hospital (it took 6 WEEKS for the Community Matron to get back to me after a consultation meeting) and I am allowed to labour in water, provided there is no-one in the ONE hospital pool already, and only for stage one. I'm apparently going to get a pink form (?mean anything to anyone?) that means that it's on the front of my notes and all the hospital mw know what's what and what we have 'agreed on', eg intermittent monitering.

It's the bargaining that gets me. And the feeling that no matter how long I argue and no matter what I do I'll still end up at the mercy of whatever mw/consultants happen to be there at the time and have very little choice when it comes down to it. I've told dh he's going to have to be a guard dog but am not sure he'll be able to do it... I'd love a home birth but the transfer time to hospital is an hour and that's a long time if everything goes tits-up. Does anyone else feel intermittently furious with the medical system and being shunted into a Category and treated like a statistic?

ps the oral sex thing is all a bit much for me... hence lack of comment...

Yes, I still need handholding as it gets closer (37+4)! I am worried about it, and it doesn't help that someone I know had an elective c-section last week and said it was "amazing", and I keep wondering if I am doing the right thing. I don't feel the same as you towards the hospital, Unbuffy, they seem very supportive. There is only one birthing pool on my labour ward too though, which is frustrating. Basically, I am not expecting anything - just going to try and relax about the whole thing. I have been doing a bit of hypnobirthing again, and have just bought the Maggie Howell VBAC cd's which I'll start working with tonight - have you seen them? They're on Amazon.

Good luck everyone!

Our hospital has a VBAC policy which I managed to get hold of- I would imagine certain midwives (maybe ones who are in midwive led units?? or community ones who are very pro VBAC) might find these easier to locate? I've gone through it and incorperated specific points into my birth plan (e.g. unless there is a medical reason otherwise the policy states I CAN have intermittent monitoring etc...) might be useful for those of you with some time left to see if you can track anything like this down?

OH has also had (bless him) sections highlighted which I am expecting him to argue the toss over if I'm not able to! However have to say I think our services are pretty good about the whole thing compared to some places, I've so far never had the feeling they have a fixed idea what they think I should do, rather supportive of VBAC if at all possible. Just fingers crossed I bloody well go into labour at some point....

some thorough and detailed research from mungojerry on this thread.

I have just realized I haven't written a birth plan. I think it's because everything went so out of the window last time that I just haven't really thought about it. Should I have one, even though I am just thinking I'll go with the flow - my mw has made notes in my folder and there's a letter in there from the cons mw about using birthing pool, not having cannula or constant monitoring. I guess I should write them down on one piece of paper?