Tell me your VBAC stories, positive and negative, please.

[LoopyLoupGarou]

Hi
I'm considering a VBAC, after a horrific EMCS last time (twins, one stillborn). I have PTSD and the thought of another caesarian terrifies me, but so does the thought of a vaginal delivery!
Does anyone know of a water birth is a possibility if your care is high-risk?

Thank you. :)

Hi Loopy.
I have had a successful VBAC. I too was terrified about a vaginal birth after having ds1, but it was fine, although dd was back to back and tore me quite badly on the way out ( lost quite alot of blood) so it was very very painful despite copious amounts of drugs! I was under the care of the obstetrics dept (is that what you mean by high risk?) due to a medical condition, so was monitored quite heavily. I think when i went into labour with dd, i was told if there were any problems they would take me to theatre quicker due to previous CS.
It might be different in your hospital/unit wrt water birth, but am pretty certain that those in my ward were allowed to have water births if they wanted, but i would ask your midwife- she will probably be supportive of you if thats what you would really like.

Hope this helps.

Thank you.
Would you say that it was less traumatic than the C section?

I had a VBAC 2 years after a caesarean with twins. It helped that both my consultant and all the midwives I saw were very pro-VBAC and really encouraged me to think it was possible. I didn't go into labour first time (elective CS due to pre-eclampsia), so wasn't sure what to expect. In the end I had a very slow start to labour (over a couple of days - was at home all that time not sure if it was labour or not) and delivered very quickly, taking everyone by surprise very shortly after arriving at hospital. No time for drugs and I couldn't manage to get the hang of the gas & air - all very smooth, quick and a really positive, happy experience. I was monitored, so wasn't able to use the birthing pool, but was able to move around a fair bit which probably helped.

How many weeks are you? Have you seen a midwife or consultant yet to discuss the VBAC possibilities? Have you had counselling after your previous traumatic birth? Sorry for all the questions - but talking through all the options beforehand helped me enormously, though my previous experience was nowhere near as traumatic as yours.

vbac 1 - back to back labour 24 hours after waters broke. hideous attempt at internal rotation. last minute vaginal birth after consultant told me i'd got two more pushes before emcs. ds1 was fine - bit squished, i had to stay in for 5 days whilst they repaired my undercarriage.

vbac 2 - 'normal' labour - 10 hours after waters broke. poor monitoring and student midwife. no-one noticed dd2 in distress. senior mw checked when crowning to see if ready to deliver - paeds crashed etc etc. hr down to 28bpm, appalling apgars, neonatal seizures, dd2 spent 5 weeks in scbu and has cerebral palsy.

i have a consultant's letter that tells any future team that i am to have a planned cs.

my original cs was for macrosomia. it was planned, and in hindsight, fine.

there is a huge difference between planned cs and emcs. in your case, i think i would opt for planned cs at 38 weeks.

I was all set for a cs after my previous emcs as I just couldn't face the trauma of hours of labour with it all going wrong again. Half way through my pregnancy I just changed my mind and decided to give it a go, I don't know why. When I started having contractions, because they were two weeks early I didn't take them seriously enough and we only decided to go to the hospital for a check up. In the car on the way there the contractions were coming thick and fast and dd2 was born an hour and a half after we got there. I had no time for an epidural and she popped out really quickly. No problem! Absolutely no problem. You'd never know I'd had a cs before. My scar has never been a bit of trouble and dd2 came out the right way round, slightly smaller than dd1 and perfectly fine.

There is absolutely no correlation between births. They can be as different as you can imagine. Go with absolutely whatever you want to do this time. Although, personally, after the emcs I wouldn't entertain trying to do it at home, I would be too scared that if it did indeed go wrong I wouldn't get help in time.

Also I would agree that there is a big difference between planned cs and emcs. With an emcs you've generally gone into labour, are expecting to deliver normally, are in the absolute throes of agony and then it all goes wrong and you're whisked away to theatre still in agony and it's like a bad dream.

From what I've seen (apologies if not) a planned cs is calm, organised and very civilised! There's no labour, no trying to push, etc etc. Sounds like the best way to do it really!

I'm only 6 weeks gone and already panicking!
I have had therapy, and I will be fine whatever happens, but really want to limit the risks, especially those to the child.

Before, it was an emergency because a scan revealed that DTD1 had died. I did (through shock probably, I was only 32 weeks) go into labour so they had to rush me in, but I didn't go into full-blown labour. The whole thing (as I'm sure you can imagine) was awful beyond belief, very degrading and took a long time to recover from physically. I want to avoid all of that, but really I only want one thing, and that is a live (and healthy) child.

bless - no wonder. i imagine that a water birth will be out, really. if you have had prior cs, NICE guidelines do suggest continuous foetal monitoring... and afaik (willing to be corrected) this isn't possible in a pool? (that's the basis of our medical negligence case by the way...)

i really think a planned cs would be the best option for you - it would all be very relaxed and under control in a manner that any sort of natural birth wouldn't be... i know with my own experience that after a traumatic birth i couldn't face labouring again... i suppose for you it must seem the other way around as you only went into labour after things went wrong...

God, you poor, poor woman.

I've only had one child, but my planned CS was absolutely lovely. I will be happily having another one in four months with DC2. From friends' descriptions of their emergency CSs, I agree that they sound a world apart.

What is your doctor like? I think talk, talk and talk some more.

I've had a planned CS and a VBAC, and would definitely prefer to have another vaginal birth if I have another DC. Easier recovery despite a tear, and an easier experience to deal with emotionally. However, I was lucky to have a fairly straightforward, quick labour, and I guess I might feel differently if it had been problematic. You just don't know what hand you'll be dealt - but do take into account all of the factors, and google "green top guideline 45" to read what the Royal College of Obs and Gyns have to say about VBAC.

What scares me about a VBAC is needing a EMCS at the end of it.

I had an elective last time as 3 attempts at induction failed without any dilation or softening of cervix at all.
The elective was calm and as I didn't have any dreams of a wonderful natural birth I wasn't disappointed when it didn't happen.

In your position I think I would opt for the elective, only because you would probably find it very traumatic if you had to go through another EMCS.

I am so sorry for your loss.

So the general feeling is towards the c-section...

Thanks all for your help, it means a lot to me. :)

I had a VBAC a week ago. The whole experience was more traumatic that my EMCS as I had forceps and a episiotomy (1 ventouse attempt and forceps attempt in delivery room, then a trip to theatre for more forceps). However, I am really glad to have avoided a c-section and I didn't want to have an elective "just in case". Also, even though it was more traumatic and I got to 10cm dilated this time, which was the most painful thing I could ever imagine, I am less affected by the experience, perhaps because it is my second child and I know that the most important thing is that I have a healthy baby.

If I had a third, which I don't plan on, I would have an elective. I was allowed to use the birth pool, BTW. If I were you, I would choose the elective as it sounds like the experience is still very raw for you, and you are frightened. I'm really sorry about the loss of your twin, and congrats on your new pregnancy.

Thank you, and congratulations on your new baby. :)

I had an EMCS in may 08 as I didn't progress passed 4cm's after 2 days in labour plus syntocin etc etc.

I couldn't decide whether to try for a Vbac or not.after dithering for 9 months I booked a C section but I went into labour before hand.So I decided to give it a go.However the same thing happened and my cervix would not dilate!It was a fantastic experience and I would imagine that a calm elective would be a really great experience.

Although I ended up with a C section it was really amazing and the medical team bought the screen down so we could discover the sex of our baby ourselves.So it was very much like an elective.

I had my baby at Kings in london and they are very pro Vbac,I could have had a water birth as they have those waterproof monitors.I think this is quite unusual.
Wishing you all the best!

You had a horrible time with your first birth, by the sound of it, so it's only natural to be cautious second time round. A few of the replies here have been written by people who had very unfortunate circumstances, and I want to add my positive experience to balance it out a little bit. I had a complicated EMCS first time round, and would have had grounds for legal proceedings if I had been so inclined, but everyone came out the other side OK so I put it behind me. I employed the services of an IM for my second baby with the plan to go into hospital for a water birth. I wanted an IM to provide continuity of attendants during labour, as lack of continuity led to some of my issues last time. The use of the pool and conditions for my use of it as a VBAC were discussed with me by the consultant midwife. It was never even suggested that I would not be allowed to use it merely because I was a VBAC.

When I went into labour my IM came to my house straight away and labour progressed so quickly I didn't have time to get to the hospital. This was a bit of a surprise as my first labour was 42hrs. My baby was born at home extremely easily, although I had to transfer into hospital for a repair to 2 tears, which healed quickly. Although the tears were sensitive for a while I felt so much better than after my EMCS. Since giving birth 8 weeks ago I have been out swimming with both children, back horse-riding, walking, and to a themepark. I wouldn't have been in any fit state to do any of these things after my CS.

I cannot say enough how much better the VBAC was than the CS. In the end though, a VBAC is not the be-all-and-end-all if it is not right for you.

Just wanted to also add a positive vbac story. First DD was a planned cs due to her having a medical condition that required her to be delivered by cs and operated on the next day. It was stressful afterwards going back and forth to the neonatal intensive care unit, trying to pump because she wouldn't/couldn't nurse, and worrying about it all. I found it a very painful recovery.

With DD2, I had a very supportive OB/GYN (I was in the US) and planned a vbac. Labour was quick (and, of course, painful), but I went into hospital 8cm and had an epidural. Loved that- felt calm and in control thereafter. Had a healthy baby with only a slight tear. Had swelling and pain afterwards, so still some recovery needed, but was feeling fine in less than a week.

It is scary going for a vbac when you don't know what to expect, but the physical recovery can be a lot easier (even quicker for baby 3, also a vbac). That being said, I imagine recovering from a planned cs would be easier to deal with than the first time around if you don't have all of the stress and heartache on top of the birth recovery. Whatever makes you feel calm and in control is what you should go for.

Good luck!

Thank you for your stories ladies. I still haven't decided, but it really helps to get a range of experiences. :)