40+2 - Can I now change my mind and ask for a ECS instead of a VBAC?

[bytheMoonlight]

With my first pregnancy I had to have a emcs after failure to progress. Throughout this pregnancy I said I would try a VBAC and my consultant, who is very pro VBAC, said I had a 50/50 chance of a succesful VBAC and they wouldn't know until I reached the pushing stage if I would have to have another emcs.

I am now 40+2 and am due to see the consultant and have a sweep on Friday if nothing has happened.

I am starting to change my mind, I think that having a sweep and trying to get things moving is too much due ontop of the fact I may end up having a emcs anyway.

I am tempted to go to the appointment at the hospital Friday and say can I be booked in for an ELCS. Can I do this? Esp. with a consultant who is so pro VBAC (she scares me a bit if I'm honest and I know she won't want me to have an ELCS)

Could I even phone up today and say I want an ELCS, forget waiting?

I would phone now, and see what they say. I think you are able to change your mind at any point.
Good luck! :)

You could always call up and ask.

By the way, my consultant told me I had a 70 per cent chance of having VBAC. Not sure if that was general statistic or just for me.

I had a VBAC and was high for weeks!! You are bound to feel scared now but you can do it and have all the support around you that you need.

Whatever you do, hope you have a nice birth. Congratulations, good luck.

You are very pregnant and hormonal. There is no reason why you can't phone up and talk to your consultant.

But do you want to talk on here about how you're feeling? Is this decision because of the threat of induction or is it a little bit of panic?

Has your consultant talked to you about how they might manage your labour if you did try for a VBAC. So you feel more in control and know what to expect?

I'm not saying what you should do either way, but just wondering if your hormones might make a decision for you and you could regret it.

I saw an obstetric consultant to talk about dd's birth a few months ago and while I'm not planning another atm, he said that if I opted for vbac, they very much discouraged suddenly switching to elcs around your due date without a lot of discussion about why you might feel that way. He said he had seen many, many women who changed their mind due to sheer panic (which he thinks is normal in any pregnancy around your due date) and didn't think it was always what a woman really wanted. He was clear that it wasn't a flat out 'no' to changing your mind but that he saw it happen a lot and generally after talking to patients, it wasn't what they really wanted.

He did gently point out that they wouldn't go to elcs during labour under any circumstances bar very rare ones.

My consultant said that this time I would be monitered more during my labour and that I would be only left to push for half hour and if baby was still really high (like dd) I would be taken for an emcs.

She said she would let me got to 40+10 before inducing me.

Its the thought of inducing me that is scaring me tbh. I think if I have to be induced and the baby is forced out and then I try to give to give birth, which I have already failed at, I might as well play it safe and have an ELCS. It seems like if I am going to force this baby out I might as well go in for an ELCS.

Nothing feels as if its going to be natural and I worry about all the stress on the baby. If labour started I would very happily go with it and see what happens. I just don't want to be induced.

Does any of this make sense or am I rambling?

You don't have to be induced. A normal pregnancy lasts for 37-42 weeks. You can ask to be monitored and chances are you'll go into labour some time before 42 weeks.

The cons here doesn't induce vbacs unless absolutely necessary.

Remember you don't have to have an induction, and you don't have to have a sweep. No one can force you into any medical procedure that you don't want.

Can you talk to your consultant about booking in a c-section for 40+10 if nothing has happened of its own accord by then? Doesn't mean you won't end up having an emcs if vbac doesn't go to plan before then, but at least avoids the interventions you are nervous about.

good luck!

The first time I saw my consultant she said I wouldn't go over my due date, I would have an emcs.

Then I saw her at 36 weeks and she said that she would leave me till 40+10 and if not she would induce me.

She said at my next appointment (Friday) I would have a sweep.

Its reassuring to know I can refuse induction, I think I will see her on Friday and say I want to be left as long as possible to try and go in labour naturally and if nothing happens I'll have a ELCS.

I think now I have wrote it down and read the replies it is the thought of the induction that is scaring me the most, if I can avoid that I am happy to be left and try a VBAC

In the first sentance I mean ELCS not EMCS.

OP, I had my baby last week, twas a VBAC after EMCS last time. I told my midwife that I did not want to be induced at all and that I would want an ELCS at 42 weeks. She noted it all and indicated that would be fine - it was stressing me out too. In the end I went into labour at 40+2. You can absolutely refuse an induction - personally I wasn't happy with attempting something that only seems to happen depending on where you live, ie. some hospitals do, some don't. Good luck! (man, typing with one hand is SLOW!!!)

Congratulations Domestic!

I'm a whole lot happier now I've decided against induction. I just let things progress naturally and go with the flow.

Thanks everyone

I had an EMCS for FTP too.In my next pregnancy I just couldn't decide what to do so at 39+6 (!) I booked into have an ELCS a few days later.
As it happened I went into labour so 'gave it a go' although it was going nowhere like the first time so I had a 'semi' elective section.
It was an amazing experience.I would imagine an ELCS would be fab,really calm.

Good luck,let us know what the consultant says.You should be able to have an ELCS I should think.

Hi bytheMoonlight

Just to tell you I had a similar situation - DD1 was EMCS after becoming distressed during induction. With DD2, born 8 weeks ago, I was happy (in fact v keen) to try VBAC but absolutely didn't want induction as neither I nor baby had reacted to it well first time around. So my consultant was very happy to a plan of aiming for VBAC but if overdue then ELCS rather than induction. They booked the ELCS in advance at my 39 week review appointment for term + 12, allowing me 2 days more than standard for my hospital. In the event I did indeed go that overdue - family tendency to deliver v late! - so I had the ELCS at 12 days overdue. Although I do have regrets about not achieving VBAC I don't regret at all not risking another labour like my first and in the run up to the birth I wasn't left worrying about another induction. Good luck whatever you decide!

bytheMoonlight, I had a VBAC after a failure to progress em c-s also. I was terrified of having a synto drip, as I'd had one the last time and my epidural had failed and I couldn't bear it again. My cons agreed that we'd go for VBAC if I went into labour spontaneously, but we would skip induction and go to ELCS if not (my hospital induces VBACs with synto, not pessaries). This was also a very pro-VBAC hospital, and the cons said there was no reason why I shouldn't be able to deliver vaginally (DD1 was a brow presentation and got stuck).

As it happened, I went into labour spontaneously. I did get to a point where I asked for a section during labour but a lovely gentle obstetrician talked me into having an epidural ('We'll need it anyway for a section.') and DD2 was born by forceps a few hours later.

I would also say that DD3 was induced (for her health reasons) at 40+1 using synto and was by far the best of my 3 births.

Best of luck with it all - it sounds like you've reached a decision you're happy with so you can relax and get on eating that curry and pineapple

I had a phonecall from my new midwife today to tell me that I had to tell my consultant to book my induction for next week.

I have never spoke to her before and she didn't even ask if I wanted to be induced. I couldn't be bothered to got through it on the phone with her, so just agreed.

I'll let the consultant know that I don't want an induction tomorrow, but I can already tell that isn't going to go down well

Let us know how you get on.

You are absolutely within your rights to refuse induction. What will they do? Arrest you? As far as I know, there is no law about your necessity to be induced. There are many laws that prevent anybody from forcing you into a situation you have refused.

There is a place for inductions (and they're not always something to be scared of). Make sure you know all of the risks/benefits of any choice and do what is right for you and this pregnancy.

Be firm. Ask questions that require an answer like 'I do not want induction, can you tell me how you will monitor the pregnancy instead?' or 'I won't be having an induction, what date would you advise for an elcs if labour doesn't happen spontaneously?'

How are you doing bytheMoonlight?

I had a show last night and I've been having contractions on and off all day so no chance of an ELCS now.

I went and had a sweep today to try and avoid induction, but it looks like if I haven't progressed then I will be induced on Thursday when I will be 40+10.

Can't see a way round it now, guess I left it to late to speak up and say I wanted an ELCS

It is never too late bythemoonlight.

Only do what you feel comforatble with. Hopefully labour is progressing nicely for you but if you do not want induction it is not too late to say so.

It is down to you not the cons.

Best of luck!