VBAC - honest advice please!

[desperatehousewife]

Had emergency c-section with DS 3 yrs ago. Hideous experience (pre-eclampsia, induced, discovered breech, stopped induction, tried turning, then emergency c-section, followed by nighmares, and long period of pnd).

Second baby due in March. All along have been adament that I want elective c-section: better the devil you know. I will feel in control of what is happening to me, don't want to take any chances again, need the experience to be as 'good' and 'positive' as possible, scared of rupturing scar if VBAC, have knackered tummy, don't want knackered bits as well.

Anyway, just suddenly thought - how would it be to have vbac? recovery time so much quicker and no major surgery. But the unknown is absolutely petrifying to me.

I have no 'need' to try natural birth - that side of it really doesn't bother me. And I would have all the pain relief on offer to me.

I want the most pain free, easy option (don't shout at me for that) where I can bond with my child and just enjoy it.

I'd be really interested to get honest feedback from anyone that has experienced vbac and give their comparisons over their different experience.

Thank you so much in advance
DHW

I haven't, but my friend just has (a month ago, after a c-section 18mo ago) and she said she was amazed at the difference in recovery time between c-section and vaginal birth - with her VBAC being the one that was quickest.

Good luck with whatever you decide - what's important is you're comfortable with the choice. Don't let people pressure you one way or the other.

Hi, sorry havent got any advice on vbac(dont even know what it is!!).
I just wanted to say that I also had very traumatic labour involving emergency c section, and wanted to let you know that you arent alone. Also it helps me to know that others go through what I had to go through.

Thanks HP. No I won't be persuaded - it's just so hard to make a decion when you only know half the choice!

Just really keen to see how others got on.

it's vaginal birth after c-section!
sorry you had a bad time. I know it is possible to have a 'good' experience though, so don't be put off!

Well I haven't had a vbac but had long labour andventouse with ds1 and elective c-section with ds2. I can't tell you how much harder I found the recovery the second time around. I would like a third child though and am already worrying about vbac even though I am not pregnant!

I had vbac and regretted it. There was no-one available to give epidural, couldn't get baby out, had to have ventouse and episiotomy which by the way was far more inconvenient and painful for me than the c/section scar and left me immobile for longer. I felt I recovered much more quickly from the c/section. But, every pregnancy and delivery is different, that is just my experience.

I should add that I am quite petite, and I did get the impression from doctors that I should opt for c/s, although they didn't come right out and say it.

Go with what you want xxx
I've had 2 vbac - no probs - no pain relief needed, no interventions & both quick: 90 mins for dd3 & then just 10 mins of actually realising I'm in labour for ds4. I had a scan around 36 weeks to check uterine thickness to see if it was safe to try a vbac - perhaps you could ask for this to be checked. best wishes xxx

Go with what you want xxx
I've had 2 vbac - no probs - no pain relief needed, no interventions & both quick: 90 mins for dd3 & then just 10 mins of actually realising I'm in labour for ds4. I had a scan around 36 weeks to check uterine thickness to see if it was safe to try a vbac - perhaps you could ask for this to be checked. best wishes xxx

Go with what you want xxx
I've had 2 vbac - no probs - no pain relief needed, no interventions & both quick: 90 mins for dd3 & then just 10 mins of actually realising I'm in labour for ds4. I had a scan around 36 weeks to check uterine thickness to see if it was safe to try a vbac - perhaps you could ask for this to be checked. best wishes xxx

Go with what you want xxx
I've had 2 vbac - no probs - no pain relief needed, no interventions & both quick: 90 mins for dd3 & then just 10 mins of actually realising I'm in labour for ds4. I had a scan around 36 weeks to check uterine thickness to see if it was safe to try a vbac - perhaps you could ask for this to be checked. best wishes xxx

Go with what you want xxx
I've had 2 vbac - no probs - no pain relief needed, no interventions & both quick: 90 mins for dd3 & then just 10 mins of actually realising I'm in labour for ds4. I had a scan around 36 weeks to check uterine thickness to see if it was safe to try a vbac - perhaps you could ask for this to be checked. best wishes xxx

My vback this June was the best thing I have achieved in my life.I was ectatic to have "given birth" to my son. No stitches, no soreness, labour was 3 hours and home the next day!
i'm sure the reason I had PND was due to the fact I'd felt cheated out of giving birth naturally with my daughter, and it still upsets me that I didn't have her naturally.
Its a very personal choice but for me doing it both ways was the best- i would go vbac again no doubt!
good luck with your decision

Hi.I'm a midwife who works on labour and postnatal ward and in my experience unless you have a really strong desire to experience vaginal birth,you will probably feel better if you have an elective c-section this time.You know how you recovered last time,you know what to expect.a Planned c-section will be relaxed and controlled this time.I think this will help you bond with your baby.What if you go for natural birth and then end up with a traumatic ventouse/forceps/emergency section?Every woman is different-it sounds like you know your gut felling is telling you to have the c-section.I know women who have tried for vbac and had what appeared to me to be a traumatic ventouse etc but have still been elated that they did it vaginally-but that was extremly important to them.
I know people who had a vaginal first time/caesarian second, and say the caesarian was preferable.Its just a personal choice!Good luck whatever you decide!!

i attempted VBAC with DS2 6 months ago. However, after 6 hrs of contractions and very little dilation coupled with DS2's low heartbeat they whisked me in for another section. What a relief!!

However, I had a doula with me and she was just fantastic and I'm quite sure I would have gone on to have a vaginal birth if it hadn't been for the complications. Just knowing she was there (and DH!) with me the whole time helped me to relax so much more - I didn't have the worry of a busy labour ward and not always having a midwife there.

I had a VBAC and would recommend it, I recovered far quicker than my section (and I had a epis and ventouse as well, couple of stitches).

Main bonus for me that with a 22 month age gap, I could still pick up dd1 and be as normal as possible with her, and I was in hospital overnight - was in 5 days with section.

I would do a search on here, there are loads of threads on this.

Chat to your consultant and midwife, mine were pro VBAC but would have gone with what I strongly felt.

By the way, I am THE biggest wuss in the world and did my VBAC on gas and air (no time for pain relief, over too quick) so you may surprise yourself! Both mine were big babies too, 9lb 10 and 9lb 5, so nothing small coming out for either birth.

Good luck in whatever you decide.

xxxx

I had a VBAC second time round and it was a great experience. Much much less frightening to me than the c-section, and I was just staggered at how quickly I recovered. I also forgot about it really quickly, rather than feeling vaguely traumatised as I did the first time. I think it's something to do with the hormones being allowed to work properly or something like that.
best of luck with whatever you do.

Sorry to hear about your horrible experience. I didn't have such a bad time of it as that but felt a bit 'robbed' of my chance to give birth naturally (and at home) when I was sent in for an emergency c-section and I absolutely hated being in hospital even though I had my own room and everyone was nice etc. So you would think I'd be all for a vbac next time but I'm not too sure now. I was relieved of course that my baby would be coming out safely within a few minutes but I'd built up so much self-belief in my ability to do it naturally that I'm not sure I can achieve that level of confidence again. It's early days as DD is only 4 months but I do worry about what I would do next time. I was told that the problems I had this time wouldn't necessarily occur again but I'm frightened they would. I haven't really spoken to anyone at the hospital about 'next time' apart from asking the midwife if it would happen again, so I don't even know if I can request a c-section. I will probably see someone soon about that as it is nagging me whenever I think about having another child.

Sorry, had to offload a few feelings there. Everyone tells you 'at least you're both safe' etc and it's best not to dwell on it as I do have a very happy and healthy baby, but lucky as we are compared to other people, that doesn't always make me feel any better about the experience!

Anyway, you asked for people's thoughts - I spoke to someone recently who said that their elective c-s after emerg c-s put things right in her mind. She had that control that was taken away from her first time and it was a really good experience. Can you request an early morning c-s in the hope that you can go home the next day? I suppose it all depends on how you would cope with your son. The way I see it, people can help for a week or two and as you'd know when you were giving birth, it would be easier to make arrangements for this help. I suppose it is hard for me to say as I haven't had a natural birth and so not experienced the recovery time but I think I would go for another c-section, as you say, better the devil you know!
Good luck with whatever you decide to do. x

My sister had a vbac with ventouse, epis and forceps. She was still delighted with the results, quicker recovery time and able to DRIVE very quickly afterwards. She lives in the middle of nowhere with little public transport and a four year old to get to school. She had pnd, for various reasons but also because she didn't give birth 'properly' the first time. It turns out the baby was in distress and she wasn't dilating but she wasn't told any of this until the start of the next pg!
Good luck with your decision. I had a vb first time and was very lucky that it was such a positive experience. I do understand about the fear of the unknown; I had made lists of all our bank details, because I do all our accounts, in case I didn't make it!
One thought is that it has been some considerable time since your first that any scar tissue should have healed well and be able to sustain a vbac.

Hi Dh,
I know women who've done this. A good friend of mine said it really helped exorcise a few of the emotional 'ghosts' from her first birth. If you wanted to go for it there are lots of encouraging stories around.

I know some Independent midwives who specialise in it. (They're in London, but there is one in Brighton who I had for ds2. If you want her number let me know.)

Hi I have had both Emergency CSection and VBAC, my first labour was 24hrs even pushing for 11/2hrs before I was finally given em c/s, baby heart rate dipped, wasn't breathing etc after birth, however we later found out he was large and breach therefore in my second pregnancy although I was offered a planned c/s I really wanted to labour again, knowing they would keep closer eye on birth weight and checking for breach. After nearly 4yrs of having a horrendous first birth I had a lovely 16hr VBAC and now comparing them I would again have VBAC anyday it was the best expierence of my life!

Hi, dh. Wow, we had very similar experiences re: undiagnose/late diagnosed breech, emergency c-section and PN PTSD. I had been really proactive about wanting a vaginal birth with ds. Now, if I ever get pregnant again I will definitely have an elective c-section. Personally, I don't feel that I could risk going through the long labour and then another possible emergency section again.

I know of one person who did have a VBAC and loved it. Our birth class instructor did it and said her recovery was actually much longer than her recovery after her c-section. Her ds had his hand next to his face, hence an episiotomy was necessary. So, I guess you just never know. I would say trust your gut instinct on this one.

wow - thank you all so much for sharing your experiences - really really appreciate this. Seems that there's no one easy answer. I'll chew over the fat as it were and think about it.

Am terrified to even mention to my midwife/consultant that I am considering a vb as I get the feeling here that the second they see a chink in the armour, they'll be straight in trying to persuade me to go 'natural'.

Thank you so much everyone.
x

Spidermama, thanks. Have considered the private midwife option, but it's a lot of money and it all seems a bit too 'natural' for my liking!! I'll let you know though if I decide to go down that route.

The beauty of indie mw's is that you have it the way you want it and they'll support you.

Well nightmare first birth 30+ hours, baby wrong way around and no one noticed and emergency c-section. Found it really difficult to bond with DS1, pain, staples yeuch, PND probably.

Second time round VBAC - same circumstances, baby wrong way around and 30+ hours. Infact going even worse until I had an epidural at about 4cm dilated, fabby midwife who got me through and I pushed the little blighter out. He's a fighter.

For me it dispelled all the ghosts of my first birth, crying just thinking about happy it made me. But I was so close to having another emergency c-section and that would have been so awful for me to contemplate.

Think it depends a lot on why you had an emergency c-section in the first time. Are the circumstances likely to repeat.

I now know that my pelvis seems to turn babies around and if i contemplated another one I would go and get an x-ray done.