Bicornate uterus and VBAC - all advice needed please?

[Pandasandmonkeys]

Hi,

I'm hoping that there might be some midwives/Dr's reading this or some mums that have been through a similar experience that might be able to advise me.

DS1 is now a few months old. I had no choice but to have an elective c-section as he was transverse/unstable lie as I have a bicornate uterus. I was diagnosed with obstetric cholestasis at 39 weeks and was told that he had to be delivered ASAP to avoid serious risks. His position meant that c-section was the only option. I was, and still am, utterly gutted to not have experienced labour or birth at all and am desperate to try to have a more normal experience next time around. He was a big baby at 9lb 7oz and i carried to full term - I?m told both of these are unusual for a bircornate uterus. He never engaged, but was head down at all MW appointments. He flipped in the last week, he was even head down hours before the section, but turned back again - he had a lot of room in there!

Anyway, my questions are:

• Will having a bicornate uterus prevent me from having a VBAC? (as long as the next one stays head down!)
• My local hospital is very keen on c-sections (one the the highest rates in the country) any tips for fighting my corner for a more normal experience?

-What are the chances of the OC happening again? All the stats online differ massively.

I realise I?m being a bit previous with this, but finding out all the info I can about this has become a coping method to deal with all we went through and the disappointment. I felt a bit steam rollered into everything with DS1 as it all happened so fast. I need to feel more in control of my situation now. Thanks for reading x

I have a bi cornuate uterus. DS1 (7) was breech from 32 weeks and was completely stuck in one of the sides. I carried him to full term (almost) and basically was told there was no option but a CS. It was when I was being operated on that the doc noticed I had a bicornuate uterus. DS1 was 7lbs 10, so average.

With ds2, I had no idea what was going to happen. It all depended on whether he turned or not. However, despite the consultant being all doom and gloom about rupture risk, he gave me a 70% chance of a successful VBAC, which given that the CS rate is 20%, wasn't that much less IYSWIM.

As my pregnancy progressed, I was so undecided about what to do, even if ds2 turned, but then I broke my ankle and had to have surgery on it, and I decided that I really wanted to avoid a CS at all costs because the thought of crutches for broken ankle and CS delivery was not something that I fancied!!

In the event, the combination of ds2 being much smaller (5lbs 15) and my uterus already being stretched, he turned and presented head down and I got my VBAC. They ended up using forceps, but it was just to gently lift him out towards the end because they were worried about his heart rate, rather than a big effort required IYSWIM.

I was having contractions on and off for 3 days before I went into labour properly, and I must confess to wondering if that was the best that my uterus could do, but I was pleasantly surprised.

I made no referece to what the consultant had said in my birth plan, and although I didn't get exactly what I wanted, it was close enough for me.