Second CS or VBAC?

[2margarinesonthego]

Hi All,
My DD1 was planned CS due to being breech, and I initially decided to go for a VBAC for this baby (DD2). But now I'm having cold feet for lots of reasons I won't bore you with.

I wondered if anyone had any pros / cons of going for either option. I feel I don't get the full story from medical professionals, IYKWIM.

Many thanks :)

My first birth sounds nearly identical to Marbles. I don't have a clue what to do next time. I didn't progress past 6cm, so I assume that could happen again with a VBAC, but I don't know how big a family I want so the thought of having to stick to two due to cs scars worries me. Its such a minefield. I wish there was one "correct" answer to it.

Pros and cons are really subjective as we can see on the thread.

My logic was this:

Did hypnobirthing with DC1, came late to hospital (10 cm dilated and ready to go), and got the news that baby was breech... So straight onto EMCS. That moment I was very relieved that the docs could take care of the labour for me. Recovery time was a couple of days - almost!

Was told that women who progressed easily with their first labour would be great VBAC candidates so I got lured into a VBAC with DC2. Well, I didn't even do one breathing exercise before labour and baby was back to back. I was in agony this time around and got an epidural at 8 cms dilated (should have had a better prepared birthing partner..) so this epidural stalled the whole labour.. Basically I couldn't push and DC2 was born via forceps. It took me about a month to recover and I was depressed about that because I expected a speedy and easy recovery...

I had a nice ELCS planned with DC3. But labour started before the date and luckily I vowed to get to the hospital in good time after my experience with DC1. Again I made it just in time to the hospital (almost fully dilated when I arrived) and a midwife asked me to just try a vaginal birth. But I wanted my cesarean. Then I had to have a crash cesarean due to placental abruption, under general anaesthetic. They had DC3 out in 12 minutes.

It is nice reading about all the births on here :-) brings me right back.

My advice would be: if you go for a VBAC I'd do some hypnobirthing and get a great birth partner. But IMO VBAC isn't all it is cracked up to be.

Good luck!

Oh, recovery time with my crash cesarean was a week maybe. But the scar is very lopsided.

cinema if that makes you feel better, my scar is lopsided a bit, despite CS being Elective.
surgeon couldn't be bothered? she had the time! makes me cross.

or more likely that it is just very difficult to get it straight....

Thanks for thoughts - she's doing pretty well these days, considering. We were told that being offered a subsequent CS was largely dependant on the reason for the first one, and as the issue with dd1 wasn't likely to recur, we couldn't opt for ELCS. And then, with dd2, because I had already had one vbac (however horrific) with a live baby, that there was definitely no need for ELCS.

Needless to say, I now have a letter from the consultant which states for any subsequent pg, I am to have an ELCS.

I'm just generally a bit crap at childbirth, I think!