VBAC - anyone been told the baby must be 7lbs+ (i.e. not over 8lbs)

[johnston1981]

I am planning a VBAC (in Singapore) and been told by my obstetrican that in order for her to allow a VBAC the baby should be around the 7lb mark and further that I must go into labour naturally.
I would just like to know whether this is the same guidance you get in UK on size of baby and VBAC.
Being in Asia the average lady is so much smaller than a caucasian so I do wonder whether this influences the 7lb criteira.
Thanks for your comments

No, I have never heard this before.

If you're having a VBAC in the UK it is usually planned for 39 weeks so you DON'T go into labour naturally. If you're having a VBAC, they don't want you to go into labour!

And in the UK some mums are advised to have a VBAC if the obs thinks the baby will be too big to push out naturally. There are no criteria around the baby's weight.

Are you sure you have understood correctly?

i think you are thinking of a el c section, cocktailqueen

no there is no weight requirement and it is v hard to judge anyway. i had a vbc abroad and they had some weird requirement about maternal pelvic size. i had a pelvic scan. this is also a load of nonsense

the induction thing is more standard although i think it is tge drip they avoid

will you also have a time limit abd have to have a saline drip and monitoring?

i just turned up at 8cm so i avoided all tgat

Not sure about weight but the natural labour is pretty standard. The slight risk of uterine rupture increases with an induced labour. The risk is very very tiny for spontaneous labour after C section but increases with induced labour. I saw a table/graph thingy about it last week I can try to hunt it down for you if you like.

cocktail do you mean a planned C section? a VBAC is a vaginal birth after Cesarean.

I had a VBAC with DC2. He was 9lb. Not a problem! Spontaneous labour at 40 weeks. I think the obstetrician's issue must be what you suggest re the size of Asian ladies as I know quite a few who have done similar; some have even been induced.
Good luck!

I had a VBAC in the UK at 40+19 days from a naturally started labour, but I was never given any indication that the baby should be a certain weight to do so. Having said that, my first was already 8lb4 and my second turned out to be 9lb3 so fairly big already.

Not sure it makes any difference, but could it have something to do with the reason for your CS? Mine was an EMCS as DS got himself into an awkward position so there was no reason why I would have the same problem again.

I had an ELCS with DS and he was 8lbs 3oz at 39 weeks. At my VBAC appointment I mentioned this and asked if it was likely my baby would be to big for a successful VBAC and the midwife basically laughed and said that wasn't a big baby and it would be fine.

I think induction is maybe not recommended as there is an increased risk of uterine rupture but as far as I know it does happen. I think you can have a drip but not a pessary as it's more controlled but you might want to check that.

My understanding is that in the uk they would aim for spontaneous vbac if possible as they have the highest rate of success. In the trust I know about they let you go to 41 weeks with a hope that this will happen. After that induction would be discussed, the preferred way is to rupture your membranes and use the IV drip as the pessary has a higher risk of rupture. This might be trust specific. I haven't heard of any requirements re baby or pelvis size.

My consultant said they do not routinely offer elcs for large babies, even after a previous section. (Fortunately I wanted a VBAC.)

Baby is predicted to be around 10lbs.

I did however, say and have it agreed that I would not be induced. If you read about induction it is more likely to lead to an assisted birth or C-section, significantly more so if you have had a previous section, a large baby or are a small mother. I'm not small but I tick the other boxes. So wanted a C-section if overdue not induction. Consultant agreed immediately.

I've recently had a consultant interview for VBAC and she said that a VBAC is more likely to be successful if you go into labour spontaneously. If they do need to induce, they will never use prostaglandins (as they can make the contractions too strong too quickly, which can increase the risk of scar rupture), only sweep, and if they do need to use a drip it will be on a lesser strength than someone having a normal induction.

I'm getting growth scans this time round because my first child was very wee, so they're more concerned about me having a bigger baby this time. They've definitely not mentioned a maximum size for VBAC.

Davinaaddict is 40 +19 a typo? 19 days past due date? I didn't think the would let you go on that long?

Johnston - sorry! Ignore my first post. I was thinking 'cs' not vbac. Doh!!

I had a vbac with dc2. My waters broke but if didn't go into labour so was induced after 24 hours. There was no mention of baby's weight. You have a better chance of having a successful vbac if you go into labour naturally, I think, but in the uk lots of people are induced for vbacs as well. If you are induced you are advised to have continuous foetal monitoring, but again you don't have to. It's your decision; doctors can only advise you, not tell you what to do.

Good luck!

My consultant is telling me the exact same thing! He doesn't want baby to go over 3.5kg and is leaning towards another cs based on my previous scan. I'm not in the UK either! I've been told this by more than 1 doctor.

if you are private abroad, remember c sections are
1 more expensive (so more money for obs)
2 easier to schedule around office hours

so unsurprisingly csections are popular with obs. worth asking what their vbac and csection rate is

i was told i couldnt go overdue as well

I've just been looking at a letter about a VBAC clinic I am going to attend and it has a list of things that may reduce the chances of successful VBAC. One of them is a birth weight > 4kg which is 8 lbs 13 oz. It doesn't say you can't have one at this weight though...

Another one hoping for a VBAC here! I think it depends on the trust/obstetrician if they will induce you or not. I will be allowed to go 10 days overdue and have a couple of sweeps. If nothing happens then it'll be ELCS. Quite happy with that plan, tbh. Just like theborrower I had a tiny baby last time so having growth scans for that reason. Nothing has been mentioned to me about an upper limit for baby's weight but I guess they'd do a pelvic scan if it looked like it was very big.

Like others, I am not aware of a weight limit for VBAC in the UK. It's very inaccurate estimating a baby's size anyway, so I'm not sure how helpful a limit would be, even if you thought you knew where you should set that limit.

As for induction, yes, many trusts try to avoid induction particularly with the drip, because of increased risk of uterine rupture.

I had VBAC with DS2. He turned out to be 9lb, not 10lb plus as we were told. Needed ventouse as he had to get out quickly because they lost his heart beat. But very pleased I didn't listen to the Dr that said I would need an elective section as the baby was too big!