VBAC only 20% chance?

[NattyandThomasandBump]

my mother (i think in an effort to change my mind) has told me that there is only a 20% chance i will be able to give birth normally. is this true?

my baby is due in june, i fell when my son is only 5 months is this a factor?

i feel really nervous because my family wont allow me to have a home birth, which i can understand, but they wont allow me to be in a birthing center either. so i have to go into hospital which is the last thing i want, but now they are trying to convince me to have a c-section. i feel very unsupported, no one is thinking about my mental health. i just cant go through with a c-section if i can avoid it.

please any advice guys?

Hi, I'm going for a VBAC this time (my 2nd child).

I think it's more like around 70% success, and a some of it depends on what happened last time and how it's looking this time.

At the moment my baby is breech, if it stays that way then I'll get another cs

Otherwise I'm def going for a VBAC, you can always opt for a cs later on.

There's some good info on the VBAC site: VBAC

Was your c-section traumatic for you? I have read that if you get pg soon afterwards, can't remember the time frame, that there is a greater chance of scar rupturing. Have you had a serious discussion with your OB? Have you had any counselling over your fears?

FWIW, I had a horribly traumatic delivery with ds which ended in an emergency section. I have been in therapy for over a year and am now 7 months pg with baby #2. I have already requested an elective which has been scheduled.

I had a VBAC with dd, but it was 2.5 years after I'd had ds by a section.

With a straightford pg - fondant is right -it's about a 70% success rate for a normal delivery after a section. It might be different if your scar only had 5 months to heal - but I really really don't know and you should get a medical professional to answer that one.

I was in a hospital for dd. I think for a VBAC (depending on the reasons for a section last time) it's best IMO to be in a hospital. A birthing centre next to a hospital would be safe in an emergency I would have thought.

I would avoid a section if at all possible. I found the recovery difficult and if you have another young baby then that's harder still.

I'm sure you'll still be able to have a trial of labour, but you will need to be monitored. Ds was distressed during labour which led to him being born by section. As it happened, it all went the same way with dd and she was 3 minutes from being delivered by section too (I was being prepped etc), but she came out the right way eventually

If you have a sympathetic and knowledgable m/w then it's possible, but be prepared for a section just in case.

Bit waffly, but jusdt wanted to reassure you of the stats.

Sorry, should have said traumatic "labor". Delivery was a piece of cake.

Errrr not being funny shouldn't your family listen to what you want. It is vital that you have somebody supportive with you and believes you can birth vaginally. Can you afford a doula? Speak to Gina and Debbie on this website . They will be of great help. TBH you are more likely to achieve a VBAC at home, where there are no time pressures or labour restrictions.

BE strong, do a lot of research and then tell your family where you are giving birth. I know it is hard but any worries they have make sure you have the answers to reassure them that in fact you are doing the best thing for you and your baby.

it's usually 70 % - ! why your mum saying 20 % ?

your family won;t allow a home or birth centre birth? presume they are scared something awful will happen to you....

good list recently from toady about the likelihood of rupture compared to lots of other things.... (hi toady!)

I had a VBAC - easy and non traumatic, so have lots of other women on here....

Doula is also a good idea , trainees don't charge much....and any support , who is there for you, is a bonus...

if this is what you want, do your research and go for it..you won;t forgive yourself for not trying......you sound strong and determined and you'll get lots of support here!

Why did you have your first by cs? The success rate of a VBAC depends on the reasons for cs first time around, and how likely they are to be repeated. So if it's something to do with the baby you are more likely to succeed in VBAC because the next baby could be totally different, but if it's to do with your body then it does make it less likely.

I have read that the success rate for VBACs is something like 85% when the previous cs was for breech, but it goes down to less than 50% when it was for failure to progress.

Good point, tf. Although my ds was an undiagnosed breech, the OB said that he could safely say that even if he had been correctly positioned things weren't going that well anyway and I would have probably wound up with section.

Hence the scheduled elective this time around

Mmmm, the VBAC site suggests around 65-70% if previous reason was failure to progress. Breech babies are a small proportion of CS I think...

failure to progress is such a broad spectrum - can be so many reasons, not least, labour has paused ,rather than stopped!

why was your first baby born by c/s? mine was failure to progress!!! and had a vbac second time!

I had a home vbac after 2 c-sections. It is not only families that can give the wrong advice, the hospital told me I would prob fail and only quoted a 40% sucess rate when it is more like 70% plus. Do not just listen to your family do what feels right for you. I did all the research then passed it on to my family and they came to accept the idea.

I think it only takes 3 months for the scar to medically heal....

I am planning a VBAC in 9ish weeks- I had an emergency c-section last July so it's all quite soon. However, my consultant has quoted a 75% likelihood of it happening, so that's very reassuring. I am keeping an open mind however and have a very strict timeframe for progression after my 2 day labour with dd- if things don't happen then I will be knocked out (preferably for a few days) and have an elective c-section. It is ultimately your choice, you are the one giving birth and you have your gut feelings on what you want. I hope your family will be more supportive in time.
I'll let you know how I get on with my VBAC/whatever!

If your son is 5 months old now then you will have a gap of over a year.
As long as they don't induce you your risk of scar rupture is minimal. Most people do not realise (because theya ren't told) that fundamentally your chance of cord prolapse are higher... but that sounds FAR LESS SCARY (not!!!) than a scar rupture !!!
Birth centres won't take you - usually. Whether you have a home birth is UP TO YOU (but if you have no support you may not want a home birth). Hospital births don't need to be horrible either... if you have a doula you may find you get far more support and increase your chances of success.
Why did you have a section last time (this can indicate a higher success rate of a VBAC too).

thanks guys!

reason for c-section was due to only dialating 9.5 cm! so close yet so far! also he was back to back and his head was at an odd angle. he also pooed! even though there were no other signs of distress, they said it would be best all round.
i got from 0 to 4cms on my own in 3 hours, then had an epidural and labour haulted. that was my mistake as i was no longer moving around. im sure if i resist (another reason for a birthing centre) i can do the whole thing on my own.

my labour was very tramtic, for me at least, i was very unprepared, so when things didnt go according to plan i had no idea what was going on. also my contractions we a minute apart from the start so i was exhastued. i am terrifed of birth now, really dont want to go through it all again so soon, but i am recieving no support from either health professionals or my family.

all in all feeling very fed up, and scared. the idea of having to recover from another major op with 2 under 2 is extremly daunting, as i couldnt move for nearly 3 days without help. the aftercare in the hospital was horrendous, i was left in soiled bedsheets (from the blood flow you get afterwards) as the epidural they gave me for section left me immobile for 8 hours afterwards and i couldnt change pads, shower, or even reach my baby, and they wouldnt help as they were SHORT STAFFED. my main reason for wanting, no needing, a vbac is so i do not have to stay in hospital at all.
i am also convinced i found breast feeding so hard was because i didnt have any peace, privacy or help. i couldnt hold him properly due to the pain in my incision, i also had a blocked iv which they wouldnt remove, so one arm was unusable.

thank you for all of you who successfully had their vbacs, and for the links to information. it really helps to know others out there have managed it, i hope that i can too.

thanks again guys

N&T&B

Hi NTaB, I am 19 weeks pregnant and aiming for a home water VBAC this time. I am lucky in that I don't have the family pressure that you are getting, I am a midwife and my DH is pretty much, "you know your stuff so do what yo want" which is lovely. I have also booked with an Independent Midwife so I don't have to continually go through the fact that I have made a well researched choice with each different NHS member of staff that I meet. Yes home VBAC does completely go against the grain for the NHS, mainly because, the same as your family, they can't cope with women making informed choices and taking controll of their own care.
The VBAC site is very good as is Angela Horn's Homebirth site \link{ www.homebirth.org.uk/ } and you can try Birth Crisis for support for your previous birth experience \link{ www.sheilakitzinger.com/Birth%20Crisis.htm } hope the links work as I haven't ever got posting a link on here correct!

Natty - my first labour stalled with the administering of an epidural ! funny old thing that! once you are immobile, esp. if baby in the wrong position, labour can't progress terribly well.

Don;t know if anyone has suggested looking at info on opitmal foetal positioning - which can help get baby in the right position before birth - you'll have to google it as i can't do links!

stayed at home until contractions 3 mins apart this time, and had a lovely VBAC with lots of gas & air and a bit of pethidine - still grinning 14 months later!

you believe you can do it - that's half the battle!!

here is the link

Hi,

There is a 70% chance of giving birth naturally after a section- where your mother got 20% from I don't know. Can I ask why they "wont allow" you? Surely it's up to you to decide what path is best to follow? FWIW, I had an emergency section under g.a with DD two years ago....for my second birth I was DESPERATE for a VBAC but sadly despite waters breaking, mucus plug going & 12 hours of contractions etc I hadn't dilated not even 1cm!! How depressed was I?!! So, it was felt, by all involved, that another section was best & that's what we did 3 weeks ago today! As it turns out it was the right decision given that the cord was around his neck & his hand was on his head. Whilst I'm hugely dissapointed that I didn't get my VBAC, the experience was a million times better than the first for the pure reason I was awake....It's a cliche, but at the end of the day a healthy mother & baby at the end of it is all that matters...good luck

NTandB- your birth story sounds scarily like mine- and like you, I will have two young babies- dd will be 16 months.
I am also pretty terrified about having another horrible birth but have talked this through with a consultant- they have promised me that they won't let that happen again. Have you asked for a consultant appointment? I have found both doctors I have spoken to recently very understanding, this is all too common a story I feel.

diamonds when are you due? do keep in touch i would love to hear how it went for you hun. thank you for ur comments

Hi, I'm currently pregnant (not due til March 07) and trying to decide where to VBAC (home or hospital). I really feel for you with the family pressure. I'm sure they just want what's best for you, and safest, but they are obviously just not very well informed. You'll find a great supportive talkboard if you type ukvbachbac into google (sorry I'm no good at links either) - a lot of women there are very pro home VBACs, also supportive of hospital VBACs and are great at finding relevant statistics and at separating the myth from the truth.
Good luck whatever you decide to do. Oh, one thing you'll hopefully find if you check out all the recommended websites... if you go for a hospital VBAC don't let anyone induce you or use drugs to augment or speed up labour - it increases risk of uterine scar rupture, and you may end up with a repeat c/s.

Natty - haven't had time to read all of this, but just to say, I also had a c-section first time round (had fully dilated but ds1 just got stuck in pushing stage). then had vbac in hosp for dd followed by home birth for ds2 which was great. Since you did have labour and dilation first time around, I would say your chances are much better than 20% - talk to your midwives and IU'm sure you will get support, our hosp actively encourages vbac, safer for all concerned if things go smoothly. Hope you get a chance to talk things through and that your family calm down. My vbac was a v good experience and even though dh was worried about the home birth, he now says he's overjoyed we did it that way, he found it a much better and more relaxing exerience.

At my hospital, the chances of having a vaginal birth as a first-time mother are about 75%. The chances of having a vbac are about 65-70%. In other words, there's not a lot in it, yet you'd be unlikely to opt for a c-section first time round to avoid ending up with an emergency one. Fro that reason I've decided to go for a vbac (with a few reservations, tbh).
My consultant said that sometimes our bodies just aren't great at birth first time round but second time round they've had some practice.
I was really horrified at first by the prospect of not being able to go to the birthing centre and having to have monitoring. But I've now decided that it's for my own benefit and if things are OK, they'll monitor only intermittently. I think if you accept that this happens in a trial of labour then you can work with it. Personally, after my first birth I'd never consider a home birth as I'd hate to have to get to hospital in an emergency.
Anyway, will let you know how it goes in six weeks time...
Pol