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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

Home vbac after previous emcs...?

18 replies

ovumahead · 29/03/2015 10:48

Hi everyone

Just wondering if anyone has had a home vbac after a previous emcs? I had my son 7 years ago, emcs after very long painful back to back labour. Very poorly supported by midwife and husband during labour, it was pretty traumatic all round. Very keen not to repeat, would love a home birth, but aware of risks from having had a previous section. Would love to hear from anyone who has managed to do this, or people that tried and it didn't work out - want to be as informed as possible! Am only 16 weeks atm so plenty of time to plan...

OP posts:

mamaebun · 31/03/2015 12:21

There are so many threads on here about home births, I haven't tried it and am not sure I will because I have complications in pregnancy-OC. But i have a friend who had a successful home birth and used a Doula, due to my traumatic first birth experience with an unhelpful partner, i decided to hire a doula as my birth partner this time around.
Goodluck

Original poster

ovumahead · 31/03/2015 18:13

Thanks for your reply! I too have hired a doula. But due to previous emergency cesarean, I fall into a high risk category for home birth... Just trying to reach people who've done it anyway!

My friend has OC - I feel for you. It's driving her mad and also making her anxious. I hope you're being well looked after.

OP posts:

CommanderShepard · 01/04/2015 14:46

Doula is definitely a good idea and if you google HBAC there are lots of good stories, especially advice on how to advocate for yourself and respond to HCPs telling you you're putting yourself at terrible risk/using emotional blackmail. Try the Positive Birth Group - they should be very helpful.

And good luck! I'm looking at a VBAC too though not an HBAC as I'm highly likely to get pre-eclampsia again and really I feel like I need to be monitored. It's not the VBAC bit I'm so bothered about; it's the 'oh hey you have a condition that kills people' part.

Original poster

ovumahead · 01/04/2015 19:52

Thanks Commander! Will definitely look at that site. Definitely need to prepare for when I have to have this conversation with a consultant and the top Don midwife (I know that's not the proper name but my pregnobrain says it is!). Good luck with your VBAC. When is your baby due?

OP posts:

Pandasandmonkeys · 01/04/2015 20:00

Hi, I had a great home vbac 4 months ago. I had all the expected 'you're putting your lives at risk..." From the hcps. But I did my research, hired and independent midwife (who 100% supported my choice to deliver at home) and did it any way.
I think it's very important that you fully understand all the risks as they apply to you. Feel free to message me if you have any questions x

Original poster

ovumahead · 01/04/2015 21:03

Thank you! I'm sure I'll have more questions as I go. I'm lucky in that my NHS midwife is very supportive and I've been accepted by the home birth team for care during my pregnancy. They seem confident despite the risks, which is reassuring. Although she has told me that others in the service might try to put me off! We'll see... Lots more research and thinking to do. But I know hospitals freak me out and I don't think I could labour in one again. I know it sounds odd, but if I had a hospital birth I'd rather opt for an elective cesarean than vbac in a hospital. One extreme to the other!

OP posts:

Nomorethongs · 01/04/2015 21:29

Fishing for positive second birth stories please!...

I've read lots of wonderful other threads about second births being better than first, I'm aware not all are but as I face labour any day I'd really appreciate any other experiences about second births being quicker and easier. My first birth was induction, epidural, episiotomy, forceps and retained placenta, aiming for water birth with second. We thought labour was starting on Sunday but false alarm, kind of freaked me out.

Nomorethongs · 01/04/2015 21:30

Sorry, put in wrong place!!!

CommanderShepard · 02/04/2015 08:17

No problem! I get what you mean about if you have to be in hospital you'd rather have an ELCS. It's great that you have the support of the home birth team and your midwife. If your local NCT branch has a home birth group it'd be well worth going along (you don't have to be an NCT member to go).

I'm due in September - I think we're due around the same time :)

Original poster

ovumahead · 02/04/2015 08:20

Yes I'm due in mid September :-) somewhere around 12th. Will definitely look into nct groups too, thank you.

OP posts:

ThatBloodyWoman · 02/04/2015 08:26

I wish I'd done my research and opted for a home vbac after emcs.
Good luck xxc

ThatBloodyWoman · 02/04/2015 08:30

I think the slowdown of contractions when I got into a hospital setting,the too early digital examination after my waters broke,and the fact I'd taken up a hospital bed for 'too long' led to a much unwanted and much pressured c section,which to my disgust was classed as elective.
I was angry for a long time.

missmakesstuff · 02/04/2015 08:40

I'm planning a home birth vbac, it wasn't a difficult decision as I'm looking at it as giving me the chance to stay at home for as long as I can, I can go in whenever I'm not feeling right about it.
I have a Doula and did a hypnobirthing course, both quite pricey but for us, worth it. I had to see the supervisor of midwives to discuss plans, but it was easily done and only met with slight opposition.
mind you, I say I'm planning a homebirth, have no ideas what ds is planning, he's still cooking away, I'm fed up...(very overdue...)

Good luck! There's a homebirth group on fb and there's a thread in antenatal clubs with a few of us there, lots of good info and hopefully stories.

Original poster

ovumahead · 02/04/2015 14:57

Oh wow miss you're due sooooooooooooooon! Good luck! Please let me know how you get on. Very reassuring that you were met with minimal resistance by the head of midwives - fingers crossed mine is the same.

thatbloodywoman your treatment during labour sounds absolutely horrific. So traumatising. I was deeply traumatised by my first birth / emcs and never ever want to go through anything like that again if I can help it! Are you having another baby?
I've got a doula and am investigating hypnobirthing courses too, which my doula has said she'll attend with me.

OP posts:

missmakesstuff · 08/04/2015 23:01

OP, just to update, got my vbac at home and it was fab! Baby boy arrived on good Friday. Our doula was amazing. I really relied on her to keep me going with the breathing, I used the hypno techniques and 4 paracetamol, that was it, 11 hrs start of Labour to him being born, it was my first labour too and I really was scared of what to expect but it was fine and so much better for being at home.
Good luck!

Original poster

ovumahead · 08/04/2015 23:05

Oh wow! And congratulations! Amazing news and thanks for sharing!

OP posts:

ThatBloodyWoman · 09/04/2015 08:14

miss that is fantastic news! Congratulations!!!

ovu - no more babies for me.That was my last chance saloon for a vaginal birth.But I'm over it -life moves on and I have my lovely dc's so I'm a very lucky woman.

emsyj · 12/04/2015 14:39

I had a hbac following a crash section with my first baby. I used the NHS funded One to One Midwives service and was freely offered a home birth - it was never suggested to me that I should be treated as high risk. I had a great second birth - reasonably quick (6 hours beginning to end), no internal examinations, I used hypnobirthing throughout (courses provided free of charge through One to One), no directed pushing and no tears/stitches. The only thing that wasn't 'textbook perfect' was that my placenta didn't come out naturally and I ended up having the injection on the midwife's advice.

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