VBACers support thread

[Coldest]

I know there are a multitude of threads on this but was hoping for a thread where is anyone is at the same boat as me.

Had an EMCS with my first at full dilatation and after 12 hours of labour due to fetal distress but I feel that care was really mismanaged and I probably could have b even birth vaginally if I had been allowed off the bed but for reasons which the midwife couldn't justify later I was on ctg and not allowed off the bed. The resulting section was very difficult to recover from but 2 years later I feel fully recovered. Am 25 weeks now.

After all my research I have hired a doula this time and hoping for a VBAC but after the consultant appointment yesterday I am feeling quite wobbly. Feeling like an ELCS would be better. Also I was talking to friends and colleagues who say that they still feel quite tatterted vaginally after y even birth quite a few years ago while feel completely recovered ROM my section. So maybe a section wouldn't be so bad.

Anyway sorry for the long intro but I am sure I will oscillate from VBAC to ELCS throughout this pregnancy so would appreciate to chat with those in a similar situation.

and I should say that there hasn't really been much discussion about ELCS, so i'm assuming that they would want to try to induce me first, rather than booking an ELCS if I go over.

I've just been pointed towards the rcog guidelines which suggest an appointment at 41+0 to see how things are looking, and then again at 40+10 either for elcs or waiting for labour of start if that's looking likely.

www.rcog.org.uk/globalassets/documents/guidelines/gtg_45.pdf

My dates are a little later than the scan dates too basking, so I'm really reluctant to call it a day too soon when that might make me slightly earlier.

I had my ELCS booked for 41 weeks if I hadnt gone into labour by then.

Also I have recovered really well. Finished the antibiotics and feel completely normal. Amazing at 2 weeks post birth I can do everything . Am so so glad I took the plunge with a VBAC!

Thanks to everyone on this thread for sharing your support and positive stories

Just wanted to mention my dates were earlier than the scan dates so I was happy with an ELCS at 41 weeks. By my dates I would have been 40+13 then

Well, I'm feeling a bit sorry for myself today and want a bit of a rant!!! After nearly 38 weeks of hoping and planning for a VBAC, we found out yesterday that the baby is lying transverse. I'm a bit gutted really, I wanted to at least have the chance to try for a VBAC and now its looking like a planned section at 39 weeks.

I'm going to have an ECV some time this week to see if we can turn it, but I think it has been transverse all along, so I don't like the chances. Plus it is measuring large - I had gone for a growth scan which is how we found out about it being transverse. And they've estimated a large head circumference. So, all in all, not looking very hopeful, although I know how inaccurate growth scans can be.

And to top it all off, I ended up having an argument with my DM, who has made no secret of her opinion all through this pregnancy that I should go for an ELCS instead. So rather than commiserating with me and recognising that I'm upset about the prospect of a CS, she is basically saying "I told you so" which is total unhelpful.

and breathe....

oh no! I feel terrible for you baskingtrout It must be so disappointing after everything you've planned and thought about. Just try to remember that the most important thing is to get baby here safely and that's what you are doing whether you end up with a vbac or a Cs. Your doing great and your doing the right things by your baby and the birth will be amazing no matter how it goes as it's your little ones journey into the world and every journey is different and magical in its own way!

How are things going baskingtrout? That must be so frustrating so late in the game. However your baby arrives I hope he or she is safely in your arms very soon.

I love this thread and love reading all the positive vbac stories! I hope this thread will keep on going and more successful vbackers will share their stories here.

Sorry it's taken me so long to reply!

DS was born on 9 August, weighing a very normal 8lb 7oz.

To cut a (very) long story short, the baby went into a completely unstable lie. He was moving between transverse, breech and head down constantly and so I was admitted to the ante-natal ward at 38+4. I had gone in to be checked over and they wouldn't let me leave, which wasn't ideal seeing as we only have 1 car, which I had driven to the hospital and it had DD's pram in it and she was at nursery! DH had a mad afternoon trying to get to the hospital to get the car...

I was in hospital for DD's 2nd birthday, but she didn't seem to mind and was spoiled rotten by all her grandparents. The elcs was scheduled for 39+1, which was the first day they would do it. But then baby decided to go head down! So the doctors said if he was still head down 24 hours later, they would break my waters so I could try for a vbac.

So at 39+2 DS is still head down when they examine me. So we go straight off to theatre to break my waters. By the time we get there, he had gone oblique. So vbac was immediately out of the window. They start the elcs and by the time they had made the incision, he had gone breech! Then as they tried to get him out, he flipped over to transverse, stuck one leg down to my cervix and put the other one up by his head and got stuck. He was literally dragged out by his foot....

It was actually a more difficult delivery than my emcs with DD, and I ended up having a big PPH afterwards.

I'm sorry this wasn't a more positive outcome but it was definitely the right method of delivery. Given how unstable he was, I don't think there was really any chance of him being born safely any other way. I'm really glad I tried though and I'm very grateful to the hospital for understanding that I wanted to give myself every chance I could. I think they knew it was always going to end in an elcs but they let me delay it and try for a vbac, which has given me peace of mind.

But I've recovered much better this time, presumably because I didn't labour, and DS is 3 weeks old and we are both doing really well.

Best of luck to everyone xx

Gosh sorry to hear it was such a difficult delivery baskingtrout and that you didn't get to have a VBAC in the end. Certainly does seem like ELCS was the only way to go though, and it's good to hear you are having a better recovery!

Congrats on the birth of DS!

Congratulations on the arrival of DS basking trout!

I haven't posted on this thread for ages but wanted to share my positive and easy VBAC story from 2 weeks ago - I couldn't have imagined a birth more different from DS's. Waters broke at 35+1, went in for monitoring but no other signs of labour. 24 hours after waters went I had a sub-1-hour labour... felt a few contractions and thought I was in early labour, midwife examined me and found I was fully dilated, we moved super speedily off ante natal to delivery suite and DD was born 25 mins later, I just had paracetamol and a bit of gas and air when pushing. I did then have to go to theatre for a retained placenta and 2nd degree tear, but the birth itself was great and I got immediate skin to skin which I'd missed out on with DS (general anaesthetic. I'd assumed I wouldn't labour particularly quickly as I only got to 5 cm with DS, but it just goes to show that every birth is different and totally unpredictable!