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Childbirth

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

Original poster

Vbac support thread

151 replies

Fabulosososo · 22/09/2016 11:47

Anyone else who's having a vbac want to share info, stats, tips, ideas, feelings about it all? Or even just complain, rant, celebrate, share news & updates? It might be nice if there's a few of us out there going through the same thing. I don't know anyone in real life who's had a vbac at all!

Obviously if you've had a vbac and fancy posting stories, tips and encouragement, that would be amazing too!

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Original poster
Fabulosososo · 22/09/2016 11:53

A bit of info about my progress so far (which isn't much really!). I'm due in Feb thinking I will go for vbac although still open to the idea of cs as previous cs was a good experience. I've been told vbac is safer so that's the main reason for picking it. I would decline forceps though if it got to that stage in labour and go straight for cs. That's based on stories I've heard and watching friends take far longer to recover from forceps than I did from cs. Otherwise we are still investigating the options. Will probably get a doula. So need to start looking into them. I've also started looking at birth options and finding the info very conflicting. Hospital is considered safest but our local one has a very poor vbac success rate, birth centre (attached to hospital) looks okay, hbac seems to have highest success rate but obviously very risky if there's an emergency. Not sure how we r meant to pick with all the conflicting info! Hoping sharing on here will help and maybe someone will have found info that I've not seen yet!

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Sparrowlegs248 · 22/09/2016 18:49

Interested to see people's opinions. Also due in Feb, not at all sure which way to go. Haven't seem anyone to discuss yet though a colleague in the same situation has. Apparently there's a 75% success rate which is higher than I thought. I know you can't predict these things bit I would be unhappy if I ended up with an emcs anyway!

Original poster
Fabulosososo · 22/09/2016 21:08

Same due dates! That's exciting! Yes I heard 75% too. Which isn't bad odds really. My local hospital only has a 60% success rate tho. Saw it on the 'which birth choices' website. I'm really disappointed with that so considering other hospitals and birth centre etc.

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Coldest · 22/09/2016 23:44

Hi I started a similar thread a few months ago. Dd2 is a VBAC baby. I did so much research. The hospital DD1 was born at was so so crap. I chose a hospital a bit far from me but was recommended by my doula for they had a lovely midwifery led unit.

I was mentally prepared for a c sec again. I even had it booked for 40+1 weeks. As it was DD was born within 2 hrs from the first contraction. I found it a very good experience because I totally went with what my body was telling me and what I had researched. The midwives tried desperately to get me on my back but I absolutely refused and DD was born with me on my knees.

I would highly recommend a doula as I noonger trust the hospital and I needed someone on my side at the birth. Best of luck

Coldest · 22/09/2016 23:49

I must admit the VBAC itself was very intense and hard as I didn't have any pain relief not even gas and air and the afterbirth was terrible but recovery was much better

Original poster
Fabulosososo · 23/09/2016 09:03

Thanks for sharing your story coldest! Did u birth in the midwife-led unit?

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Sparrowlegs248 · 23/09/2016 12:43

Thanks also Coldest. I looked into a Douglas last time bit there are Noneelocally. Also only one hospital, others are over an hour away so really not keen. However, my local hospital have a brand new midwife led unit. Though I am currently shared care so don't know if I'll be allowed to access it.

Coldest · 23/09/2016 23:39

Fabulososo no I didnt. As it was I barely made it to hospital. Was already pushing in the car and since the labour was was nearest that is where I went. Didnt have such a good experience with the midwives but my doula was invaluable as I found the midwife a bit hostile

Coldest · 23/09/2016 23:41

I just realised I use "as it was" quite a lot. Blush

Dd was born within half an hour of me being in hospital

Coldest · 23/09/2016 23:41

And labour ward was nearest not labour was was

Mozismyhero · 23/09/2016 23:48

I had vbac with second DS. It was such a difference to my first labour and I would have done it again in a heartbeat. Whole thing, from twinges to holding him, was 6 hours. Had gas and air and that's it. Felt like my body dos its job this time iyswim. For me it was a really positive experience and totally different. I was so nervous and scared that I would end up having a c again that I almost elected but so glad I didn't.

The thing that made the difference for me was that I really focuses on staying calm and breathing. I also stayed upright for much longer.

Good luck.

Pandabear123 · 26/09/2016 16:23

I am also due Feb and want a vbac. I had a failed induction with my first and was in hospital 4 days in total. I don't want to be induced or have a c section this time, I want to try and have a natural birth. I am scared they will pressure me into one or the other... also, how do you find out about success rates? To be honest, there is only 1 hospital remotely near me so I won't have any option even if I do know stats!

Original poster
Fabulosososo · 26/09/2016 18:56

Here is where you can get vbac stats on your local hospital. Search for your hospital and then scroll down on their page and click on 'vaginal birth after caesarean' it shows the % who had another cs. If your local hospital doesn't have a good success rates it's worth asking if the birth centre or home birth team or another hospital would allow you to go there. In my area a previous csection doesn't exclude u from any of those options.

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Original poster
Fabulosososo · 26/09/2016 18:57

Whoops! Here's the link www.which.co.uk/birth-choice/

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Original poster
Fabulosososo · 26/09/2016 19:11

This article is about the factors that make you more likely to have a vbac www.fitpregnancy.com/pregnancy/labor-delivery/are-you-ideal-candidate-vbac

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Pandabear123 · 26/09/2016 20:09

Thanks for that, mine seems ok about 10% better than uk average then. Another question, are people considering a water birth? I wanted one originally and want to try again now, but I read somewhere that they might not pick up on scar rupture as quickly if in a pool. Would that out anyone off as chance of rupture is 0.5% I believe...

Original poster
Fabulosososo · 27/09/2016 08:32

I think you can't have continuous monitoring in the pool in most hospitals so the hospital policy might not allow vbac water birth. If they will allow it I would do it so long as they monitor the heartbeat no less than every 15 mins and they listen carefully to any instincts or weird feelings I have. I'm not a midwife tho this is just my personal feelings about it

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Honeybee79 · 27/09/2016 14:17

Due on 1 Dec and not made up my mind yet so marking my place! Consultant is letting me wait another month so they can assess size and position of baby to help me decide - both were a factor with DS (emcs)

Sparrowlegs248 · 27/09/2016 21:28

Hmmm 54% successful with vbac at my local hospital. Not a convincing statistic, especially given the other factors (no prev vb, only just 18 months between birth etc)

Original poster
Fabulosososo · 27/09/2016 22:44

Welcome honeybee. Hope you get the info u need to make a decision. Let us know how you get on!

NottaLotta my local hospital has a similar success rate. I'm not willing to do it again for only a 50-50 chance. I'm meant to have an appointment with a specialist at some stage so I'm going to ask them about that stay maybe there's an explanation.

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ThornyBird · 27/09/2016 22:54

I had 3 vbacs after an ELCS for breech presentation with dc1. Youngest is now 7 so obviously all a while ago but CS scar caused me no issues.

Was monitored with dc2 (static, on bed, not what I would have chosen) and dc4 (mobile as I refused to stay on the bed).

Dc3 was too quick for anybody to do anything other than whip my trousers/knickers off and catch her - I didn't even make it to the bed Blush

I didn't want/ask for water births so that was never an issue. Our (then) local hospital had a full maternity unit and was 20mins nearer than midwife unit. I was under consultant care anyway for all 3.

All 4 of my births were very positive experiences. I would have happily had an ELCS again if needed but equally my VBACs were problem free (apart from tearing).

ohanami · 28/09/2016 08:40

I had a successful vbac 3 weeks ago. I didn't go into labour in my first pregnancy so it was a complete unknown! I was worried about being time limited in the different stages of labour, but in the end arrived at hospital in transition and dc2 was born about 2 hours later. My plan (which assumed I'd, you know, labour in hospital Grin) included using one of the "home from home" rooms on labour ward, and a waterbirth with remote telemetry if the pool was available (it wasn't) - this was in agreement with the doctors. In the end my priority was to get into a room - any room - close the door behind me, then scream my head off. I'd planned to be active and wasn't under any circumstances going to be strapped to a monitor on a bed, but by the time I got there it hurt so much I didn't want to move. I think I was monitored, but it didn't stop me moving as necessary (which wasn't much) and the midwife was fantastic at helping me to get into positions to help the baby out. My hospital ran a birth options clinic to run through the pros and cons, and to discuss what was "allowed"/encouraged on labour ward.

Original poster
Fabulosososo · 30/09/2016 09:12

I'm loving all these vbac stories! So good to hear.

I found this link really useful about your chances of successful vbac based on previous history. It's very factual www.homebirth.org.uk/vbchances.htm

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Original poster
Fabulosososo · 10/10/2016 08:08

For anyone needing vbac encouragement

Vbac support thread
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Original poster
Fabulosososo · 10/10/2016 08:12

Also some tips for successful vbac for those who choose that route redandhoney.com/7-ways-increase-chances-successful-vbac/

Not much happening here not had any appointments for a few weeks so it's nice and relaxed. Anyone else got any news?

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