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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Did you have a VBAc and wish you'd gone for another section?

45 replies

Holymoly321 · 26/04/2007 14:20

Had first apt with consultant today - am only 12 wks. DS was c-section due to being breech. Have not made any decision yet as to how to have this baby, but was quite surprised when consultant was very pro section. Just wondered if anyone had gone vbac route and wished they'd had another section instead. I'm not an earth mother who thinks natural birth is the only way - for me, the birth is just one day out of a whole lifetime with the baby, so that is not a consideration for me personally. Just want to know about the physical side of things really.

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hex · 05/05/2007 22:31

Hi Smiling,
I had a VBAC with dd2 and had to be induced (2 weeks late). I have to say it was great and I really enjoyed it. It was no classic birth (lots of blood, very very quick; foley catheter initially to start me off) but it meant:

a) I was out the next day
b) I could drive
c) I was just more physically able and the vaginal grazes, etc healed after about a week

I was no earth mother either but am really glad I gave it a go. It was one of the best experiences of my life and I actually enjoyed it (to my complete and utter amazement). Sure, it was hard work, but not as painful as I thought it was going to be (though everyone's different).

mummydoit · 06/05/2007 08:54

I had a c-section first time round as DS1 was breech. It was very straightforward, no complications and I heal quickly so not too much of an ordeal. I went for a VBAC with DS2 and am really glad I did. Even though I recovered quickly from the c-section, the recovery from a normal birth was much, much quicker. I could drive straightaway and lift DS1. If I had a third, I'd go VBAC again, definitely.

Sumsey · 06/05/2007 17:11

hello. i am actually 39 weeks today. my first preg resulted in an emergency c.s (which terrified me) have seen my consultant at regular intervals and i have decided to have a trial VBAC (even though i am equally terrified at thought of this) just wanted to thank you all on your opinions and all the helpful pages that have been posted, because one thing i can say for sure is..as my pregnancy has progressed i have felt that the delivery i have been aiming for(vaginal) has slowly been slipping away from me...where as now i slowly beginning to feel less negative about the choice i have made.

lulumama · 06/05/2007 17:14

that is really really great sumsey !! hope that this birth experience is a positive one for you

Sumsey · 06/05/2007 17:18

me too lulumama. have felt from many of my friends that ive been a bit soft in the head with my decision to opt for a VBAC, however my little boy is 2(a very active handful) and even though i recovered quickly after my c.s i know it would be hard to recover with my monster running around! (just this morning he broke my DVD player whilst i was flaked out on the couch)

lulumama · 06/05/2007 17:22

i know what you mean

someone , when i was planning my VBAC, advised me to have an elective c,s, because then you can plan everything and get your hair done before you go in and that i should ask to be sterilsied because i don;t cope well with having babies ! i had PND, caused by the trauma of my first emergency c,s

glad to say my VBAc was a wonderful experience, and no PND followed!

Sumsey · 06/05/2007 17:30

yup thats the kind of (positive ) stuff im continuously hearing.

Sumsey · 06/05/2007 17:32

(sorry) meant about having hair done beofre etc...always good to hear about positive VBACs

lulumama · 06/05/2007 17:33

do you believe you can do it? if so , then you are half way there, having confidence in your own body is key

also, stay at home as long as you can manage, as the less time you are in hospital, the less chance for intervention and clock watching...

lulumama · 06/05/2007 17:35

LOL ! i knew what you meant

for me, even if i had ended up with another c.s, then at least i would have known that i had tried everything to achieve a VBAC and would not be thinking , 'if only.....'

also, the moment DD was born, was simply the best moment of my life, that feeling of having pushed her out, and her being delivered onto my tummy, straight into my arms was indescribable bliss!

yogimum · 06/05/2007 17:46

I'd like to think I could have a vaginal birth if I decided to have another baby but I chose an elective ceserean on the day because if it resulted in an emergency they could have cut my fibroids which were as big oranges and I may have had to have an hysterectomy. I am a bit of an earth mother, note the name! I would have preferred a quicker recovery and the experience to be honest!

Sumsey · 06/05/2007 17:51

i think that is the main reason.. i want to at least try for a VBAC. so that if things do turn out bad i have tried for the delivery i wanted...had a lot of issues with my c.s delivery but worked through most

Sumsey · 06/05/2007 17:53

my DH has been very positive and supportive throughout this pregnancy which has also been a massive help.

Original poster

Holymoly321 · 06/05/2007 18:49

Sumsey - best of luck with the VBAc - please please do come back and let us know how it went (esp as you will have recovered SO much quicker!) I am still in two minds as to which way to go.... if only I could forsee the future and see if a vaginal birth would be the best option for me personally or not! One min I think, yeah, VBAC is the best way, I reckon I could be quite calm and handle it, then on the other I think, s**t, what if I tear completely? Have to have episiotomy? HAve to have emergency CS because baby is too big (DS was 8lbs 12 - so have massive fear of this baby being even BIGGER!!). OOOh I just don't know!!!

OP posts:

Bibis · 06/05/2007 19:01

I have had two sections and then two VBA2Cs, there is no doubt in my mind that the vaginal births were better both for me and my babies.

regarding pelvic floor, mine is intact and I can enjoy trampolining without a problem and this is after pushing out a 10lb 12oz baby!!

I think that my vaginal deliveries were so positive because I found a consultant who agreed to me having an active labour and not having to be permanently monitored. If you are going to go down the VBAC route then make sure you know your rights, labour is something that works better if you are active (if you want and are physically able to). The reason my first VBAC attempt failed was my innocence in the belief that the medical staff would do everything in their power to help me achieve it as opposed to shoving me on a monitor and leaving me for hours at a time.............

In my (very) humble opinion I would advise you to go for a VBAC, I am not an earth mother just someone who has experienced a whole range of types of birth and likes to get on her soapbox when their is mention of VBAC versus section

lulumama · 06/05/2007 20:47

wanting to deliver a baby vaginally, does not mean you are a lentil weavery hippy earth mother ....wanting to give birth , to experience, the blood , sweat and tears of labour is a normal desire for a woman...women were designed to give birth , we have lost confidence in the natural process of birth , as modern obstetrics has intervened more and more, and put time limits and protocols in place over every labour.

yogimum · 06/05/2007 21:40

i would have loved to experience natural birth. After my c-section I felt very envious of all the mums using the birthing pool which was in my original plan.

lulumama · 06/05/2007 21:42

links on here for good birth trauma support, for those who might need it

canmummy · 08/05/2007 16:11

I had an elective section with my 1st for breech presentation and was disappointed with that but felt it was the right decision. In my 2nd pregnancy my consultant gave me the choice of vbac or 2nd section and I chose vbac. I have to say it didn't go at all to plan and after 2 days on the labour ward was taken for an emergency c-section. In my heart of hearts I do not regret attempting a vbac as I needed to know that I'd tried and felt less disappointed in the fact I ended up with another section. I've just had my 3rd and that was by elective section (was given no choice this time round) and I think I can say that was the best birth of all, calm and relaxed and I'd had my hair done 3 days before

alicet · 08/05/2007 16:33

Hi all, POsted a similar post a few months back and reading this recognise a lot of your names.... Thanks for all the helpufl advice and interesting debate! Didn't respond until today on that thread as I tipped my sons porridge into my old laptop and have only just got round to replacing it - I wasn't ignoring you all honest!

Anyway, I am now 18 weeks pregnant and having a similar dilemma. My son was born following a fairly rapid labour where I got to 9cm fairly quickly but he was becoming increasingly distressed and in the end needed an emergancy section. He was fine afterwards and it was a very positive experience for me as although it wasn't the waterbirth I had hoped for I felt in control and well informed all the way through. And I have never felt that my section was any less of a real birth or that I have missed out.

The big plus for a vbac as far as I can see is being able to lift my son up afterwards. However I am worried I will beat myself up of I try for a vbac and fail. I have seen a consultant (who was very clear with all the pros and cons and has left it entirely up to me) who has said I have an 80% chance of a successful vbac. But I think I will be gutted to end up with another emergency section even though the first was a positive experience. The risks of an emergancy section are significantly greater than those associated with an elective section and I just think I would feel annoyed that I had taken on those increased risks. And I have to accept all the possible outcomes of whatever choice I make as both options have pros and cons. Just think if I can't get to a place in my head where I can accept this I would probably be better going for an elective section....

Sorry for the rant - any thoughts?

Good luck too to the rest of you having the same dilemma and those who have already decided.

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