VBAC - possible after 2 C-Sections?

[youpeskykids]

Is it possible to have a vaginal birth after having had 1 emergency c-section and 1 elective c-section (3.5 years apart)? Anyone any experience of this?

It is possible, and there are lots of mumsnetters who have done it who will no doubt be on here soon to tell you all about it!

Oooohhh just seen this.

Yes Yes Yes . I did exactly that and am proud mum to two VBA2C babies!!

Go for it, although it will take a bit of a battle, I changed gps (within the surgery) and hospitals but to come out the same day as the birth and to not have ptsd was worth every inch of the fight.
[gri n]!

Most definitely, it is, depending on reasons for CS. And it is even possible to have a HWBA2C, and I know someone who had a VBA3C.

I am a VBACtivist and there are quite a few other MNers just as passionate about VBAC.

You will need to educate yourself about normal birth, get strong in spirit and WANT it more than anything because unfortunately it is highly likely that you will have to fight for it.

I have a word.doc of VITAL LINKS which I could send to you if you want.... (actually I've just checked, if you google 'vital links & tips' you should come across the location where I have them posted)

Thank you Bibis - my DS2 is only 11 weeks old, but do want a 3rd eventually. First CSection was emergency, 2nd was elective. Recovery after 2nd C-Section took much longer than 1st, had a few post op problems, felt awful when I got home - recovering with a new baby and a 3.5 year old very difficult. Poor DH didn't know who needed looking after most!

Definitely would not want to go through this again, so really pleased to know that it is possible, with perseverance! Thanks for your posts.

What an interesting thread. After 2 c sections both emergency thoughts of a natural delivery have gone out of my head. But somewhere in the back of my mind is the glimmer that I might one day do it./
I was particularly determined 2nd time though and was faced with constant 'NO's!! It was really hard but I did try to go for it but after 8 hours had not made enough progress so had another section.
Anyway gives me something to think about

DaisyMoo had a home birth after 2 c.s

there is a yahoo VBAc group and the caesarean. org site

i would look at having a doula to support you if you are going for a VBAC

Sorry to hijack your thread youpeskykids - just wondering if any of you successful VBAC-ers could answer my question?

I keep hearing that VBACs are often successful or not based on 'the reasons you had a c-section in the first place'. What are the favourable / unfavourable reasons? I had a c-section because of 'failure to progress' - I was barely 40 +5 when they insisted on inducing. The prostaglandin pessaries didn't work and after 5 days lying on my back being induced / monitored, they basically told me I would be endangering my baby if I didn't elect for a c-section. In hindsight, I wish I had refused induction, stayed at home, kept active and waited to see what nature intended to happen. Does anyone have any advice on what my options would be for future births? We are currently ttc.

angel

i had a c,s for failure to progress after a failed induction at 39 +1

like you ,i was on my back, on a bed and didn;t move

is it any wonder i didn;t progress?

diamorphine and an epidural didn;t help either

being immobile and inactive when in labour is not A Good Thing.

I second what Loopy has said...waiting to go into labour spontaneously, be it at 40 weeks, or 41 or 42 is the best chance of having a VBAC. or being induced with a very high bishops score.....

having a doula can help , with keeping you supported and listened to before and during the labour and birth...

also, educating yourself before the birth. knowing you cannot be forced to be induced, or monitored continously, and having the knowledge of how labour works, so that you know what will work better for you is also a big help

Thanks for your replies xxx

I've been after a thread just like this (I have posted a similar question on pregnancy thanks to those who pointed me in this direction big smile).

When you say 'you have to fight' do you have to literally absolutely insist on a vaginal birth, I'm one of these that is easily talked out of things, but I really want to have a VBA2C, as I may want to have more children in the future and if I have a 3rd section I can see it being even harder to convince them I want a VBAC.

I dont want to fall out with the midwives/medical team.

In my case, yes, I did have to absolutely insist on a vaginal birth as I was initially told I 'wouldn't be allowed' which is rubbish - nobody can force you to have a cesarean! I know what you mean about not falling out with the midwives/medics - I (used to) have a need to get approval from authority figures in this kind of situation, but then I realised that this was my baby, my body and my decision and I was the one who had to live with what I decided in a way that the midwives and doctors didn't!

If you're worried about being listened to and not being railroaded into a decision then getting a doula and asking her to come with you to hospital appointments would probably be really helpful.

A relative trying to cheer me up after mine told me about someone they knew who had:

1. cs for twins
2. cs at end of 8th month for baby failing to develop
3. she didn't want another cs but doctor refused to listen so she found another docter and had a vba2c 4-6 all vb
4. she was expecting twins again so a cs and apparently after that the rest were cs. I never quite worked out how many kids she had but definitely proof that if you have a cs you don't have to limit the amount of kids you have!!!!!

Shinyshoes, I second what Daisymoo said. Having someone else not emotionally involved can be invaluable! I have a VBA3C client due within the next 2 to 4 weeks and have had to call the Head of Midwifery on her behalf to get them to take her seriously. And they have! They have listened to her, given her the usual 'but you or your baby could die' scare tactics but ultimately agreed to care for her during her labour (Like they HAVE to anyway!). She asked me to make that first phone call on her behalf, and I went with her and dh to appts, it's so important for a VBAC to feel that someone is on your side!

If I had not been supporting my VBA3Cer she would have had a CS last Wednesday which she was dreading! She now knows that she will labour and has the very best chance of a VB and I will make sure that if a CS is genuinely required then it will be an empowering experience for her.

I am hoping you're all right!! Having just found out I am 6 weeks pregnant and not yet having seen any health professionals.
My midwife and consultant after my second child said I would probably be able to have a natural birth if I got pregnant again, but I have now moved towns, so am under different doctors/hospitals etc but am desperate to have a VBA2C.
My dd was born prem after a placental abruption, therefore emergency section and my son was elective as I was told I HAD to have another section.

Lorayn, the thing you might want to check is where the incision was made with your first cesarean. Sometimes with CS for premature births the lower segment of the uterus isn't sufficiently devloped to do an incision so they have to do one higher up in the uterus. These kinds of incision are more likely to rupture than transverse ones in the lower segment. What gestation was your baby when your first CS was done?

Thats the problem, my dd was born at 32+2 weeks, and they did an exploratory op the first time round, so my cut was vertical instead of horizontal, but this was seven years ago.