Anyone else considering a VBAC at home?

[flimflammum]

I'm currently 25 weeks pg and know I want to go for a VBAC, but just now considering going for it at home. Last time (2 years ago) went 17 days overdue, was induced (gel only, then labour started hard and fast), then emergency CS for foetal distress after getting to 9cm.

Apparently if I go to hospital they'll want me to go in as soon as labour starts and be continually monitored . When I told my (lovely) community midwife today I was thinking of getting an indedpendent mw as the one I had last time was pretty useless, she asked if I'd thought about a home birth with her team - she was quite encouraging. I know there are risks involved (I'm 20mins from the hospital), but the idea appeals to me a lot. Maybe then I'd get to have a positive experience, spend at least some of the time in a pool, etc.

Anyone else in similar position? Or have you had a home VBAC in the past and have any advice?

ooooh ! great that your community midwife is supportive!

DaisyMoo has had a home birth after 2 c.s and Morocco has had a home birth after 1 c.s, IIRC

Yep, I had a homebirth after two cesareans and it went very well. I was on a doula course last week with Michel Odent and he said it was quite possible that because women tend to labour better and more efficiently at home it may actually reduce the risk of uterine rupture compared to a VBAC in hospital Obviously that is theoretical and there has never been any research on HBACs, but it is worth considering IMO.

oh, you did your course !! yay !! would love to hear all about it..you are going to be, well, you are already, a wonderful doula xxx

It was really really good! We will definitely have to have a chat about it soon.

Just need to sort my website out and get some clients - if anyone wants a trainee (so cheap!) doula in Cambridge/Suffolk/Essex then I would be delighted to offer!

i know of a doula who i think has assisted in VBACs at home.

Thanks for your messages - good to know of other sucess stories. Also v. interesting to hear Michel Odent's comment.

Here's hoping!

Well I had a VBAC in hospital 2 years ago and ended up with CFM which was followed by episiotomey and forceps so next time I plan to stay at home!!

I have recently done my Doula training and I've two clients due, in August (a VBA3C, possibly HBA3C) and October (a HBAC)!

If I were you I'd go for it!!!!

Bring on the HBAC!!!

And I assume that you'd be saying "no' to induction this time!

I had a home birth after Caesarean. It was awesome! I remember having strong contractions while sitting on the downstairs loo, bracing arms and one leg against the walls, and thinking 'why the hell did the builders put a door just there?' because I couldn't push against the doorway with the other leg, and then thinking 'but at least I'm doing this here and not in a hospital'. Everything was familiar, it was my territory, and I could just let go and let my body do what it had to. I even dozed between contractions, I was that relaxed. I also had a doula though who acted as a kind of watchdog, keeping everybody away from me so I could just get through dilation on my own. Well worth the money. Even more so than the pool, IMO.