VBAC Vs ELCS - can I have your pros and cons please?

[TwittleBee]

Hello,

I had my son via EMCS in June this year and nearly 4 months later we found out we were expecting again.

I know it is very early to start thinking this, yet to even meet my consultant (that is another 4 weeks away), but I cant get the thought of birth out of my mind.

Without going crazy on details, I had a very horrendous first birthing experience with my first son (2 years ago) which ended in assisted delivery and us both having sepsis. I suffered with PND and PTSD.

With my second son, despite being an EMCS it was very calm and I havent any negative thoughts about the actual birth. My milk came in super easily and I was up and walking 6 hours after the surgery - I recovered very well even with the allergic reaction I had to the dressing. But there was then complications with my son that led to his death 5 days later.

From the minimal research I have done appears to point that statistically a VBAC would be better for this baby but a ELCS might be better for me... I feel so torn and hoping for some pros and cons of both now so I can start thinking in more detail ahead of my consultant appointment.

Actually just found this:

journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1002913#abstract0

Which I think means I might ask for an ELCS

Sorry for your loss

I found this:

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

useful when trying to make a decision.

thank you for that link

I am still worried about the right choice. ELCS makes sense, on one hand, as I have only recently given birth and shall be giving birth within 12 months of my last birth and I am likely to have another premature labour so probably out of my hands. But then if I do make it past 37 weeks it seems like a VBAC would be a better option as long as it is successful and no intervention is required.

@TwittleBee I'm so sorry for your loss! Congratulations on your new pregnancy !

My first was a vaginal birth, long labour but after I had the epidural I gave birth within 1 hour.

Second was EmergencyC-Section. Unfortunately my baby passed away the following day.

I was terrified of another C-Section, the healing was way more difficult than after a vaginal delivery. I remember I couldn't laugh or cry because of the pain.

My third was VBAC. Was painful but quick. This was 21 months after I had my section.

Personally I will choose VBAC because I'm scared of operations, history repeating, etc.

But I guess you have to talk to your consultant as you'll be giving birth so soon after you had your section. It might be a bit more at risk a VBAC but maybe still possible.

I'm pregnant again now and I'll go for my second VBAC.

I am also so sorry for your loss too @R2D2abc

Thank you for your reply too.

I guess I am not too worried about the pain for me, since the loss of my son all my PTSD and horrid thoughts about DS1's birth have gone. Section healing was easy for me too, thankfully. Cannot imagine being physically and mentally in pain like you must have been.

I think, looking at the statistics that if I naturally labour between 34 to 39 weeks then I will go VBAC because of the respiratory morbidity risk being so high before 39 weeks for Sections and VBAC seems lower risk at that gestation. With DS1 my waters broke at 36 weeks and with DS2 my waters broke at 28 weeks so we will see I guess what happens with this one. But then at 39 weeks I might go for a section as it seems the risks then flip?

What worries me is also risk of uterine tear - not so much for me but for my baby as there are massive risks to them to. I'm due 1 week before DS2's birthday so I think there is an increased risk of it being less than a year between section and VBAC.

Just hoping I'll be better monitored this time and maybe my waters can be prevented from being broken?