"Support for imminent VBACers" thread?

[pendulum]

Hi there,
I am 38 weeks today and planning a VBAC after my el CS for breech.

I haven't spent much time on the ante natal threads because I couldn't keep up with them! But now I am on mat leave and due date is approaching I would love to chat to anyone else hoping for a VBAC in the near future.

Is there anyone else out there, or another thread I can join? (Am just heading to docs to check baby position but will log in again later!)

Thanks
p xx

is it your birthday today ? hope you have a lovely time, try not to dwell on the birth ( yeah,right! ) just have a lovely day and treat yourself xxxxxxx

just seen m/w at home. BP is back to normal for me.

baby is now ceph again but head is still free , so I guess that gives me a flicker of hope....come on baby 40hrs left before C day.... Maybe baby was just shifting round to get into the "best" position for labour?

Was the same m/w who did my sweep last week, she was really sympathetic & hoping things might still happen for me, would have done another sweep, but couldn't as head was free

I've got to go to hospital for CTG trace etc tomorrow so will ask Dr for my case to be reviewed, I NEED to know, for my own peace of mind that c/s on Friday really is my only option, that there is absolutely no other sensible choice available to me.

you have some choices

bearing in mind second babies often don;t engage until labour starts

you have your c.s and write a lovely birth plan for it

you wait for spontanoues labour and have expectant management

you ask for 'gentle' induction , our hospital will use prostin post c.s, 2 doses max.. and ARM

you pray to the childbirth godessess that baby comes NOW !

Best baby wishes to Stripey and Betsy.

I am feeling very frustrated myself. 36 weeks today and baby has turned back to back in the last few days which is what my dd was leading to long labour and failed ventouse because she was OP and head flexed. I know I have to try to spend as much time as possible on hands and knees - uncomfortable and boring. And I can't help thinking that the fact that this baby has gone back to back too shows it is something to do with my body/muscles. I feel a bit doomed to another long labour and c-section at the end of it. Not very positive thinking I know but it's all feeling a bit bleak at the moment. Any advice welcome!

hi kitsilano

IMO, and IME, an OP baby itself is not an automatic c.s, but the deflexed head can be an issue

I has an OP VBAC baby, 15 hours of painful, regular contractions before i started dilating.. she turned whilst i was in labour, and was born 3 1/4 hours later, intact perineum, and i was out of bed two hours later

at the time, when the MW hoiked me off the bed, told me to stop using the gas and air, and stand, rock and move with teh contractions , i could have cried ( in fact, i probably did!! ) but i'm so glad i did, as the baby turned, took her an hour to do so, and i felt every painful moment, but it was sooooooooooooo worth it

chin up, and push away the bleak thoughts, once you have addressed them, don;t dwell on them!

warm bath, massage, visualisation and an early night

Thanks lulumama - a positive story is helpful. I'll try not to assume the worst.

just to let everyone know I'm going for an elective c/s tomorrow. I'm okay about it I guess. Certainly feeling a lot more positive than earlier in the week, there isn't really much else I can do, I've tried every avenue & given it my best shot

Was up at the hospital for CTG monitoring today (high BP) & took the opportunity to discuss all the options. Got to speak to a lovely senior registrar.

Bottom line is given my risk factors, baby's unstable lie & the fact that when she assessed my cervix it was long, posterior, closed & hard then the chances of me going into labour before Monday are slim. I'd be pushing my luck to be looking to go beyond Monday & I'd never forgive myself if anything happened to baby. Also they will only do one lot of gel (hospital policy)if I chose induction & with my cervix (and the fact it never dilated last time either) means that induction is highly unlikely to work, which would mean an em c/s anyway. She explained all the potential risks of all the options (including waiting a bit longer) and I think I've finally accepted that an el c/s is the only sensible choice. My head is now in a much better place than it was, and I'm now going to tinker with my birth plan to make sure it's as positive an experience as possible.

So unless the impossible happens & I go into labour tonight, el c/s it is...

Good luck to everyone else waiting & hoping for their VBAC, hopefully yours will go better than mine.

I'll post my birth story when I get chance next week - will probably be home from hospital on Monday.

hope tomorrow goes well for you, i will be thinking of you, and i bet you cannot wait to meet your baby...

be kind to yourself

even if you don;t get the birth you want, you are allowed to grieve for that experience, and to feel sad... and of course happy to meet your baby....

don;t wnat to sound too negative, IYKWIM, but just to say that you are allowed to be even in teh midst of joy.

you can personalise your c.s, and it can be a wonderful, positive expereince. xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hi, can I join? I'm due in 10 days and hoping for a VBAC in a birthing centre at my hospital. Last baby was c-section because she was breech and my waters broke at 35 weeks - they didn't want to risk me going into labour. Was a huge disappointment but I had a lovely doctor who allowed me to do a birth plan with her so I had some semblance of control despite the operation.

So this time round I'm hoping it will happen as I wanted first time, and all is looking well - head down, am almost 39 weeks. But am feeling very nervous as I know that there are risks involved, and that being in the birthing centre means no pain relief or CFM. This is what I want, but when the senior midwife there says that scar rupture is indeed rare but can have 'catastrophic results for mother and baby' it destroys all the confidence and determination I was feeling!

I want to do this so much, but am feeling really wobbly now!

thanks Lulu

You've described it perfectly

I'm feeling a mixture of grief for the experience I shall never have (definitely my last baby), but excitement that I'm finally going to meet him/her.

Hopefully this time I won't beat myself up for months & months wishing things could have been different as I KNOW I tried everything & it just wasn't meant to be...

By the way, I wanted to add for Betsy - I can relate to your feelings of disappointment and 'failure', but please try not to feel that way. I was allowed to draw up a birth plan for my c-section, asking that they told me what was happening every step of the way and gave the baby to my DH to give to me before cleaning her up etc. In the event they had to check her first as she was early and they needed to make sure she didn't have breathing difficulties etc., but everything else they did exactly as I had asked. So I did feel as though I had some control and that I was listened to. I really hope that you have someone sympathetic and sensitive enough to allow you the same. It did make a difference, and as the others have said, at the end of it all you still have a beautiful baby.

Betsy, I am disappointed for you but wish you lots of luck and positive thoughts tomorrow is as fab as it can be. You must be so excited! Enjoy, don't be hard on yourself and I look forward to hearing your story next week and getting to meet your lovely new son/daughter second-hand x

I'll probably not be far behind...nothing much going on. We thought things were happening last night but as usual everything fizzled out. As I've spent the last two days madly Xmas shopping on the assumption I won't be driving until Xmas, I think I must have (subconsciously at least) accepted this will be another CS. With a few days left to go, there is still hope for a VBAC but ho hum, we'll see how it goes.

Saw the MW for a check up yesterday. All ok, tho' MW said I was measuring very big. The last scan said that anyway, but she did say if I did not already have hosp booked for Tues, she would want me to be assessed before going much longer. Am really ecstatic at that news - not only is baby leaving it to the last possible moment to come out, they are also scoffing pies right to the end. I knew I should have been worried when then future DH had to order specially made XXXXL motorbike helmet

Will be thinking of you tomorrow x

Thinking of you tomorrow Betsy. Lots of luck and enjoy meeting your baby!

At the risk of tempting fate, I think action may be starting for me....

stripey.. is this silence a birthy silence ?

????????

Baby Boop is here

read all about it here

didn't get my VBAC, but you know what, in the grand scheme of things it no longer matters, I know I tried

Hiya,

Read all about the on-off-on-off VBAC story here

Massive thanks for all your help and advice

X

Congratulations Betsy and Stripey on your new arrivals! I have been looking at the quiet VBAC post and wondering!

Hoping for my turn soon - though not quite 37 weeks so will have to contain my impatience

Kits

congrats on your new arrival Stripey

so pleased you got your VBAC...eventually...your DD was certainly taking her time to make sure she was absolutely ready for the world

Congrats to you both, Stripey and Betsy. They both sound like very positive experiences and gives me hope whichever way things turn out.
Like Kitsilano, I am due soon (2 weeks on sat) so there may be two more potential VBACers on here at the same time soon!
Having said that I really have a feeling I will be going way over my dates....

It's getting close Claraq! I feel like I surely CAN'T go over my dates. Braxton Hicks getting closer and stronger, bit of mucus plug coming out, baby's head so low I reckon I'll need to put a hat on it soon....but of course all this could mean nothing and I could still be here in 5 weeks....ARGGHHHHHHH

Kits - I had loads of strong BH's the other day but wasn't sure if this meant anything or not. I assume not - certainly don't want to get my hopes up! No other signs at all - sounds like you are ahead of me! Will see the doctor tomorrow so perhaps find out if baby has moved down at all (doesn't feel like it)....

Congrats Betsy & Stripey. I've only just discovered this thread and currently 37+5 with pg 2 and hoping for VBAC after em-cs with DD.

Both stories were inspiring/reassuring in their own ways - Betsy, it was reassuring to read that even if all doesn't go to plan then it can still be a hugely positive experience and Stripey, it's good to know it can be done (also v funny, esp the bit about being taken outside and shot).

Hi all. Just thought I'd share my attempted VBAC story. I had an emergency section for DD1 2 years ago for failure to progress and foetal distress, and was happy that the right decision was made at the right time.

I ws hoping for a VBAC this time round and midwife was very supportive, as was obstetrician. Went into labour naturally but contractions only 7 mins apart for first 12 hours so stayed at home. When I went to the hospital I was 5 cm dilated and things started moving. Unfortuately because of some (fairly minor) heart rate problems I had to be continually monitored, and couldn't kneel or stand as this seemed to make them worse. Things went fairly OK (although she was back to back) until I got to 9cm, when things just failed to progress. There was no indication of foetal distress, but the liquor became bloodstained, and after several hours I was advised to have a section, which I agreed to. Had a beautiful baby girl and all was well.

Bascially I'm happy - I'm glad I tried and have a lovely healthy baby. However, I do wonder if I could have done it naturally if I'd hung out a bit longer (or maybe tried some different positions). I think that I would advise if you're really set on a VBAC you have a strong and informed advocate (e.g. maybe a doula). I'm normally quite confident dealing with health professionals (I am one myself) and have a fair amount of knowledge, but really found I didn't have the energy or confidence to argue when I was knackered, having massive contractions every 2 mins, and had lost confidence in my body. My husband's supportive, but I don't think he could be expected to take an advocacy role in these situations as he was obviously worried something would go wrong.

This isn't meant to be a negative post - as I say I got a great outcome and still feel my decision to try for a VBAC was right. All the best to the rest of you.