"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

Thats great vacaloca, if you had been transferred to silver star you'd know, you get pretty little silver star stickers on your ntoes and I don't think they'd allow a HBAC.
I think tbh, the JR being such a big hospital and also being a teaching hospital we are quite bloody lucky, theres no way I wouldve got this far with northampton general.
My cons reminds me of connie from holby city actually! She has told me the risks etc but quite clearly said it was my choice and they would do whatever they could, which surprised me.

Weird that M.rImpey didnt know about the UR risks though, as it was one of his junior doctors that pointed me to the study!!
Good that he was prepared to listen though.
I really hope it all goes well for you.

kink in the plumbing?

Thought I may as well come join you VS!

With all due respect, Mr Impey has lost mine (long story) so I'd rather not go back to the JR.

Right, here's my problem - I want to have my VBAC at a midwifery unit, following em-cs with PE two years ago. Possible?

WMMC, Have you actually seen anyone yet? I know there was a lot of faffing around going on!
Have they mentioned giving you a uterine doppler?
I'd imagine a lot of what they are happy with will come down to that test tbh.
If it's all normal then your chance of PE is a hell of a lot less than if it's abnormal, so fingers crossed that comes back ok and you'll have a bit more leeway.

VS, I have no ficking clue of the plan if they even have one.

The situation currently is:

They have:

(1) Forgotten to issue me with any stickers or arrange booking (I arranged the booking but they were unable to do it because I had no stickers. I drove to the hospital and negotiated the printing of some stickers so I could at least get booked (still not happened). I'm 16 weeks now and should have been booked at 10 weeks up here.

(2) My GP has written to Mr Impey to ask for him to see me, nothing in reply. Nada.

(3) In the meantime I had a sudden BP peak (159/120 and attended the out of hours GP surgery at the hospital and apparently not only do I not have stickers, my record has 'vanished'. Turned out I had flu but it was only me having a copy of my records that allowed them to see any kind of history.

(4) I have an appt to have blood drawn on Thursday, allegedly. But I'll believe it when I see it because I am booked into a clinic at the wrong hospital (the Horton) and because apparently I don't exist, I expect the system will view me as a 'ghost' appt and delete me .

(5) Meanwhile I've been in touch with the midwifery units and they are not allowed to accept any VBACS anymore - period. .

Yet legally I can have a home birth

I had a uterine doppler last time as they were trialling it at the Horton - before they kicked me out to the JR for being 'complicated'. Ironically it showed 'excellent placental blood flow.

So I have no faith in them anymore. The entire system is completely shit and I don't see why I should put myself through the stress of trying to sort it out. I'd rather give birth on my own in the garden shed.

WMMC - If you say you're planning a homebirth they're pdq at offering you the possibility of the midwife-led unit. I've been offered it (and also to go to Horton if I prefer), but I'm sticking to my HB plans. My midwife is also saying there's just no way they can guarantee who will be on call when I'm due. Yet, if I agree to give birth at a midwife-led unit or the hospital, she's happy to put herself on the rota to attend. So all these rules are very flexible, it seems.

Sorry they're being so useless with your history, etc. It sounds like VS has an excellent consultant so if you do need to see one, perhaps you could ask to be transferred to her list. It looks like there are two teams in the JR, one headed by Mr Impey and the other one by VS's consultant? BTW, I don't have any history of my second birth (I was in Spain at the time) and they don't seem bothered at all.

I saw you on another thread and left you a message, but you probably haven't seen it. I was doing a search for recommended doulas in Oxfordshire and saw a thread where you were also looking for one. Have you had any luck finding someone? I'm seeing one next Friday but it seems she's the only choice around.

I'd try the HB suggestion too WMMC, tell them you refuse to go to the JR/Horton and will have a homebirth if they cant fit you in to the MW unit.
I think WMMC knows my cons vacaloca, she has dealt with her before when she tried(and failed) to break her waters!

How are you both doing? When's your next appointment VS? I hope it's good news about the growth, etc. I live very near the JR so if either of you fancy meeting for a coffee let me know.

I was there today, everything is still growing well, the baby is on the large side apparently, growing along the centile, but big.
Saw Katherine today as well, she didn't really say much, we've agreed to leave it as it is for now, if anything goes wrong between now and 38weeks, I'll have a CS, if it doesn't, then we'll discuss more at 38weeks, she still wants baby out early so hopefully it will oblige!

Great news. Were your other two 'punctual'? Both of mine were 40+2 and 40+3 so I'm very set on a particular week and keep forgetting this baby is different and could well turn up early or even a couple of weeks late.

DD was 32 weeks by em cs cos os placental abruption and DS was el cs at 39 weeks, so no, not exactly punctual!

Woooh!
Just got back from my 36wk appointment at which I was expecting cons to be a bit about me waiting it out but she was perfectly happy with the growth and doppler scans and we've agreed to hold off any talk of CS's until 40 weeks.

am really glad to hear that !!

Good news VS, I am really happy for you. I bet it feels like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders.

God yeah, it was really great. She was so wonderful today, I normally hate it when I have to see her and brace myself for the questions but she was really cool about it today.
I think that so far the cord doppler and growth scans have exceeded her expectations so she is more relaxed about it too, after all she doesn't want it to all go tits up anymore than I do.

that's great news VS

I'd just come on to check up on you, as I knew you must be getting close to V-day now.

I had even better news today!
The cons said that could have a waterbirth if I want, just to have a think about it, and that the monitors are mobil/waterproof so there is nothing to stop me labouring in any position I want, she said that she'd like me to stay monitored but her ideal situation is to make me as calm and comfortable as I can be because it will give me a better chance.
Also my 40wk appntmnt, (as long as my dopplers stay fine) will not be to book for a CS but to do an internal and see how favourable my cervix is!!
IT LOOKS LIKE IT MIGHT HAPPEN!!

ooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhh!

very exciting

am really pleased that you have got so much support

I'm so excited!
I did that Mumsnet documnetary thingy today and mentioned that I'd had a lot of support/help re my vbac, nearly namedropped you but didnt want you to get embarrassed

ooooh. you should have !!

when is it going to be on telly !!

I have no idea, when they've edited me tal;king so much crap I assume

i think yuo should have asked them to film your birth !

so,back to business, have you done your birth plans, packed your bags and got organised?

Yep, all done. Was so surprised when the cons turned to my birth plan today, read it all and then discussed pain relief and stuff.
She was great about little intervention and being mobile etc, I said I knew it was meant to be more likely to make it a success and she agreed and put in my notes that I am to have mobile monitoring and be up and about etc.

Bags are packed, cot is up, car seat is ready, I'm absolutely crapping myself but still soooooo excited! I'm going to meet my baby soon

VS, what fantastic news!! When's your EDD again? Are you 37 wks now? I really should do a birth plan. I'm assuming I don't need to specify a lot of things for a hb, but if I do end up in hospital it's good to know about the mobile monitoring, etc. so maybe I should do a hb plan, a hospital birth plan and a CS birth plan to cover all eventualities... Very pleased for you. It's going to happen, you know!!

37weeks today, due the 9th.

It is good to know about the mobile monitoring, I tend to froget JR ahs all the newfangled technology!

My birth plan has VBAC preferences and CS preferences just incase, might be worth doing one so if you do have to go in you're all prepared.