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Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

"Support for imminent VBACers" thread?

871 replies

pendulum · 05/09/2007 08:42

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

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
fourlittlefeet · 26/11/2008 09:17

Thanks Daisy, you give me renewed hope . I'm thinking about a Doula too, so that if I lose it at the hospital, there is a sane person there to make my wishes clear (had dreams last night of ripping out cannula's and locking myself in the loo at hospital and refusing to come out. . Its so sad as I want to be happy and excited, not scared, angry and confused.

turtledove23 · 26/11/2008 11:25

Please excuse me for crashing, but trainee doula here desperate to get some experience!

fourlittlefeet · 26/11/2008 11:54

where are you based Turtle?

turtledove23 · 26/11/2008 17:31

Carshalton...cover Surrey/London.

fourlittlefeet · 26/11/2008 18:39

I'm in east London . More than happy to meet up for a chat?

turtledove23 · 26/11/2008 19:12

flf-Lovely! If you could email me on [email protected] we could set something up.

fourlittlefeet · 27/11/2008 16:14

turtle, I have emailed you just now

Nevil · 27/11/2008 21:31

Evening everyone,

Looks like my vbac is looking unlikely.

Had a phone call from the hospital yesterday regarding antibodies. Hospital discovered i am producing anti-s antibodies at my booking in appt and discussed this with me at my 20 wk appt. Was told my titre level was pretty high 128 threshold level is 32, was told as titre level high this could cause Haemolytic Disease of the Newborn (HDN) basically jaundice and anemia in baby which can be pretty serious, in very rare cases may have to give baby blood transfusion to baby in utero or deliver baby early.

At my appt last week they took more blood to check titre levels and had scan to check baby developing as it should be. Spoke to specialist midwife regarding this, she said it's not one of the more serious antibodies and to wait to see results of bloods, she said docs would speak to me about it futher, i didn't mention my intention of vbac to her. As you know my appt with docs and consultants didn't go well when i mentioned my vbac plans so they never got round to discussing antibodies.

So specialist midwife called me yesterday with results of blood tests, my titre levels have gone down to 64 which is good but still over 32 so still a risk of HDN. She told me she had heard my appt with consultant went pear shaped and he had thrown me off his books (not the way i would have put it), she was concerned about my intention to try for a vbac and being under midwife care only, she said with antibodies I would need to be under consultant care or find a consultant to take over my care if i still intended to go for vbac. I explained that i will only go for vbac if risk of HDN is reduced. She also mentioned that it would not be advisable to go over 40 weeks as placenta doesn't work as well once you pass 40 wks,i asked is this due to the antibodies or generally, she said generally, is this true, i thought it was 42 wks? Anyway she has arranged for me to have futher blood tests in 3 wks and to have a scan to check for hydrops, not sure what this is. I will also have to see consultant again (not looking forward to that) to discuss results.

I just get the feeling that at appt last week antibodies was played down and it was wait and see, and now since i mentioned vbac it's very serious and i have to be under a consultant, or maybe im just being paranoid. I don't know enough about antibodies to make a decision, and i feel bad about saying this but after last week i don't think i can trust what the hospital tells me anymore, i feel as if i had 3 unnecessary sections under their care and now I may be pushed into 4th section because of these bloody antibodies, im very confused to say the least.

Sorry about long post but needed to get it off my chest, if anyone has any experience of this or advice it would be greatly appreciated.

Poledra · 27/11/2008 21:55

Nevil I will come back to this later as I need to be quick now (DD3 has a v heavy cold and is miserable) but I had anti-E antibodies with DD2 and 3, and these births were both VBAC. The antibodies were below the level of concern for DD2 so it made no difference. I was induced for DD3 as the AB levels were higher (between 32 and 64) at 40+1. They will want to induce you as the baby can be safer outside than in, IYSWIM, as it's easier to transfuse then. DD3 was in SCBU for 4 days under triple light therapy as she had severe jaundice though we managed to avoid the transfusion.
Got to go, will come back tomorrow I promise.

turtledove23 · 28/11/2008 06:41

flf-will ring you today. Have poorly baby, so am waiting for a lull!
Nevil-if you don't mind I know someone who knows a LOT about your situation and (as part of my own education in these matters as well) would you mind me going and finding out about it? Will CAT you with response I get.

Nevil · 28/11/2008 09:37

Thanks for your responses Poledra and turtledove23.

Poledra, look forward to hearing more about your experience and its good to hear that vbac may still be possible. I didnt think induction was an option & was only going to attempt vbac if i went into spontaneous labour which i never have. I had planned to wait it out until 42 wks before considering other options, ie daily monitoring, sweep, etc but if baby needs to be out sooner rather than later i would have to go for another section at 40 wks latest.

Turtledve23 any info you could get would be great, thanks.

turtledove23 · 28/11/2008 09:45

Nevil- Have you read the AIMS booklets on VBAC and "Am I Allowed?"

fourlittlefeet · 28/11/2008 10:13

Turtle, no worries I'm off for the weekend anyway, so feel free to call on Monday when your wee mite is feeling better. Hope everyone has a nice weekend. Nevil, sorry can't help you, but hope you get the support you need so good luck.

Nevil · 28/11/2008 10:19

I have read 'vbac - on whose terms' is that the one?

I know if i insist on vbac I will be supported by the consultant midwife at the hospital whose care i will be under, but am now really worried about the risk of HDN to the baby. I only have the specialist midwife & consultants advice to go on at the moment about the risks of HDN and based on my previous experience, with the consultant in particular, that doesnt fill me with condidence to be honest.

VictorianSqualor · 28/11/2008 10:34

Nevil, the book is here.

Also, the placenta thing is bollocks.

I have problems with placentas anyway and I went to 41 weeks with no extra monitoring. It is different with each baby, each pregnancy and each placenta so they can never be sure. It is more likely that the placenta will be of less use for the baby from 42 weeks but the only way they can check is with regular monitoring.
You are not even classed as overdue until 42 weeks so they are making absolutely no sense.

fourlittlefeet could you try transferring hospitals or finding a hospital that would lend you monitors for underwater? I know my hospital has them but I'm in Oxford.

turtledove23 · 29/11/2008 15:22

Nevil- have CATed you.

mears · 29/11/2008 19:31

Hello Nevil - I am really sorry that you are having such a difficult time over your VBAC. I am a midwife and have also had antibody problems myself. I had high risk anti-D antibodies and needed to be induced, once at 35 weeks and then next pregnancy 37 weeks with DD who needed 3 exchange blood transfusions.

Anti-s is not a high risk antibody but it will still be capable of causing a problem with haemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN).

You antibody levels will be monitored and the baby will be scanned regularly for any signs of fluid gathering around the abdomen and brain - this is what hydrops is. The fluid is caused by severe anaemia in the baby.

If the baby is fine on scan and your levels do not dramatically rise, I see no reason why you cannot wait for spontaneous labour. However, if induction of labour is recommednded because of rising titres, then VBAC is not the best option due to your previous 3 C sections.

Don't lose heart completely. Discuss your options with the consultant midwife and obstetrician.

The typrt of delivery will not have an impact on the baby regharding the antibodies - it is the timing.

At delivery, cord blood is taken to check if the baby might be affected by doing a coombs test. If the coombs test is positive, the baby may become jaundiced so will be nursed under phototherapy with jaundice levels monitored. Sometimes the baby goes under phototherapy as soon as possible after birth until the cord blood results are known.

Sounds as though the consultant midwife will support you well - why not arrange to meet her again sooner?

Poledra · 29/11/2008 22:36

Sorry, Nevil, will be back but have too many poorly children to do a thought-out post. Soon, I promise

Nevil · 30/11/2008 14:39

Don't worry about it Poledra I'm also nursing a poorly LO, wishing yours a speedy recovery.

Turtledove23 I've just checked my registration details and the email address was incorrect, i've changed it now, if you've got time could you re-send? TIA.

Mears, many thanks for your post which have made things much clearer and i'm beginning to understand things now. I have received an appt to attend the Fetal Medicine Centre at another hospital in 10 days time for a detailed scan, bloods and a consultaion with a fetal medicine doctor. The baby's health overides any desire for me to have a vbac, if my titres rise or scan shows signs of anemia in baby then i will of course opt for early delivery of baby. I will also call consultant midwife after my appt for her advice before i make any further decisions.

Thanks to everyone for their advice its been invaluable, will update after my appt.

fourlittlefeet · 30/11/2008 20:50

I've got an appointment with the consultant midwife of another hospital tomorrow at 12. They think they can help me so lets see what they say .

VictorianSqualor · 01/12/2008 09:57

Good luck fourlittlefeet.
Make sure to ask if they can borrow the underwater monitors from another hospital if they haven't got any.

fourlittlefeet · 01/12/2008 10:00

thanks VS, I will. My dad lives in Oxford, so if all else fails maybe I should 'accidentally' go into labour up there!

turtledove23 · 01/12/2008 11:00

nevil- Mears was the one who gave me info and she kindly posted it as well.

fourlittlefeet · 01/12/2008 16:32

Afternoon all, just popping in with an update. Went to see the other hospital's consultant midwife today. The appointment couldn't have been more different! She asked me my expectations of the birth and then went on to say they sounded reasonable and that as long as I was prepared to be intially monitored and examined to make sure all was well, she didn't see why they couldn't then do intermittent monitoring, no cannula and even some labouring in water in the pool was free. I'm more that happy with that. She also mentioned that they did their best to get one on one midwife care, and that they would be flexible with the timing of 'active labour' as some women start at 3/4 cms and others around 5, so the countdown wouldn't be hugely enforced provided that labour was seen to be in progression. She also said they'd probably only check dilation every 4 hours which sounds reasonable to me. She also said that she would come along to my consultant appointment once I'd swapped to make sure that our conversation would be recorded in my notes and I wouldn't be back at square one. Result!

Right, now need to get on and do all the hospital swapping paperwork! Shows it is worth asking around though; the two hospitals are only 2 miles apart and couldn't be more different!

NoPresentsInVictorianSqualor · 01/12/2008 16:42

Fantastic!!!
That's really great.
I had that turn around from two different appointments with one consultant, lol, but I think she had chilled out a bit by then

So, in future if anyone wants a VBAC in East London ask fourlittlefeet which hospital to use!!