"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

quick bonk, then sleep!

tis all for the greater good !

just wanted to say I had a sucessful ish VBAC last week
We were home the next day and i cant believe how well i feel, how much i can do and how lovely it all is. Being able to have skin to skin after only 5 mins, feeding after just 45 mins.
I have got stitches and my spd is playing up but nothing compared to trying to get over a section.
although it wasnt as wonderful as i would have liked, i still would recommend it to anyone.

Good luck

have a curry and a long walk walk as much as you can good luck!!oh and sex definatly works sorry

Thanks lisad, I didn't realise you had had a VBAC, congrats!

we wernt being dirty!practical sex not plesuirably if the two link ah wellthats how baby got there thats how baby should come out just being logical!

hmmm i remember someone telling me that self service is just as good as sex for cervix, if you cant face hubby

i tried sex in my first pregnancy which ended up going 2 weeks over, and it didn't do a thing. but if any of the old wives tales are likely to then that is the one. Because contained in sperm is the same hormone used in inductions. Good luck

Chirpy, yep the prostaglandins are reputedly more effective when ingested orally.... Here's a link to the Radical Midwives site with discussion on Natural Induction

Here's the other page on Natural induction that I use.

The only issue with any nethod of induction is it only works well if you're about to pop anyway - I read a classic on another group - when asked why his policy was to induce at 40+10 a consultant said - because if we wait until 42 weeks most of them will have given birth! Never ever forget that your cycle length and heredity has a bearing on how long you'll be pregnant for - thats why term is 36 - 42 weeks.
Lisa x

I'm not a prude! I just don't want teh sex talk as I am sooo tired and uncomfortable it really is not pleasurable at the moment!

DIY sounds good tho....

I am not hugely happy about waiting too long TBH as they got my dates wrong last time (they were over a week out wiht DD) and in both our families early births are the norm so don't want to wait too long, but am going to ask for scans today anyway...wish me luck!

Good luck chirpy!! My mw also recommended hill walking and stair climbing to help nestle baby into good position to open cervix. Need to walk up and down a flight of stairs 10 times or something, a bit tiring but worth a try??? might be easier than sex??? Have to say I was not keen on sex at the end either and my waters still broke on 40+1.

lisa - well done on your vbac! mine wasn't "perfect" either but so much better than a c-section. It was lovely to have my milk come in on day 3 rather than 4 or 5 as it did last time.

Well that went surprisingly well!
I'm 60-70% effaced and 3cm dilated already and he said it was a very good sweep (he got light blood, apparently that's good?) so Doc is thinking something should happen in next few days.

Also, when I asked if he could do a sweep or at least an exam just so I knew where I was he said that the fact I was so determined to do everything possible to have a VBAC meant he was confident that I would manage it
Am very happy now and off to get DD to nap and then we are going for a walk later.

that's great new Chirpy, should be any day now.

Just a quick update on me.

Spoke to the lovely supervisor of midwifes at my hospital today. She is very pro-VBAC & pro natural labour (if that's what the woman wants) too.

She said it sounded like I'd done my research thoroughly & understood the risks .

She was quite happy with my plan (main bits = keeping mobile, intermittent monitoring unless there appears to be a problem, then I'll go continuous, + option to use the water pool for the first stage) I now have to get this agreed by the consultant at my appointment on Thursday, but she says the one I'm under is very reasonable & their "best" one at supporting what women want where possible. He'll want to go through all the risks with me again, but provided there's nothing in my notes that I don't know about, she can't see any reason why he won't agree to my plan. I just need to make sure he signs my notes, so that EVERYONE knows it's agreed

Hopefully it will all be sorted on Thursday & I can relax, fingers crossed.

Also fingers crossed that baby stays head down (paraniod after DD....)

Betsy, 36 +1 & counting....

great news chirpy and betsy, glad to hear that there might be two more vbacs on this thread soon .

chirpy - I was told that a bit of blood was good too, could be part of the show so that should encourage things along. Was it painful? I found my sweep quite uncomfortable but my cervix was in a weird position so that was possibly why.

betsy - your plan sounds great, mine was the same but ended up slightly differently (continuous monitoring due to waters breaking 2 days before etc...) but still got my vbac and it was still wonderful. hope your consultant is on side.

Had my appointment this morning.

Initially saw the Registrar who went through the usual "you have to be continuously monitored" "you can't use the pool".

I explained that I understand the risks of not being continuously monitored and choose not to be as I believe that the lack of mobility I experienced first time round was one of the contributiong factors to my c/s. I explained that I would very much like to use the pool for the first stage of labour for pain relief & why was that a problem if I wasn't being continuously monitored.

As she realised she wasn't going to talk me out of it she summoned the consultant. He went through the risks (again...) I explained I'd spoken to the supervisor of midwives & she was happy to support my plan provided he was. I explained I only wanted to use the pool for the first stage & would of course get out & go on continuous monitoring at the first hint of any trouble. So he said "I guess that's not too controversial for us to agree to then" & promptly signed his agreement in my notes - HURRAH

HOWEVER when they palpated me they are not 100% sure that baby is head down (DD was breech, had successful ECV at 37 wks, only for her to turn breech again 2 days later...and then turn head down at 38+6 - when I'd been told it was too late for her to turn of her own accord...) Surely I can't have ANOTHER breech on my hands....?

I'm also measuring 3 weeks ahead (not too bothered by that, as I always measured ahead with DD - the growth scan estimated 9.5-10lbs & she was 8.5lbs) - so I've got to go for a scan to check on growth & presentation. Fingers crossed everyone, PLEASE let this baby be head down...

Apparently ECV is still an option open just not sure whether it is worthwhile given DD turned back again.

I've also agreed no induction, we will book a date for an elective c/s if I get to 10days over & nothing is happening. I really, really want to have a VBAC, but having had my labour augmented last time, I'd prefer another c/s to an induction & all the associated risks & the likelihood it would end up in another c/s anyway...

Hello Ladies - I sent this thread as an encouragement to my friend who was hoping for a VBAC. Don't think she posted on here, but I know she read it.

Anyway, just to say she managed her VBAC on Monday and has a beautiful baby boy weighing 9lbs! Thank you ladies!

Good luck everyone! (I got a VBAC last time btw - fab experience )

yay for bobsmum's friend !

bestsy.. that all sounds really positive, i am crossing everything re baby being vertex.. has your doula any useful advice for turning baby if breech?

very excited for you

Had another bad night Tues, no sleep and lots of pain, contractions started coming every 7 mins so we went to the hospital yesterday morning. by the time we got there they'd dropped to 10mins apart, and after an internal we were informed that i hadn't dilated and that she couldn't even reach my cervix to do a sweep.
I was gutted!!

Contractions stayed with me until 7am this morning after being very irregular but more painful.Then they stopped, which was a relief but annoying that i'd been in agony for 3 days for nothing.
Had my consultants appointment this morning and they discussed induction and a date for next week, and offered me a sweep.
Which i gladly accepted.
When she did the sweep she discovered that I am now 3-4cm dilated - woohoo. classed as active labour.

Pains and contractions have started up again, but very irregular. Hospital sent e home to get my bags and wait for the pain and contractions to become more regular, so here i am.

good luck betsyboop, you sound very clued up, and i think that makes a big difference to medical professionals. At least they can't fob you off with rubbish to suit them.

that is great news diddle.. you are well on your way ! a spontaneous start to labour is a really big help ...

hang on in there

rest, eat ,drink and wee !

you;ll know when labour needs your attention

best of luck and keep us posted

not long now Diddle, sounds like things are moving on nicely

Hope everything goes to plan for you & we get to see the VBAC birth announcement in a couple of days

Hey diddle-diddle (sorry)

Your story sounds very much like mine!
Basically am at home now waiting for the contractions to strengthen and then I am off in as well ...will be thinking of you!

woohoo Chirpy is getting ready too

good luck with your VBAC

Hi all, just wanted to add my update... my DD2 was born by EMCS last Saturday after an unsuccessful VBAC attempt. I was in pre-labour for days then in actual labour for about 24 hours, things seemed to be going OK and I reached full dilation but when I tried to push things clearly weren't right. Turns out she had rotated so her spine was to the side and her head trying to enter the birth canal from an angle.

The problem was nothing to do with me being a VBACer- my scar held out beautifully. While on the one hand I could have saved myself a lot of pain (and some post-operative complications as a result of the emergency extraction) by taking the elective section at 39 weeks, I don't regret at all giving it a shot. In fact, I feel much stronger as a result of the experience and my DH seems to think I am the bees' knees for it!

Good luck to everyone else- I really hope it works out for you and look forward to hearing your own updates.

p xx

oh pendulum, congratulations on the safe arrival of your little girl!

sorry it didn;t go to plan, but you gave it your best shot and it is great you feel good about the experience, that is soooo important.

enjoy xxxxxxx