VBAC experiences after emergency CS

[MJane3]

Hi all. Looking for some advice/ stories. Here's my background

2 years ago, with DS1, my waters broke at 38 weeks. I didn't know it at the time, as it was such a slow trickle. After about 48 hours, I went to hospital and they confirmed waters broke and induced me. I hyper reacted to the pessary and was contracting every 1-2 minutes for about 24 hours, until I finally caved and got an epidural. After 36 hours, I was 9 cm dilated. I tried pushing, but baby was up too high, back to back and part of my cervix haven't come away- so emergency section done

I'm hoping for a vbac this time. What was yours like? Did your body allow you to birth naturally when it "failed" the first time? Did you go into labour at home (no induction) and everything went more or less smoothly the second time around? Did anyone try and end up with another EMCS? I can't imagine labouring at home, a slow build up of contractions and it all going well, as last time was nothing like that.

Can anyone tell me their successful or even unsuccessful stories about vbacs? Thanks

Not me but my mum had a successful VBAC 30odd years ago.

I don't know any more details though sorry.

Following - I would also be interested to know if anyone went for a vbac and ended up regretting it ie. having another emcs

I had a VBAC. Had a very similar first labour to you- not induced though. Waters broke at 41+2, went into a slow labour with frequent contractions. Got to ten cms but he was back to back and too high. Pushed him back in and had an emcs.

DS2- waters broke first again, this time at 38 weeks. This time contractions started after about three hours and immediately felt different- they were much more as described in the books with a clear contraction then a gap of no pain, then moving closer together until I felt an uncontrollable urge to push. I pushed for five mins and then he came. He was not back to back.
The second birth made me realise how important the position of the baby is. I didn't believe my body could do it either. My birth second time from first contraction to birth was 52 mins!!
If you got to 9cms then it's a good sign that if the position of the baby is right then you should be able to have a successful vbac.
I just want to put it out there too that although it's every woman's desire to give birth vaginally, if it doesn't happen then it isn't your fault or that your body can't do it. A natural birth is a birth where baby comes out alive. Hope it goes well for you.

Thanks for that response peachy. That's so helpful and exactly the kind of explanation
I was hoping for. Interesting.

I think I will refuse being induced again as your chance of another emergency section is so high. If it comes to induction I might request a section. Your story has given me hope though!! Thanks x

Does anyone have anymore success stories or regret trying for a vbac? X

Yes, me! DS1 (now 2.5yo) ended up as an EMCS at 41+5 due to foetal distress during labour. Contractions felt like horrific period pain, got to 6cm myself, they broke my waters, found meconium and rushed me to theatre.

DS2 (5mo) was a VBAC similar to a pp: my waters went at 2am, very clear contr

Oops, pressed post too soon. Very clear “by the book” contractions. Got to hospital around 11am, ready to push at 4pm but needed assistance after a further 2hs because he was stuck. Ended up with an episiotomy, a 3rd degree tear (which took an hour in theatre to fix) and an assisted delivery after shoulder dystocia. He was 4.85kgs/10.7lbs!

Even after that drama, I’m glad I had the VBAC. With my first I strongly felt that all that mattered was healthy mum, healthy baby. With my second I couldn’t shake my desire to avoid a section... So I’m glad it worked out. It was an incredibly intense experience and somewhat traumatic compared to my first- the tear and fixing it, in particular. I couldn’t think about any of it for the first 2 months postpartum tbh, it was too overwhelming. I’m really glad though, now.

I had a VBAC, went into hospital around 5.30-6pm and ended up with nothing but gas and air (lots of “too early for X, too late for X” type faffing and she arrived around 10.30pm

To be honest I regret not having a calm elective section. I felt talked into a VBAC as initially I went in asking for a csection.

I couldn’t carry DD2 in the sling after birth due to the pressure it out on my damaged pelvic floor and that was what I loved with DD1

There are detailed stats you can get from RCOG I think on likelihood of a successful VBAC

I had an emergency section with my first child but I hadn't gone into labour unless 1cm counts. I was being scanned and it was a case of get this baby out now.

With my second child I had a VBAC. From start to finish it was five minutes less than 24 hours and the pushing was 20 minutes. Unfortunately I had a retained placenta, and while this is fairly common after a section, mine was a direct fault of the midwife.

My third child was also born vaginally but while the start to finish was half the time as my second child, and I pushed him out in less than half the time, my scar nearly ruptured and we both nearly died. I had been given a set amount of time to deliver him and I think they only let me go 15 minutes over as they knew the birth was imminent.

I was advised not to have any more children.

If I had my time again I would still have VBAC but would maybe have different age gaps and definitely would go into hospital at a different time with baby number two in the hope I would get a different midwife.

Thank you for both of your responses! One order the VBAC handbook to get some more info. I really hated my birth last time. Sadly I still feel like that day, the day my gorgeous son was born, was the worst day of my life. I do not want that experience again. This is why if they want to induce me, I'll just ask for a section.
Don't know if that reasoning makes sense!

Thanks @SunshineCake

How far apart we're your births? My son turned 2 last month

I will say, I think I had every positive indicator for a VBAC, from memory. I also refused an epidural because I thought it might slow things down. The biggest challenge for me actually was the pushing because I’d not done it before- I’d spent months practising hypnobirthing in both pregnancies, and kept exhaling my big breaths instead of holding my breath and using that to bear down. Be warned! I had midwives and DH really quite cross with me (lighthearted) but it was hard to break that habit instantly!

I had a Vbac after emcs but i did end up with forceps. However, after that I've gone on to have 6 more babies all vaginal deliveries and no instrumental births.

Should add my vbac was 14.5 months after my emcs and the next was 19 months after that.

I have two years 4.5 months between one and two and 22.5 months between 2 and 3.

I had a vbac for dc2. With DS1 I did 48 hrs of labour (only the last 6 with an epidural having begged for one for hours but told it would slow my labour), got to 7 cm and then a very fast emcs as baby was in distress and my temperature rocketed. He was back to back and head tilted so was never going to make it out on his own. Helpful that they took soooo long to work that out...Anyway, with DD2 I felt very pushed into a vbac and was led to believe that everyone does it and I'd be very unusual not to. I was promised 2 things, that I could have an epidural as soon as I requested it and if during labour I felt I couldn't manage anymore that I could ask for a c sec and they would do it. Well, don't believe them!! Went into labour naturally at 35 weeks and I begged for both after 5 days of early labour and was refused both. Blamed no anaesthetists available. Eventually after 15hrs of active labour (and constantly requesting one) I got an epidural but was completely refused the section as apparently there was no space in theatre. She arrived 10hrs later and I had a 2nd deg tear. Afterwards I was pleased I'd managed it as physical recovery was fairly quick and I had a toddler to look after so lifting would have been an issue. Having said that I think much of my recovery both times was from long and protracted labours and no sleep for days.
I'm now pregnant with dc3 and interestingly every midwife/obstetrician I've seen has hugely congratulated me on being able to successfully vbac. They make it sound very unusual and that I did an amazing thing. I do tell them that I really wasn't given any choice and actually I felt very out of control of my 2nd birth as everything I'd been promised I had been refused whilst in a very vulnerable state.
I'm not sure what I'll do this time as I just want to avoid the really long labours but very aware that I'll likely be doing it and recovery alone during COVID and it was much easier post vbac... hope that helps

Sorry that was really long!!

I had a planned home vbac with dc3. Dc1 was a planned home birth. Dc2 was only diagnosed as breech when I was in labour at home so I had to be rushed in fr a section. I loved my home births and found being in hospital with dc2 very distressing. The section was awful compared to my home births. Good luck

17 months between mine, I went for a VBAC after an EMCS due to baby position. My first was presenting face first and was wedged apparently (the midwife kept poking her nose or her ear). After pushing for two hours they decided it was pointless, not to mention the fact that I was exhausted, so I had an EMCS. I wanted a VBAC for my second so they agreed to not book me in for an ELCS until 40 weeks instead of 39. I went into labour the morning of my section but had a similar problem with positioning so they suggested I have another section, though it was slightly less of an emergency as it was about two hours before my elective anyway!

They did say it's a lot to do with positioning and how dilated you were last time, so at 9cm you have a good chance. I just have an awkward shaped body by the seem of it!

On my last 2 deliveries, the first of the 2 , I didnt progress, induction, so opted for an epidural, this went 'high' which means it numbs the whole body, only had feeling in my forehead, baby distressed so c/s. Next delivery went, natural start but still no progression, opted for epidural again even though terrified, this worked perfectly and baby born out the bottom end, all good :)

If you want to try , then definitely try. I replayed the c/s so many times over in my head wondering what i should have done differently, if you try the natural then you will be able to stop asking yourself 'what if' for this one. You will be in hospital and being monitored so they are there and telling you how things are going. Keep doing your research, good luck :)

Ive done both, VBAC with DS2 and CS with DS3. Both were better experiences than the EMCS i had under GA with DS1. My section with DS3 was for the same reason that the OP had (poor positioning and cervical lip) but I had laboured naturally up until then and the section was calm.
My VBAC ended in a forceps and was quite tense in the latter stages, my hospital had been sued after an incident where a baby was deprived of oxygen when someone's scar ruptured during a VBAC, the staff were very strict on time limits for the different stages. I remember being on a bit of a high afterwards though, i organised Xmas drinks for the neighbours when I got home from the hospital and had none of the need to go over and over the details of what happened as with my first CS.
Interestingly DS2 is the only baby to be born vaginally in my maternal family for over a hundred years!

I had a vbac some years ago. I do regret it and wish now that I had had a planned c section. My first had been a 40 hour Labour with many complications ending in emcs. Second was a 12 hour labour. I did progress as I had been 9 cm in previous labour. But again baby’s heart rate causing concern and they prepped my for emcs. I was in theatre with full spinal so could feel nothing. They made one attempt at a forceps delivery in theatre which was ‘successful’. I could not push as no feeling. They pull him out in one go. At the time I felt the birth was better but I was pumped full of drugs and felt DC had at least been born vaginally. Afterwards I regretted it because I had a cut and 2 tears which became infected (Also had infection after my c Section). My vagina is completely changed ever since. Totally weird shape. Can’t wear tampons. sex difficult, pelvic floor buggered, wee myself every time I sneeze or cough.
In the short term it felt better because I could actually walk this time and lift my arms to change their happy. First birth I was so exhausted I could barely move. But longer term, body is just so trashed not sure it was worth it.
But I have two healthy DC’s now (I know some don’t) so I should not complain.
But as you know every birth is different and you can’t control anything. It’s pot luck. You just make a decision and fingers crossed it works out. Good luck.

Thank you everyone. This is such a hard decision! I think I had baby blues/ postpartum depression/ PTSD or whatever after my first birth. I had to do injections in my stomach twice a day for 6 weeks and wear surgical stockings. I felt terrible.

I know things also go wrong with vaginal births obviously. My friend had a horrendous tear and lots of physio after.

With having a two year old at home, I worry about carrying for him and a baby properly if I'm in the same state as I was last time. I think I might try for a VBAC but possibly ask for a section if it's all going tits up!

I know a PP said that the midwife told her she could have one if she wanted it, but then when the time came it wasn't allowed which is scary.

Argh. Decisions, decisions!!!

My scar nearly ruptured with baby three after my first was a ECS but I don't know if that was because I'd had a section or because they fucked up the repair.

DD19 was an undiagnosed breech, had an EMCS.

DD17 was a VBAC with epidural (planned as a CS, but went into labour 2 days before the date for that, and she turned before descending) and forceps - which was a bit brutal at the time, but recovered sooooo quickly. Despite intervention, would do it again in a flash.

I am overweight and took a very long time to recover from my EMCS. Took no time at all to recover from VBAC.