Help me decide: VBAC v ELCS

[ofsheffield]

I had an ELCS for breech presentation with my first baby (2 years ago). Now DC2 is due very soon and I have to decide between VBAC and ELCS. Please help me decide! How did you decide? What happened? Do you regret it? My first ELCS was a very good experience but the recovery was painful and difficult.

I had to have a c section with mine.

If I had a second I'd 100% go for the elcs. One main reason is because I had difficulty with being induced/ labour and was told my lady parts may not have ever expanded enough for baby to safely come out safely/ easily. Women in my family are all c sections and none actually were planned sections so makes me wonder if this is due to our structure...?
Anyway to me this puts baby's safety first.

Also, having a dc already I like the idea of knowing a date to work around to prepare however anything can change with pregnancy!

Do you lean towards vbac? I know women who've had great vbac's.

My body took the decision for me. Dd1 long labour waters broke nothing happened induced got stuck emergency c section.

Dd2 born at 35 weeks naturally 4 hours start to finish.

My births so different like they happened to a different person! Don’t assume anything from previous experience

I’m leaning towards VBAC. Just due to recovery time. I’m also fascinated by a natural birth and want to experience it. But I’ll make my mind up much closer to the time. I have friends who have had amazing VBaCs and friends who have ended up with GA sections. So definitely need to give it some thought xx

Thanks for the replies would be grateful for anyone else who feels like sharing too

I suppose I am leaning towards trying VBAC but I am scared I will regret it if I have a traumatic labour or terrible birth injury etc!

I have a 3 month old, born by vbac. Not the natural delivery I would have chosen (failed epidural, instrumental delivery and a bad tear) but I'm still glad to have done it. Despite a pretty bad tear and episiotomy it was still an easier recovery than elcs first time which was a godsend with a 4 year old at home...especially as help has been limited due to covid-19.

I'm due in 9 weeks time and planning for a vbac. I figured if I don't try it I will regret it so I will see how it goes. Good luck x

Congratulations @adag and good luck @Maryam18

I had this dilemma last year - previous EMCS following failed induction. I really wanted either a totally spontaneous water VBAC or a nice calm ELCS. This was our second and almost certainly last baby.

After much, much agonising, I booked an ELCS for 41 weeks with a view to trying for a VBAC if things happened naturally before then. This was because I was scared of another section and had a lot of complicated feelings around my first birth (birth trauma, felt my body had let me down, etc), but felt the odds of an uncomplicated VBAC were not high for me. Baby also looked to be quite large and I was worried about tearing.

I didn’t labour and had the section, and it was exactly the right decision for me. No regrets.

There are two really supportive Facebook groups which you might want to join: VBAC Support Group UK and its sister group, Planned CS Support UK.

I had EMCS with DC1 and ELCS with DC2 - did not want VBAC as did not want to risk EMCS again, or rather the lead up of a 3 day failed induction which left me utterly exhausted.

The ELCS was very "civilised", no rush etc but I was lucky both times to have no issues and quick recovery. I was home in 2 days and climbing the stairs (slowly!) to my second floor bedroom.

I had a VBAC after EMCS and I'm really glad I did it as I got to experience two different types of birth. The VBAC was so much quicker and easier than the first birth so quick that there was no chance of an epidural and I may have wished for a moment I had gone for the section although there was a tear - even then recovery was better than for the section

I had an EMCS for breech ( I went into labour at 37 weeks so before an ELCS could be scheduled) four years ago and it was horrible - I had an infection, DS had to go to NICU for breathing difficulties, I couldn't walk for three days and recovery took about six weeks. I was desperate to avoid another c-section and I managed to have a successful VBAC two and a half weeks ago. It was a wonderful experience. Obviously it hurt (take the epidural!!) but it was so much calmer than the EMCS and it was great to experience a natural birth. It was very healing after the trauma of my first birth. I got a second degree tear but recovering from that has been ten times easier than recovering from the c-section.

I had EMCS with DC1 and VBAC with DC2. Debated whether to have ELCS with dc2 but so glad now that I chose VBAC. Was in and out of hospital within less than 24 hours and recovery afterwards was so quick. I felt so much happier afterwards and more able to enjoy the time with the kids.

I'm hoping for a VBAC after an EMCS with my DD 2 years ago. The CS was for fetal distress - was induced for Gestational Diabetes and only got to 1cm. If I'm honest I just want to experience spontaneous labour (although I am hoping to use the pool) and I won't be upset if it ends in another EMCS although obviously I ideally want to go all the way with it!

Thanks for the replies xx

I'm opting for a vbac. My second baby was breech but I had a vaginal delivery with my first. So I've already experienced both and to me the recovery from the c section was longer and more painful. Now I'm just hoping this baby wont be breech so I can go for a vbac

Thanks @Lilice that's good to know especially as you've experienced both options and your c-section was planned too!

I've very recently done a bit (a lot) of internet research on for my own benefit as I had a week long augmented labour ending in an EMCS and I am now pregnant again. The consultant quoted a 75% chance of successful VBAC but thats for all women including those who have had a normal birth as well.
I've decided to have an ELCS because I didn't progress past 7cm, ds was only 25g lighter than an official heavy baby, his head never engaged properly which really surprised them in theatre and the surgeon told DH I have a small pelvis though it wasn't put on my notes.
The stats for a successful VBAC are slanted towards women who had a CS for reasons other than a long labour or big baby because as one large study noted the long labour/big baby didn't attempt a vbac. So for example if it was a cs for breech there is a better chance of a successful vbac than I have. I couldn't find any stats on percentage of instrumental deliveries for vbac.
Coronavirus is another factor in my decision as I want DH with me the whole time and said if I vbac I wouldn't be able to go past 40 weeks (potential big baby based on last baby not scans) and I can't face induction on my own.

I had a VBAC after an emergency section for failure to progress. DS1 was big and effectively got stuck. I had horrific complications from the section.
Vbac was brilliant. I had DS2 in the pool (had to get consent from consultant MW for that) and all round it was a very positive experience and recovery was so much better. I am so glad I tried. It's such a tough decision to make though. My advice is to keep your options open for as long as you can.

I'm currently 36 weeks with no 2. I had a crash section with DS (premature). I've a section booked for 39 weeks, but more than happy to try vbac if things happen themselves before then. I was given the option of having the c/s a bit later, to have more of a chance of spontaneous labour. That's been a hard decision to make. I'm a bit worried about recovery with a 3 year old at home, but everything I have read suggests recovery from elective is so much better than from emergency.
If I do end up with spontaneous labour, I would have a very low threshold for converting to section if there's the slightest hint of trouble.
The one thing I've been very clear about it not to have an induction, as there's a higher risk of uterine rupture than spontaneous labour.