Help please re VBAC 1st stage time limit

[BBrush]

Hello!
I'm looking to have a VBAC for my second baby. I would love to have a vaginal birth (I'm a kg hypnobirthing teacher so it comes with the territory) however I know that there are time limits to how long they'll let you remain in the first stage of labour, and I don't want to be in that situation (where I know there's a time limit) because I know the subconscious effect that could have on my body in labour.

Can anyone tell me what happens if you reach that limit (I believe it's usually 10 hours) if you aren't at the second stage? Do you still have choices? Or is it straight to theatre? And what if you have a HBAC (home birth after caesarean)? Do the same time limits apply?

I guess I want to feel reassured that I'll have choices and will be able to say no to anything I don't want (I'm already planning to say no to constant foetal monitoring). KGH teaches you that you ALWAYS have choices, but having already experienced one birth, I'm aware that it does not always feel that way.

Any light anyone can shed would be much appreciated :)

For my Attempted Vbac I was in labour for 72 h before they would admit me to hospital. Horrific contractions Every 6-10 mins throughout but slow progress due to back to back. I would tell the midwives I was a Vbac attempt when I’d call but they weren’t interested til contractions were closer together. So in my experience no one really cared about the time limits. If you stay at home as long as you can then you should get longer too. I ended up with a csection ultimately but baby was in a Terrible position and nearly 10lb so wasn’t happening any other way for me! Best of luck for yours

I had a vbac 2.5 years ago and actually wasn't aware about a first stage limit? I was aware that they recommended intervention after an hour of pushing, and the midwife did say there was flexibility there depending on how things were going (we actually cut things short before I reached an hour because my baby was badly positioned and it clearly wasn't going to happen).

I had a successful VBAC.

With my first child I hit the time limits. They let me go beyond a bit as dd was not in distress, they knew I wanted a vaginal birth, I was progressing - just slowly - and I was young and fit. (I was admitted at 7pm at 7 cm and they didn’t’ do the c-section until 10am the next day.)

With my second child everything was much quicker - presumably because I had already got to 9cm before so my body knew what to do. If I remember right I hit 4 cm at about 2pm and by 5pm I had had a baby! Time limits really were not an issue.

Did you attempt to labour with your first? As anything you have done before your body knows what to do so will likely be much quicker. (I know one person who had to jump red lights to make it to hospital on time, one who gave birth in the hospital car park and one who had an un-expected home birth with husband playing role of midwife - all with their second babies.)

Thanks for your replies ladies!

I was an ELCS first time as my son was breech and my hospital wouldn't support a vaginal birth. It's because I've never gone into natural labour before that I'm thinking it might take a while...

Just to let you know, since my post, I've been talking to Katherine Graves herself and she assures me that apparently you have to give informed consent for them to do anything, otherwise, from a legal standpoint, it's considered battery and you could sue them! So if anyone else reading this is wondering the same thing, the time limit is just a guideline/hospital protocol and you can take as long as you like to birth your baby. You just have to be prepared that they might try and talk you into intervention. If they do - ask them why - is it just protocol or are you/your baby actually at risk?

Hi 👋🏻 midwife here. There are no time limits. If things are progressing once in established labour, and no concerns with you or baby labour will Be left alone to continue.

I had a VBAC after having a CS at 9cm first time round. I was actually induced with propess. Pessary went in 7.30pm, contracted from 9pm until 9am, waters broken 10.30, active labour from midday, fully dilated at 9pm when I had synto started as wasn’t contracting much and pushed baby out at 1am. All 10lb of him (first baby 10lb 5oz).

Good luck 😍