ELCS vs VBAC- trying to choose! Which have you had?

[Magik01]

Hi ladies, I was after some advice from your own personal experiences. I’ve just had a phone appointment with a midwife to discuss the birth and ether I want to go down the ELCS or VBAC route.

I had an EMCS last time due to induction/breaking waters leading to a cord prolapses so it was very traumatic. I still get really emotional about it now when I talk about it. I would love a normal birth but have been told that I would be constantly monitored due to last time.

I found the recovery from the section really tough last time though- but maybe this was because it was an emergency and so quite rushed?

Which did you choose? Did you think it was the right decision for you? Thank you

Following also need to make the same decision

@mrssunshinexxx is there one you are leaning more towards at all?

I chose a VBAC with my second following emergency c-section with my first. Unfortunately it didn't work and once again I just didn't dilate despite strong contractions, so it ended in another c-section. But I have absolutely no regrets about my decision. I had hypnotherapy and was super calm, gave it my best shot and now know that my body just doesn't dilate! I am tiny, my babies were big, and as my hypnotherapist said 'you can't get a Viking baby out of Anglo-Saxon hips'.
So I got peace and resolution from the experience.
Plus the monitoring is reassuring, and they didn't leave me as long. It was 3 days with baby 1, 12 hours with baby 2. And no real emergency like with baby 1, who was very distressed and his heartbeat was dropping. So not distressing at all, and recovery was easier.

I had a VBAC in 2020, two years after an emergency csection for a breech baby. It went really well and apparently was a textbook delivery. I only spent 3 hours on the delivery suite until baby arrived. Recovery was much easier than the csection despite narrowly avoiding a 3rd degree tear.

It’s a personal decision though and apparently having a vbac after breech has good success rates. What’s the chance of a prolapsed cord again?

hi, I had to have ELSC with my 4th (footling breech) but there was no compelling reason to have a C-section for any of the others so I had my youngest 3 by VBAC.
no issues.
best of luck

@HiScore it probably isn’t likely for that specific thing to happen again. But I think the trauma of the crash section really affected my mental health, and that 25% chance of it happening again (albeit not for the same reason) really terrifies me.

I chose VBAC and found the recovery much better. Although I couldn’t believe how sore my body was for a couple of days it was like I had done a full work out. But if I was to go again I’d choose a VBAC over a section. Driving and getting out and about is a big thing for me.

I opted for an ELCS after EMCS (failed induction). Partly because I couldn't face another traumatic experience and partly because of the stats for my age and history. There was a less than 50% chance of VBAC succeeding with something like 18% chance of tearing leading to anal incontinence. There was no way I was going for anything other than an ELCS after I read that!

The ELCS was lovely, out in 24 hours, much easier recovery and definitely helped me feel more in control.

@Magik01 yesterday I was 100% for VBAC today I'm 100% section.
My first birth wasn't traumatic and it was classed as a semi elective section. I think after I've spoken to the consultant which I really hope my husband can come to aswell hoping that will help. I have read that if you went into labour naturally I.e waters breaking you have more chance of successful natural birth but also that if the reason you had section was due to failure to progress than that's a negative towards a VBAC and my waters went naturally but I failed to get past 3/4cm in 26 hours

These threads are usually really pro ELCS. Just to give the opposite view, I had a VBAC (after a traumatic cat 1 CS under general anaesthetic). DC2 was premature (35 weeks) so under 6 lb, but it was a really easy labour - under 1 hour. (DC3 arrived the same way, at an even earlier gestation, 3 years later). But I found it a very easy decision to make - I was determined to "have another go" after the CS for DS1 and prepared to risk it going the same way again. I know I got very lucky with my subsequent deliveries though.

I don't know about anyone else, but I do feel on the back foot with my CS deliveries, as though they should be defended. Probably this is because of my midwife and consultant pushing VBAC hard and telling me "don't you want to at least try?!".

Everyone on this thread, whether VBAC or ELCS, has gone on to try/"have another go". Both are giving birth - there isn't a hierarchy. A CS isn't a second rate delivery. I'm a big believer that women who have CS deliveries would find it better mentally if there was less negativity about it generally. Women should also have much easier access to the outcome stats for their circumstances in both scenarios - making an informed decision is impossible without this.

I had a horrific emcs last year that impacted my bonding and mental health. I would choose an elcs as I'm terrified I'd end up in an emergency again. I've been told I'm a good candidate for a VBAC; I got to 10cm and pushed but baby was transverse (shouldn't have been forced to push transverse baby as she got stuck but that's another story!) it's just too much of a risk for me.

I had an elective c section after an emergency one three years before; due to medical reasons they strongly advised me to have a c section but I would have chosen that anyway because:
-I was heavily traumatised by my emergency one so to have a natural birth that ended in an emergency one would have risked triggering my trauma massively
-I didn’t want a heavily monitored natural birth strapped to a monitor etc
-after my first birth I needed the second one to feel a bit more controlled
I found the recovery not too bad the second time around, I think in part because I was prepared for it so had made plans before hand to make it easier, I knew to just take it easy and I knew to strictly manage my pain relief. I also think that because the doctors could take their time as I wasn’t going into it already exhausted and stressed out that made it so much easier to recover from.
One of my friends had a VBAC and felt that was a very positive experience and is glad she chose that but it wouldn’t have been right for me

I have had 2 ELCS and I’m very glad I did. Very relaxed atmosphere, I wasn’t panicking in the lead up to my due date, the team were fantastic and I’m really
Pleased with my decisions.
As I knew I was booked in, I could make plans for the recovery and carried on with light exercise right until the end to make my recovery easier.
Good luck with whatever you decide.

I had an ELCS as with my DS the labour didn’t occur naturally and I didn’t want to be induced. My DC was 4.5 kg in 41w1d. Right now I’m expecting a DD and there’s an option for VBAC however due to the previous baby’s weight my midwife is advising for another ELCS as there’s a good chance the baby will be big again. I have not yet decided but for me a natural birth is the one with no interventions so no induction and no instrumental delivery. Last time I had a growth scan that underestimated my DS weight my 1.1kg. I’m not sure how fast I will recover after the CS last time it was great a walk in the park but I stayed at the Westminster suite for 3 nights and this time I have my DS at home so more complex than last time.

I had an emcs with DS after a very long labour at 42 weeks because he was too big to exit.
I booked an elcs for dd and they said it would be at 39+1. She arrived at 38+4 and I changed my mind when labour started and had a vbac. It was bloody painful, very hard and there was only just enough room but apart from an episiotomy (which I wish they’d done 20 mins sooner) it was unassisted. Recovery was really quick.
I was strapped to the monitor all the time and it did irritate me a bit during pushing, I shoved it out the way during contractions and the nice student midwife put it back. But I was glad to be on it. I was very much in the zone in both my labours but in my first I was aware of the distress, which they weren’t bothering about, that DS was in. In labour with dd I kept glancing at the monitor and could see she was fine so I could stop worrying and get on with pushing.
I also didn’t actually want to get off the bed or move around whereas in my first labour I couldn’t bear to lay down.

I would love a normal birth but have been told that I would be constantly monitored due to last time

why would you need extra monitoring because you had a prolapsed cord last time? It’s a freak accident basically, you’re very unlikely to have it happen again

@orpah think it’s because it would be a vbac either way so would need to monitor the scar/baby.

I had a VBAC in November. My first birth was an EMCS 37 hours after my waters broke, with an OP (back to back) baby. I was really lucky with my EMCS recovery and actually found
It very easy but I didn’t fancy pushing my luck with a second if I could help it. Especially not with a two year old to look after as well.

I decided to use the birth centre after doing my research about scar rupture rates and the value of continuous monitoring vs. intermittent. I had a meeting with one of the birth centre lead midwives to do a risk assessment (after discussing with my consultant). My waters broke, contractions started properly around 3-4 hours later, and she was born 6 hours after that. I laboured in the pool, and delivered her on land (my choice 1 I started to feel too hot in the pool). I had a couple of grazes and a small first degree tear. It was sore for a couple of weeks because it went sideways and kept reopening when I walked but it was nothing compared to having a surgical scar. I was able to walk a few miles within a couple of days and could easily carry DD around and get on with stuff. It was a really fantastic, empowering experience.

@LolaNova that sounds lovely and I’m so glad some women do get that. Unfortunately I’ve been told if I chose vbac then I would be in the hospital on the delivery ward and that a water birth is a no no. 😭

@Magik01 If it’s something you want, then I would pursue it. Seek a second, third, or even fourth opinion. Just because it’s against policy, doesn’t mean it’s forbidden.

My hospital has one or two waterproof monitors that you can move around with also maybe ask if yours does @LolaNova