Anyone else having or had an HBAC? Tell me I'm not the only one....

[Taichimum]

After traumatic first hospital birth and c-section I am planning a home birth in Feb with a very supportive homebirth midwifery practice. They are not phased by the fact that it is an HBAC and have good stories of a few successful previous HBACs they have done. Even the hospital, whilst not officially supporting my decision as it goes against their policy, unofficially have said go for it as long as you are well informed.
However I know that it is quite an unusual thing to do and would really like to hear from people who have already done it or are planning to do it. Any birth stories,advice or reassurance appreciated.
If there is even one other imminent HBACer out there I am sure we could do a lot to support each other .

Taichimum - not sure if this is any use or not but Kitsilano recently had a HBAC, she posted her story on the "Support for Imminent VBAC'rs" thread.
It sounded like an incredibly good experience!

DaisyMOO is a doula who had a HBA2C !

she;ll no doubt see this, if she doesn;t, then i;ll email her this link

have you been debriefed on your traumatic birth ? really important to put that experience to bed before you embark on another .

Good for you! I didn't appreciate how unusual it was until I mentioned it to my midwife yesterday and she said told me that they would be unlikely to let me - dd was a c-section, ds a VBAC in hospital (which was a grim experience)- as I'd be classified high risk and it was probably only the London hospitals with their domino one-to-one midwives that would do this .

I know you can demand a home birth but I'm not sure I've got the energy to fight it and possibly alienate all the healthcare people who I would be expecting to help me.

There is a yahoo group here. Haven't had time to delve too deeply in but I'm sure you'll find lots of inspiring stories.

I see my midwife again in Jan but will follow your thread with interest.

Thanks for all your messages I will track down Kitsilanos post on the VBAC thread.
Hopefully Daisymoo will post on this thread - thanks for looking out for me Camillathe chicken.
I have not been debriefed on DS's birth and I wish I had in some ways. I did not make a complaint as I was too traumatised to even go in the hospital and had no copy of my notes until I started thinking about having another babe. I had to pay handsomely for a copy of my notes under the FOI act as they did not give me a copy at the time. The cheek Reading it did take me back and did help in some way I think.
I have had two mc's since followed by short term counselling, which is when I realised how much the birth had effected me. I think the counselling did help and also changing hospitals and opting out of even going to hospital at all really has helped. Even if I end up on hospital my lovely supportive and competant homebirth midwife can come with me. I think that is why I am not too worried as it was the appalling midwifery that made it so traumatic last time.
Bamboo- I think you need to feel sure that you would get good support from a really good competant midwife to have an HBAC. Mostly on the NHS this can not be guarenteed, especially if your hospital does not want you to do it. You might be sent a midwife who is unsure how to handle an HBAC and might even be reluctant/panicy/nervous about it, which would be awful. Can you afford a doula? That might make all the difference.
Without the confidence in the midwifery I am getting (luckily for me on NHS) I would not be having an HBAC (in fact would have had an elective c-section).

Hello! Yep, I had a HBA2C just over two years ago and it was a brilliant, positive and very healing experience. I'm a bit snowed-under at the moment and have posted loads about my experiences before - if you search under my name and HBA2C you should be able to find it. Happy to answer any specific questions if I can!

I'm going for my 3rd HBAC in january, so not long now! I wouldn't have it any other way, though I've had to go through the 'no i don't need to see a consultant' 'yes, i have done my research/yes I am aware of the risks' 'yes I will consider any advice given to me' hoops each time. they don't seem too fazed by it at all this time -that's the blesing of being with the same team of midwives, who I've had chance to discuss my views with many times, so we know where we are all coming from IYKWIM.
I've only had to put my foot down once in all this time and that was when one of the team (not renowned for her bedside manner) tried to quote total bollocks at me, then produced 'minutes' of our meeting which were so far from what was said that they were laughable.to compound it at 10pm on a sunday morning,she came into my house without knocking and without an appointment to give me them - so a letter went out the next day to her supervisor refusing her permission to enter my home under any circumstances , never be afraid to do that if you need to, it's very empowering

I think you've hit the nail on the head when you say you need absolute confidence in the midwifery you'll be getting, Taichimum. It's fantastic that this support is there for you.

For my part, I think I may end up requesting an elective section. I won't be doing that lightly, but I know I recovered from my section far better than my VBAC. In my experience it seems such a lottery whether you get decent care when you turn up in labour. I really struggled with my VBAC and ended up with a episiotomy and ventouse delivery so I am lacking in confidence that I could birth unassisted anyway - though I would have liked the opportunity to try at home.

I have been mulling over whether a hospital VBAC with a doula might be the answer for me. I'm due at the end of April so probably should decide on this soon, I guess. Looking at the doulauk site there doesn't seem to be anyone that local. I'd be worried they wouldn't make it in time as ds birth would have been quite quick, I think, but for the fact he was in an awkward position.

Jamila169, hope all goes well for you in Jan, though you sound an old hand at it by now .

Bamboo - Genreally doulas go within an hour of their home - so there maybe someone out there closer than you think. Plus there are always people training - someone may be closer than you think!

Cx

I know of quite a few HBACers, VBA2Cers, HBA2Cers, a VBA3Cer and lots of ordinary VBACers on another forum

You're not unusual to me! If your MW are supportive, then go for it! Listen to your instincts at all times.

Here's a good reference site if you've not already come across it.

Happy VBAC planning

Hi Taichimum, I've never had a C/S but just wanted to say good luck with your HBAC, my HB was lovely.

Here I am! I had an emergency c-section with my dd1 after a long labour and attempted ventouse. She was OP and brow presentation. I was so determined not to go through the same thing again if possible so I hired independent midwives. I didn't actually 100% commit to a HBAC until the day as I was a bit nervous of the risks and knew I wanted to transfer to hospital if anything at all out of the ordinary was happening. In the event it was a wonderful experience. The birth story is on the VBAC thread. It was all so quick that hospital never seemed a realistic option (though we discussed it at one point early on when the baby's heart rate went up - soon went down again).

I think do your research, understand the risks and be relaxed and confident with what you decide. My HBAC was pretty much the dream birth (apart from the fact that they couoldn't get the gas and air to work!) and I am ever so grateful to have had that experience. I feel that being at home rather than hospital helped me to have a VBAC.

Happy to answer any other questions. Apologies for typos as I am dashing this off when I should be snatching some sleep. Best of Luck!!

Kits

nothing to add other than my good wishes and admiration (I chickened out and had an elective second time around )

I'm so happy things are going well for you.

Good Luck xx

(daisybump from June 06 AN here)

Daisymoo thanks for your post. Had a search for you but could not find any details of your actual HBA2C. Only if you have time, would be really interested to hear how it went if you can find a post.
jamila169 - congrats on your mulitple successful HBACS - Your medical profs sound horrendous. It is just as well for you that you are experienced at this and can stick to your guns.
Bamboo - I think a hosp VBAC with doula sounds like a good plan, if you can get one within an hour away. Very few labours are quicker than that! It could be that the delivery was hard purely because your DS was in a awkward position and this time it might be easier. I can see why an elective C-section is tempting though.
Klaw I have seen that website and spent a lot of time on it when I was making my decision. It is really good. Thanks for making me feel a bit more ordinary!
Kitsilano I just read your birth story on the Vbacers thread. You lucky thing! Everyone dreams of a labour like that. My DS was back to back and labour was long, unsuccessful and excrutiatingly painful from the beginning, so I think no matter what it can't get worse for me this time. Or can it
Daisybump - thanks for posting. It is so nice of you to remember me. I hope things are going well for you and all the other June mums
Sittingonatoadstool - thanks for your positive story. Care to share any more detail about your birth story?
To any of you veteran HBACers, did you have any pain in your scar during labour or any worrying moments eg. drop in fetal hearbeat. Anyone had any dehiscence during/as a result of labour? Were you monitored every 15 mins or so? Did you use a pool?

Oh Taichimum, you are anything but ordinary! You are "Very Beautiful And Courageous" (Quote from the VBAC Experience by Lynn Baptisti Richards which I am reading now!)

Anyway, my CS was 12 years before my VBAC and it never crossed my mind in labour to worry about my scar.... I had no continuous pain there and felt confident. That doesn't mean that dehiscence or rupture can't happen without pain, tho. Although i reckon it's more likely.

Have you seen Mary Cronk's article on scar monitoring? That woman is fab!!! I see her posting on a midwifery yahoo group!

I have been with someone who did rupture once we got to hospital so I am respectful of the teeny risks of rupture, but have not known anyone else whilst posting on a very busy VBAC board for nearly 3 years!

I myself had some decels during labour which resolved with changing position and then was whisked off for spinal, episiotemy and forceps for my VBAC. I think better support and less reliance on CFM would have avoided that, but that's because I know what I do now about childbirth.

You are not mad to plan a HBAC and by the sounds of it you are educating yourself very well about childbirth. You will labour very well at home and I have no doubt that you will listen to your instincts and make the right decisions should they be needed.

Taichimum

Re your questions above - I did have some pain in my scar or at least that ares right at the end when the baby was coming out. I was a bit worried but the mw seemed relaxed that it was because of the stage of labour I was at. Also again just as I was in the final stages of pushing the baby's heart rate dropped and the mw made me get on my left side. I could hear the urgency in her voice and it was a bir scary. Baby was born with cord around her neck so mw thought it was that which caused hr to drop.

I was monitored every 15 mins and used the bath but no pool.

Alos my first dd was back to back I had a long very painful labour, an hour of pushing, 2 attempts at ventouse and then the emc. It was BAD! So have faith that things can be better then next time. I know it is hard - the very morning I went into labour I was moaning to my sister that I just knew I was going to have another terrible long painful labour and another c-sectioon. And look what happened!

Best of luck

Excuse all the typos...

also had a fab hbac after a previous hospital vbac (episiotomy/ventouse). i only decided on it at the last minute really once i'd done the hospital tour and all the reasons why i don't like hospitals came flooding back. my mw team were v supportive i just had to get signed off by the consultant which was also easy,no fighting, just 'these are the risks' 'ok i'd still like to go ahead' 'ok then, sign here'. i had a pool, but didn't deliver in it, and a wonderful doula who gave me so much moral support. no problems with scar, hb dropped at the end, she had cord round neck and needed a bit of oxygen when born but it wasn't a scary moment. only thing that got on my nerves was the regular heartbeat checks that i had to stand up/lie down/blah blah for but not the kind of thing i'd complain about!