Whose had a successful VBAC after a recent section ?

[mrssunshinexxx]

As the title says
I will have 15months between births and can't decide what to do. Went for section with my lo after 26 hours I was only 4cm dilated and totally exhausted emotionally and physically who knows what would of happened if I had carried on I had an epidural to try get some rest but it didn't work at all x

Congratulations! VBAC UK on Facebook is apparently really useful. You can also Google VBAC calculator on Google and this will tell you your likely success rate.

Thank you I'll join ! @Chanel05

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I had 3 years between my emcs and VBAC. The VBAC was unplanned as I had booked a section but changed my mind when labour started. It felt very different to my first labour even from the very early contractions. I did have a long pushing stage and an episiotomy.

@mayblossominapril any regrets you didn't go for section ? I will only be allowed 2 hours pushing due to the short gap. How long were you pushing x

No I don’t regret saying no to the section.
I pushed for just over 2 hours and was monitored constantly there was no change in dds heart rate throughout. The doctor was in and out checking and I did really have to push. I must have had to push more than most women because the student midwife when she did the 10 day discharge said she hadn’t seen anyone push as hard before.
It was a very painful 12 hours. I had pethidine, gas and air and tens machine but much less painful afterwards although I did take ibuprofen for about a week afterwards. The episiotomy took about the same time to heal as my cs scar did. I had horrendous muscle ache from the pushing but overall felt much better. I was too knackered to be bothered with thebaby afterwards though !

Two hours pushing is the limit at the hospital I gave birth in for VBAC although they let me push for a little longer because it was effective pushing.

Sounds like you did so well to not need intervention @mayblossominapril yeah I suppose they have their rules but would bend them in certain situations. My scar is quite sore to touch I don't knnow if I'm doing the right thing but i so want to try again for a vaginal birth but I'm scared I'm putting us both in danger with the risk of scar rupture it's a hard decision
I hated my section recovery I had 2 infections and didn't feel anywhere near normal til 4 months after but I do wonder if alot of that is to do with the fact I was in labour for 26 hours before the surgery and a planned one would be much better on my body

I had an emergency section with first and had a very successful Vbac with second. There was less than 19 months between them. Labour was about 4.5 hours long, I was on the labour ward less than 40 mins before giving birth.

@waitingpatientlyforspring this is what I wish flr but I'm anxious it's all just going to wrong

@waitingpatientlyforspring may. I ask what happened with your first ? How long were you in labour how come you had a section x

[quote mrssunshinexxx]@waitingpatientlyforspring may. I ask what happened with your first ? How long were you in labour how come you had a section x[/quote]
I was induced at 38+3 due to gestational diabetes. I was given a pessary and a sweep which was awful and made my baby move back to back. He moved so much they thought he might have gone breach so scanned me but he was still head down. I had mild contractions all night and second day had my waters broken and put on the drip to strengthen contractions. By evening I was pushing but not progressing. Was examined expecting to need forceps and was told right away it would be a section. Thankfully the section was done via spinal block rather than general which was a concern as I had, had two failed epidurals. I'm very overweight so had been warned that a general has more risk.

My second came really quickly and was a perfect labour- she was born at 38+5 days which is what my son was born at (just, he was delivered after midnight on officially third day of induction).

From 37 weeks I lived on an exercise ball bouncing and labourer on there before going into hospital (for about 3 hours). I don't know for sure this made a difference but I always recommend a ball.

Didn't add, it was because he was back to back that he didn't come out. I think if I had been allowed to go naturally with him then it probably would have been different but they were worried he would be a big baby due to GD. He was 1lb more than his sister born the same gestation so I guess he was bigger than he might have been but not 'big' in the sense of bug babies 😀

Thank you @waitingpatientlyforspring second birth sounds so smooth bet you were elated. What was the gaps between babies ? Mine is only 15 months this is what I'm worried about.
I was on the ball a lot with my lo in the weeks running upto labour and went into labour naturally at 40+3 and she was 7.6lb

Successful vbac after emcs, 23 months in between.
Ds didn’t turn his head into the pelvis first time round and got stuck. I saw an osteopath around 34 weeks to “clear the way” for dd and from the first contraction to her being born was around 6 hours.
It took me ages to recover from the emcs, vbac was a much better experience for me.

@waitingpatientlyforspring should add my epidural also failed this puts me off a VBAC I know I'll want pain relief my friend just gave birth and had pethidine she said it was amazing

Thank you @PenOrPencil interesting about the osteopath what did they do?

[quote mrssunshinexxx]@waitingpatientlyforspring should add my epidural also failed this puts me off a VBAC I know I'll want pain relief my friend just gave birth and had pethidine she said it was amazing[/quote]
I went into first wanting gas and air only, had pethadine which did nothing and as I said before, two failed epidurals.

With second the labour was so different, I did most at home with nothing and gas and air for about 30 mins at hospital (that was pretty good).

I've only had two births but both were very different. However, I would take a vaginal birth over a section any day. It really isn't the easy option so don't feel bad if thats what you go for.

I think it's about understanding your body and your last labour. I have a friend who had a section after going to 42 weeks, days of labour etc then needing a section. However, she has had multiple treatments on her cervix prior to pregnancy and that has clearly affected her body. She is pregnant again and having a planned section. This absolutely the right and best choice for her.

@mrssunshinexxx

Thank you *@waitingpatientlyforspring* second birth sounds so smooth bet you were elated. What was the gaps between babies ? Mine is only 15 months this is what I'm worried about. I was on the ball a lot with my lo in the weeks running upto labour and went into labour naturally at 40+3 and she was 7.6lb

There is less than 19 months between mine. We started trying again as soon as I knew I would have my qualifying months pay after I returned to work so went back 3 weeks after getting a BFP 😂

I broke my coccyx yonks ago and according to the osteopath it was wonky and got in the way of ds. He fixed the coccyx (bent it back into the right position) so that dd had a clear exit. My back pain disappeared as well, which was a nice bonus.

That's great news @PenOrPencil !
I chipped mine falling off a horse years ago. I wish I knew why my epidural failed

@waitingpatientlyforspring definitely sounds the right option for your friend. I know you are right but I think there is a definite stigma around c sections being the easy route my recovery was awful that's what puts me off but I think it was likely becagse I had been in labour for so long first. I have abit of time on my side but feel totally 50:50 so don't know how I will decide.
I got pregnant when lo was 6 months it happened month 1 which we were not expecting I hadn't had a period and was still bf about 8 times a night so was a big shock but a lovely one x

I did regret not choosing the cs in the middle of the pushing stage! I think I hit the doctor before the midwife sent him out and saying she’s going to push this one out.
In terms of easiness. I found the cs easier during ( I did labour for days before I had the cs though) and the VBAC easier after.
If I have another I would book a cs for 40weeks ( I wouldn’t be allowed over) and hope to start naturally. At the first sign of trouble I’d want a cs.
If you book a cs you can change your mind. I think it’s harder to change your mind the other way.

I had about 18 months between mine, had a similar emergency section after 26 hours with my first and a horrendous recovery period.

I really wanted a VBAC to avoid the recovery again but unfortunately my second got stuck in the same place as my first. I only pushed for a short time before they took me for a section but it was much calmer than my first as my body wasn't completely broken that's time around! They booked my section for 41 weeks to give me a week for natural labour to kick in (which it did 45 minutes before my scheduled section!)

@mayblossominapril it's all so unpredictable I'm thinking to book section for 41 weeks I wouldn't want to go past that due to risk of still birth and the baby getting bigger and bigger.

Ah bless you, trooper ! @Wtfdidwedo kind of think go for it but have low threshold for c section but then I'm not gunna give it my all should I just go for section

Urgh I'm being a man in the next life no big decisions like this