Elective c-section or VBAC...............cant make up my mind!!

[biglips]

As i had an emergency c-section first time round as i had an induction as was 12 days late and found out that DD was back to back, too high and her face was facing to my left after 17 hours labour. (i had an transverse pg and DD's head was engaged at 36 weeks).

i dont really fancy another emergency c-section this time round but i had no problems recovering.

How late can i decide which one to go for and to give the answer to my midwife?

im now 9 weeks.

i would appreciate for some advice

I might consider a VBAC if I knew that, were I to then need a CS, there would be experienced and capable staff around to perform it.

Thing is, if you end up in an over-stretched NHS at the wrong time (weekends, bank holidays, nights) when obs cons are in short supply - you and/or your child might live, or die, to regret it.

Apparently women who've done a lot of ballet or horseriding have particularly unstretchy perineums! Ex-ballet/dance teacher friend was told this by her MW after being stitched up.

Bubble, that applies to anyone giving birth who is reliant on the NHS, not just VBACers! Trying to give birth whilst sharing a MW with someone else in labour can't be fun either .

Oh yes, one of my resons for haveing a section is that it is the only way to guarantee the undivided attention of a medical doctor.

Bubble

so what are the chances of having a emergency c-section twice in a row?

Depends why the first one was emergency really. Some things are more likely to happen again than others.

Think the VBAC success rate at my hospital was about 60 - 70%, but others will know more.

REdadmiral, I think I was given a similar statistic at QC. So, that means of course that you have a 30-40% chance of having an emergency section if you choose to go for a VBAC. That's a pretty high chance in my book.

But, yes, it foes of course depend on hy you had the first section. For example if your pelvis was too small / baby's head too biug then you are quite likely to have the same problem. If the baby was breech, there is a good chance that won't happen again.

Biglips - one other factor to consider (which I hadn't really thought about until I read a thread on here recently) is how many children you'd like to have. Sections get riskier the more you have, so if you may want to have more than 3 children, say, you might be better off going for a VBAC to preserve your options for later on?

Biglips, it is worth talking to your consultant and clarifying why you had to have a c section, if it was due to the baby being in an awkward postion, there is no reason that would happen again, and there are things you can do in pregnancy and during labour to help baby get into a good position.

I agree with Bramshott. If you want a large faily (4 or more) then that would probably be the one thing that might persuade even me to go for a VBAC.

it's worth remembering on the vbac ''success'' rates that even first time mums have only a 75% chance of a vaginal birth in many hospitals, so I always looked at it the other way round . . you have more or less the same chance of having a vaginal birth as you did the first time round.
completely agree about thinking beyond this pregnancy if relevant to you, they get riskier the more you have

lulu- how do i get to spk to a consultant?...thru my midwife?

ASk your midwife for a referal. If she gives you the run aroung, make an appointment with your GP and ask him/her to refer you. You might get some resistance so early in the pregnancy. But, I could never understand why they thought it would be okay to wait until 4 weeks before I was due to start thinking about method of delivery. I'd be a nervous wreck by then!

you will automatically see a consultant at some point as you have had a previous c,s. you can ask to see someone about your notes and the reason for your previous c.s sooner, so that you can get the ball rolling on making up your mind....

A "successful" VBAC in those stats also includes a horrible instrumental, loads-of-tears delivery. I feared that more than em cs as it would be a whole new set of scars.
Looking back at my second 15 months ago, I wish I'd just made up my mind and stuck with it. I drove consultant and husband mad with my vascillating and changed my mind daily. Without a crystal ball you can't ever really know, so just try to find out what you what rather than what anybody else advises and stick with it. Reading your message, I'm suspecting in your heart of hearts you want an el cs but I could be wrong.
Pol
ps I opted for a vbac with a el cs booked for 41 weeks. sure enough by 41 weeks still no labour so had cs. Was disappointed for about three seconds, but as soon as I'd given birth it all seemed utterly irrelevant. Now I'm pg with third and it's cs all the way.

ooh ooh biglips! so exciting, congratulations!

listen to lulu on this she is most wise

i deliberated all through my pg with dd about whether to vbac or elective. i didn"t really fancy either much. but by the time that i had got my head round it, i was past my due date and had the elective. it was ok - i found it really stressful without the hormones of labour to help me cope - but i would have preferred to go into labour, even if ended up with an emergency c/s.

if you are at lwh they are very good about this, in the main very pro vbac but totally suppvrtive whatever you decide. try to get an appointment with the consultant themself rather than with their juniors and talk through what is best fvr you. if you go for ecs they will book you in as close to 40 weeks as poss.

thrilled, for you.

I have had 2 sections, both emergency however the 2nd would have been elective anyway had i gone term. I only have the 1 scar as the surgeon went completely over the original, infact its now better than it ever was and has no 'ridge' this time. Recovery this time was also easier despite me having a 4year old. I have been advised that if and when i decide on number 3 it will be safer to have another section, but even if that was not the case i would have elected for one anyway.

sorry biglips, m'dear

can i just ask, if you have an elective, is it harder for your milk to come through? i had an emergency c section last time and was awful, and milk took ages. Anyone know? [don't mean to hijack - am in similar position of indecision to you Biglips!]

Ruty i dont think so, my DS was 10weeks early so i had an emergency cs and bottle fed. But loads of women in there were Breastfeeding after electives and I am still in contact with a lot of them. I know they did not have any probs. And even though I bottle fed my milk was almost instant after the section which surprised me with him being so early.

Can only say that it wasn't a problem for me with either my emergency or elective. Labour hormones are supposed to help with getting the milk started, though, so have heard that its possibly sometimes harder after an elective.

thank you. guess i'll have to wait and see!

My milk came through on time after elective. (I did make lots of effort to feed frequently, even waking her up from deep sleep because I was paranoid about supply.)

Tried VBAC after baby no 1 emergency section after 3 days and getting to 9cm..
Baby no 2 scar started to rupture so he ended up in distress spent 5 days on NICU then got jaundiced And wouldnt feed, took a month to get him to breast feed properly. I got post natal depression I'm sure from all the shock and seperation.
3rd baby planned section - Bliss was able to organise my child care, felt fantastic after as I was exhausted from labouring..
VBAC 50-60% success rate which means 40-50% end up in section again anyway