VBAC- advice please

[Izzywhizzy]

My dd is 11 months old and I'm now 8 weeks pregnant with number two.

DD was born by emergency ceasarean and I was advised to wait for a year before getting pregnant again.

Well, whoops! Contrary to plans, I found out a month ago that I was up the duff again.

I tried very hard to give birth to dd the natural way (30 hours on gas and air before I admitted defeat) and I'd really like to avoid going under the knive again if possible.

At my booking in appointment last week, I asked the nurse if she thought that was going to be possible and she said it was unlikely that they would let me go for a VB, because I hadn't left a big enough gap.

I'm still feeling really disappointed about this. I have my first scan on 11 April, and will ask again then, but does anyone out there have experience of VBAC without a year's gap between pregnancies?

[ButterflyBessie]

Hi IzzyWhizzy

Don't worry about the gap, my first vbac attempt was with a 19 month gap, didn't work but not because of rupture, because of medics panicking my dh

My next vbac attempt (vba2c) was after 20months, I succeeded .

You do have to be determined and not fall at the first hurdle, do your research and don't just agree with what the medics say - I was told I would die if I went for a vba2c I did go for one and I aint a ghost

Congratulations on your pregnancy and good luck

[Klaw]

By franke on Wed 19-Mar-08 14:01:05

"so will have to have the conversation yet again with the cons about going for a trial of labour this time around."

Actually, franke, you don't even have to see cons. You are allowed to decline cons care. They will mark it in your records but they can't do anything else and they can't then refuse to see you at a later date should you have valid reason to need one. Duty of care and all that.

If you decide to labour up a mountain with a goat in attendance, that is YOUR right.

If you have any valid medical reason to see a cons at any point then you will see one, but you don't need to see one when planning a normal birth. Not many people realise this and it may be seen as controversial by some but it is the truth, even for a VBACer

[franke]

That's kind of you Klaw but I'm in Germany and it is slightly different here, although yes, my rights are the same. I've side-stepped all OTT medical 'care' so far this pg (that's the marvel of the choice that compulsory private healthcare gives you, makes avoidance much easier) but when I go to my hospital of choice to tell them that's where I'll be going to have the baby it will be quite difficult to avoid this particular convo (You register at the hospital a few weeks in advance of your edd here). It's not really a cons I talk to but the head doctor bod of the delivery suite or whatever. But don't worry - I gave the silly bint short shrift last time (and quite enjoyed it as it happened) so I have no fear of doing the same this time if I have to - I think of it as my way of putting something positive back into the system
(Thanks for your concern though - I appreciate it )

[Klaw]

Oh I see!

However, I'd recommend printing off all relevant info and taking a folder with you so you can show research based evidence to support you. The benefits of the internet, we can find all thuis stuff, my bookmarks page is a mile long!

If said 'silly bint' starts with any nonsense you disagree with ask her to give you written evidence to support her claims/offers/opinions/whatever and watch her squirm! Cos I bet she won't be able to!

[ernest]

I had vbac 17 months after the op, so ds was only about 8 months old when got pg. Actually no one expresed concern about the birth, in fact, doctor looked when I asked if I would have to have another c-section adn brushed that totally aside and said no reason at all not to go for vbac.

And being just 1 month from deadline, I'd be very if I were you, and go along with what you actually want.

[franke]

I did this last time - I think it went along the lines of "So now you've told me all the risks of trying for a vbac, I assume you are going to tell me the risks of repeat major surgery" This was after I'd shot down all her half-baked reasons for not going for a vbac. She visibly shrank, she knew she was wrong. It was fun . Actually the doctor I'll see this time (who has taken over from silly bint) is, apparently, much more pro normal birth so I doubt there'll be much of a discussion. But you're right - I'll mug up on the stats beforehand just in case....