Should I do Elective C-section or attempt VBAC?

[Shanshoe]

Hi all!

I am 20 weeks pregnant with baby no 2. My first was born via c-section because he decided to seal himself in so they had to make a new exit for him lol (placenta previa). Now 2.5 years later, I am halfway through growing baby no 2 (who has left the natural exit available this time instead of needing a sunroof) and I have two options for delivery but am on the fence which way to lean. What I am asking of you lovely people is either your experiences VBACing or your secondary c-section experiences.

Things I have to take into consideration are:

• my first c-section recovery was what I will call a "unicorn experience". Zero pain. No issue getting up and moving. Very light bleeding. Zero complications whatsoever.

I highly doubt I will be that lucky a second time but I can't get it out of my mind how easy recovery was for me whereas I have only heard horror stories about vaginal deliveries which have scared me (tearing, prolapses, hemorrhoids, just the need to make padsicles to ice the ladybits afterwards to function and the need to spray yourself to just go pee!)

• My firstborn is high needs (undiagnosed but still functionally nonverbal at 2.5 years old among other things). It's already going to stress him out bringing a baby home so me being gone multiple days that would be required for the c-section would add potentially unnecessary fuel to the fire so to speak. With a VBAC, I imagine I can labour at home as long as safely possible, go to the hospital to have the baby and then home a few hours after baby is here, no? I have no idea what the protocol is for VBAC or natural deliveries in general.

• I am not going to lie, the VBAC does scare me. Not because of the pain of delivery or the labour but the downstairs recovery! I am scared I will tear and yes, this makes me vain but, the changes that will inevitably happen due to pushing a watermelon out of a hole the size of a lemon! I have been getting all these videos coming up on my feed about tips and tricks to soothe down there after birth and it genuinely horrified me all the things needed! I won't have time for that with a newborn and a toddler who barely let's me use the toilet as it is now!

I have plenty of time to figure out what I want to do but feel I need more information on people's experiences since I know every labour and recovery are completely different. Thanks if you have made it this far and sat through my ramblings this long lol.

I have a really positive, pretty wonderful vbac after a horrendous planned C-section (breech). But no one can say how it will go for you! I think one of the keys things to think about is how you will feel if you go for a vbac and end up with things not going to plan. I thought I would be happy that I tried, whereas if I went for a C-section, I thought I would feel disappointed that I didn't try for a vbac. But you might not feel like that if your C-section went pretty smoothly.

With a VBAC, I imagine I can labour at home as long as safely possible, go to the hospital to have the baby and then home a few hours after baby is here, no?

Usual advice is to make contact as soon as contractions start and go in as soon as contractions are getting regular/waters go. VBAC labours need monitoring more closely and occasionally the first sign of a scar rupture (which isn't that common, but is potentially serious) might be a change in the fetal heart trace. Sounds like a conversation with a MW/obstetrician would be a good idea to go through some of the pros and cons as they relate specifically to you (bearing in mind your exact medical/obstetric history etc).

I had a vbac after a horrendous csection previously. It was straight forward as I was even induced and everything was lovely and recovery time I was up after having him no complications at all would definitely recommend them to a section :)