Baby due Weds - hoping for VBAC but.... tell me you have done it

[sunshine17]

My 17 month old DD was born by emergency C Section. I started out as a homebirth but got taken into hospital (poo in waters when they broke them, baby wasn't coming out even though I was nearly fully dilated - 9cms),

Once at the hospital they hooked me up to make the contractions stronger but make the decision for a C section when the baby started getting distressed.

At the time the nureses said to me something about getting my pelvis size checked out if I had another baby.

I understand it is different with each birth and you there is nothing to really check you pelvis size/shape etc. however......

This baby is lying exactly the same as DD was - with back to my left side and legs kicking hell out of my right side.

I've always carried high and didn't fully engage before - same as now - the midwife y'day did say something about pelvis.

Please tell me you've had a successful VBAC after being nearly fully dilated the first time but still having to have a C section.

I'm starting to get niggly doubts about perhaps I should have booked an elective....

Really nervous about being away from my little one for so long - not to mention the nightmare that it will be if I can't lift her for weeks afterwards.

Ramble ramble ramble

I had an emergency c section with first baby after dilating to 10cm but unfortunately she just wasnt in the correct position to enable me to deliver her.

my 2nd i had exactly the same feelings/ worries as you are having. However 2 days overdue i woke up with contractions 3 mins apart, arrived at hospital atjust 2 hrs later and was 9cm. I delivered my ds naturally with only gas and air 30 mins later.

I think the thing to remember is to stay at home as long as poss to keep the chances of intervention to a minimum.

Im expecting baby 3 in 2 weeks and even though ive had 1 vbac im still scared. its completely natural hun.

if u wanna chat and talk about things further im available on msn or via email. just let me know xxxx

I was fully dilated, pushed for what felt like eternity and ended up with a c-section. VBAC the second time around. I had a doula and I went into hospital later. I also did a lot of lying over one of those weird hippy balls. Supposed to bring the baby into optimum position. It was all fine the second time aound.

hi my ds was back to back and i laboured 24hrs, dilated 10 and pushing for 2hrs finally i was given a em c/s when ds heart rate dropped, he was 9lb 2oz and they later discovered my pelvis was a little narrow, however when i was expecting my dd 4yrs later they done a weight scan and decided the baby would be no bigger than 8lb so i was allowed to labour, I had a 16hr labour with dd back to back and pushed for around 45mins and she was born in a lovely heap at the bottom of the bed, midwife insisted that if baby was not out soon i would be off for another c/s, i gritted my teeth gave one almighty push and out she landed all 7lb 10oz of her, midwife didn't even have the chance to get her gloves on lol. Best birth expierence ever compared to the previous labour. Both my ds and dd didn't fully engage till i was in labour. hope all goes well

Carried high with DS, he never engaged, had 40 hour labour (got to fully dilated) then emergency c-section (he'd got into an asynclitic position).

DD was a very straightforward VBAC, less than five and a half hours from first contraction to the end, TENS and gas & air only. I was 9cm dilated by the time I got to hospital.

Pertwee can I ask what asynclitic position is?

Basically, although the baby is head-down and the body is in the right position, instead of the head being straight and presenting crown-first, it's tilted and presents sideways. If you tilt your head over to one side so that your ear is against one shoulder you'll see what I mean. This makes the diameter of the head that's trying to get down the birth canal larger, and it tends not to dilate the cervix evenly and effectively.

A good midwife should be able to correct an asynclitic position, but they didn't seem to have worked out that that was what was up until DS was well and truly wedged. I'm actually more annoyed about that now than I was at the time, because DD's birth was so smooth and easy that if DS's positional issues had been sorted out I'm certain I'd have avoided the c-section.

I had a successful VBAC. Perfectly possible. My advice would be to try to keep it as natural as possible - if you go down the intervention route there is more chance you'll end up with another CS.

Unless you've had rickets or a broken pelvis, pelvic disproportion is very unlikely. Upright and mobile will help you. I was also told this and insisted they actually check this out afterwards and was told I had the 'perfect' pelvis for birthing babies .

Sunshine! I did this on Tuesday. DD1(18 months) was em CS for undiagnosed breech when I was fully dilated. DD2 born on Tues - VBAC and a great experience. Agree keep as natural and mobile as poss, as an example - had 5 contractions on way to hosp , about 12 mins, they wanted a 20 min baseline trace before allowing me to not be monitored throughout. In that 20 mins lying on bed I had one not very big contraction and she told me she didn't think I was in established labour, did an internal I was 4cm dilated. As soon as I was up and about again things really kicked off, waters broke and I was 10 cm dilated within an hour.

Excuse onehanded typing and Good Luck!

I had an em cs after being fully dilated for hours - DS was just too big to be delivered - 2 weeks overdue and nearly 10lb (I'm a size 8). I was quite nervous second time round, for the same reasons as you - but the next labour was v v speedy - a few twinges for a couple of hours, then I was 4cm at 8.20pm and DD was born at 8.50! DD was smaller (8lb6oz) and having fully dilated once made it much easier and it was so nice not having the recovery a CS involves. Hope all goes well for you.

DD1 was em-cs after dilating to 9cm then 'shrinking' to 7cm . She was a brow presentation, so similar problems to PertweeAndLemon. DD2 was VBAC 2 years later, forceps delivery but still fantastic and a much quicker recovery than dd1.