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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

Anyone had a VBAC and regretted it?

13 replies

singalongamumum · 23/04/2009 21:31

I was really keen, but people keep saying to me VB isn't all it's cracked up to be and sharing their horrific birth stories with me. I had a very traumatic labour last time (induced), ending in an ECS so I am severely lacking confidence- I guess I feel like I don't know what labour really feels like. But I really don't want to have a CS just because I'm scared.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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Northernlurker · 23/04/2009 21:35

Have you got your notes and had a midwife go through them with you? You probably need to know what happened last time in order to plan for the next birth.

Congratulations on the pregnancy btw. I've never had a c section but I have had three vaginal births - they had their gory moments but I wouldn't want to have not experienced them iyswim. Good luck.

thisisyesterday · 23/04/2009 21:37

oooh no advice but I think someone else posted this a little while ago and there was a long thread on it.

will see if I can find it for you

thisisyesterday · 23/04/2009 21:41

hmm i can't find it now

underpaidandoverworked · 23/04/2009 21:42

I went through two induced labours which resulted in normal deliveries - though 1st was forceps -with 2 children then needed an ecs with ds. 15 hr labour, didn't progress beyond 3cms, cs done at 3am - I was totally traumatised because it was the one thing in my birth plan I hadn't given thought to, after two normal deliveries. I had complications afterwards and had to have follow up surgery after 5weeks. I can still cry about it now.

However, if I had been young enough to have another child - I was 39 when I had ds in 2004 - I would have opted for an elective section and wouldn't consider a natural birth. You know when the baby will be delivered, don't have to go through the waiting and the worry - and because you aren't exhausted from hours of contractions, intervention, internals etc, you won't feel as stressed and traumatised.

Natural childbirth is different for different women - and with different babies. Some think it's fantastic, others hate it. Talk it over with your midwife, gp and consultant - oh, and dh . The most important thing is to get that fully cooked baby out safely

charx · 23/04/2009 23:49

i posted something like this earlier this week. I had hideous birth experience with DC1. Not willing really to go through this all again. even tho number 2 is meant to be easier - i don't think i can face the risk - i'd be the lucky sod who had another difficult 46 hour labour.

I'm totally with you.

surprisenumber3 · 24/04/2009 10:34

singalong - I suppose it depends why you needed the c/s. I had one with DS1 because of pre-eclampsia where I hadn't gone into labour but they needed to get the baby out quickly so c/s was considered safest for us both.

I had a lovely VBAC a few years later. 8-9 hour labour, only monitored occasionally, no intervention, no stitches, was fantastic.

good luck with whichever route you take x

ArcticLemming · 24/04/2009 10:48

I had a VBAC which ended in another emergency section. I'm still glad I tried. I know this might sound odd but I'm glad that I "experienced" labour (only got to 5cm dilation with DD1 before she got distressed, but got to 9.5cm with DD2 before I stopped progressing for about 3 hours, and they called time). Obviously not for everyone, but good luck whatever you decide!

Chellesgirl · 24/04/2009 10:59

SINGALONG....Every woman is different, please dont listen to all the horrifying stories. If you feel you can do it, try! If you feel you cant do it, read more, clue yourself up about what a natural birth really is, what your body does when in labour and the affects of medicine on you and your baby during labor.

If you try and end up having a CS again, feel pleased that at least you tried.

I think you need to read more facts about birth and then decide. Talk to your midwife about natural birthing.

my mum had a EMC when she was pregnant with her first. She went on to have 3 more natural births. And she is so glad she did.

I had a natural birth and it was an amzing experience.

I will try and find the webpage that made me feel I could have a natural birth.

Chellesgirl · 24/04/2009 11:25

1.VBAC

2.No intervention

3.If you think you cant do it, Watch this! Then see if you change your mind

4.and this...

Original poster

singalongamumum · 24/04/2009 17:04

Thanks everyone, I was induced with my DS because he was late and I was starting to feel ill. As it turned out, I was ill (severe internal infection where my waters had broken a few days earlier-another story) so I did not progress and ended up with fever and having a traumatic CS. DS and I were both ill. I did have the chance to talk through what happened with a trained midwife, and felt completely supported, but I know I will always hold a sadness about what happened. And my family were very worried so I am also under pressure not to make myself vulnerable again.

Irony is I was so positive about the whole birthing experience before!

Thanks especially chellesgirl for those great links- I will watch the video when I have a quiet half hour; it looks like it'll be emotional! I think if I decide to go for it I'm going to need some serious continuing support...

OP posts:

underpaidandoverworked · 24/04/2009 18:23

Have just watched the video - singalong, have some hankies ready

FAQinglovely · 24/04/2009 18:33

well.........

I had a CS with DS1 - in hindsight a totally unnessecary one IMO. (my waters had broken 24hrs previously, I wasn't in labour, they were going to induce me and didn't - because appparenlyt the babies heart rate dipped when they inserted the cannula (I'm a bit of a needle phobic) and so "induction could end up distressing baby" (stilly naieve first time mum of just turned 21 went with it and sat around for the next 5hrs waiting for a slot to have the CS)

DS2 = went for the VBAC - again waters wennt - this time they did induced me.

I won't lie it was absolutely bloody awful........largely down to the pain relief failing - near the end when an EMCS looked likely they said it would be GA for the CS because of the pain relief issues.

I tore, I had an episitomy - it wasn't pretty. It went on for AGES

BUT even a few weeks after the birth I knew that I'd rather have gone through that than have a CS (not sure why???)

DS3 - VBAC - went into labour naturally - I'd do that again tomorrow - it was bloody sore (of course I was pushing a baby out my fanjo ) but absolutely awesome - and I was in and out of hospital in an afternoon/evening

FAQinglovely · 24/04/2009 18:37

oh and I should add - I'm convinced that the reason (apart from the speed of it) that DS3's was so much more positive than DS2's birth was because I was so much more prepared for it.

I'd gone through absolutely every possibility in my head, and with MW and my doula.

I researched everything I could and went I went into hospital didn't ask the MW to do x/y/z - I told her what I wanted to happen - and I'd written a very extensive birth plan which I stapled to the front of my notes (in case they didn't see them insde ) which went something along the lines of

ideall I'd like this

however if a happens, then x will be the response

if b happpens, y will be the reponse

c - z reponse

if X doesn't work then do D etc etc etc LOL

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