VBAC after emergency c-section

[naw79]

Hi. I wonder if anyone has any advice?! I am a proud mother of 1 and 19 weeks pregnant with no.2. I had my first consultant appointment yesterday it was awful. The consultant sat there and reeled off a list of scary statistics and then told me that if I wanted to go down the VBAC route that I would have to be continually monitored and have an IV in case it 'goes wrong and you have to be taken to surgery'. I really feel strongly about having a go myself and without being disregarded as a lost cause simply because of my previous emergency c-section with my daughter. My husband is really anti a home birth and I respect that so I only have the hospital to go to, but I am really scared that as soon as I step in the door the statistics will overtake my wishes. I wondered if anyone had advice on how to get these people to listen? I have looked into birthing centres but unless you go private they won't take a person who has had a previous c-section. thanks x

Talk to a midwife, preferably the head mw at your hospital. You'll probably find them more receptive than the medics. I didn't have such a problem as my cons were very pro VBAC so there was no issue, but the head of mws was very helpful in getting me to think about the birth I wanted. Some of it will depend on why you had the emergency section in the first place.

There's a thread around called 'Support for imminent VBAC-ers' which has loads of useful advice.

Good luck!

Your consultant sounds completely unreasonable, if there are no underlying reasons other than having had a CS before (ie no other medical reasons for having a CS rather than a VBAC) - there are lots of people on here who have had VBACs and even VBA2Cs so I would certainly pursue this further if you can. Do you have a supportive midwife or GP who might be able to help?

My other advice would be, when it comes to the birth, to have someone with you who can stand your corner. I ended up having a 2nd CS (which I still think may have been avoidable) because I had such a crappy registrar and midwife at the hospital, and didn't have anyone who knew what was going on (DP was great, but 1st time round I only got to 3cm before CS and 2nd time it was 10cm, and all very intense). In retrospect, a doula, or even a female friend who had been through birth would have been great, to just say 'don't panic, you're in transition, and you guys just back off'.

I'm in a similar position but my consultant, while wanting basically the same things - like continuous monitoring - managed to put her wishes across in a much less unpleasant way (I've seen a really nasty consultant in the past though! Makes you wonder if they just enjoy scaring vulnerable patients).

My consultant said the chances of uterine rupture were between 2 and 4 in a thousand, and that she thought I had a more than 90% chance of a vaginal birth. Were you told the same statistics? My c-section is 8 years past - I know the risks are higher if you've had less than 2 years to heal.

The midwife said with wireless monitoring there was nothing to stop me labouring and giving birth in a pool if I wanted (though quite honestly I'm taking everything she says with a pinch of salt. She won't be there at the hospital after all.) She did say that a breech presentation would mean a caesarean though.

Your consultant probably won't be there on the day either. Do they at least have wireless monitoring at your hospital so you have a chance of being fairly mobile?

First of all you can not be made to have another c-section, and they have to provide you with information before you make a decision. They have to tell you pros of cons of c-section. Ask them to explain risks of c-section.
You also do not have to agree to continual monitoring, or iv, or anything else. None of these measures make a jot of difference to outcome.
I would definately speak to the head midwife, they are usually pro vbac.
You can also ask to change consultant so that you never have to speak to this particular one again.
I had a vba2c with my last ds. The head midwife helped me, she was lovely.

I had 2 c-sections and tried for a VBAC during my 3rd pregnancy but the medical team were not having it at all. They too quoted lots of scary statistics and I went on to have a really traumatic 3rd c-section.

I have since learned of lots of women who have had a vbac after sections despite medical advice.

Definitely talk to a midwife about VBAC. By definition a doctor will normally only attend a difficult or unsuccessful VBAC, midwives see the straightforward ones.

As others say, you do not have to accept continuous monitoring, though as long as you have a DP and/or birth supporter to help manipulate the leads as you change position this may not be a problem.

I tried for a VBAC with dd2 - had another CS BUT the fact that I had thought about and researched my choices beforehand mean that I'm on my way to making peace with that. DD2 was stuck in a grotty position (OP deflexed) and I don't feel that the CS was a result of poor support or management.

I do think certain docs have a genius for making things sound grim and difficult

Thank you all for your advice. By the time this one is born my little girl will be 2 and 3 months so the stats I was given were 1 in 277 to rupture and then 1 in 150 if given a pessary and 1 in 50 if given cyntocin (not sure on spelling). He did mention wireless monitoring but that was only after I said that I refused to be strapped to a bed again. I will definately be speaking to my midwife and I have left her a message. Am hoping to hear from her tomorrow. Thank you for your advice, will keep you informed.

What they don't tell you is that ruptures aren't always disastrous and that you can rupture even if you have never had a CS.

I had a VBAC after a CS, I had monitoring and a drip, it wasn't ideal but I still had a real sense of achievement and was on a real high afterward compared to the weirdness of a CS under a General (despite forceps. piles and stitches). I felt I needed the reassurance of the monitor anyway.

I had to have another CS with DS3, as they were telling me this they also said "No more VBACs for you if you have anymore babies", as if i was thinking of DC4 while in labour with DC3! Doctors!