Overdue vbac, losing faith

[unyummy]

I'm 8 days overdue and have a c section scheduled for friday, i agreed to the appt last week when having a sweep, it seemed far off and the docs all seemed to think i would go into labour at the weekend. I'm losing my faith as the days tick past, though i was all psyched up for a vbac, and kind of resigning myself to another c section, my last emcs wasnt bad. The other way to go might be to delay it until monday which would be 2 full weeks overdue. Anyone else gone "overdue" with a vbac? How did you cope?

No experience of this but perhaps it would help to not think of it as 'overdue'. A normal pregnancy is 37-42 weeks so thinking of the baby as 'late' is quite negative I would imagine. I understand you have this date looming over you but it's your decision as long as all is well with your baby.

I had my vbac at 14 days overdue, went into labour during the scan to check the placenta.

I had a VBAC at 18 days overdue (42 + 4) How did I cope? With difficulty... I feel for you, it's horrible. Am pregnant again and hoping this one comes a little sooner.

You can ask for expectant management, which is usually a scan to check the placenta (I had one at 41 + 6 and was scheduled for another the day I gave birth) and monitoring for an hour or so - mine was every 2 days and was going to increase to daily the day DD was born.

It is awful feeling you have to labour to deadlines, but just remember it is up to you. And you have three days yet - it could happen!

Good luck either way, it won't be long now (although I appreciate every day feels like a week!)

A friend of a friend had a home VBAC 14 days overdue with a surprise breech presentation. All fine! An independent midwife I hasten to add! I would suggest as showofhands says to think of this as a normal length for a pregnancy. Good luck, VBACs when managed correctly are safe and successful on the whole. Keep mobile and upright during labour and keep positive and active whilst waiting. Have you tried acupuncture or reflexology, they are safe preparations for labour. Even if you have a section they can boost your energy levels and assist healing afterwards. Good luck.

I had a vbac at 10 days overdue. I went into labour in the early hours of the morning I was due to have my cs. I had booked a date for the cs because I was totally despondant and thought I was fated to never have a vb. I coped by cocooning myself in the house and resting. Friends and family helped out with my dd.

I was checked over at the hosp as part of the booking in for my cs on the thursday and they said there was no sign labour was imminent. 12 hours later my waters broke and contractions started. Things can change very quickly.

Speaking from personal experience my vbac was the best thing I have ever done. I was on a high for weeks after.

Hope your birth goes well and you don't have too much longer to wait

Thanks all, i had acupuncture this morning and things seem to be happening v slowly so fingers crossed it wont come to the c section on friday, i have help with dd and like the cocooning idea if only to stave off the "baby still there?" commments from all and sundry that are really not helping!!

Hi unyummy, I have just been through similar, had a c-section last week at 40 + 1 after being gung-ho for VBAC for 40 weeks (and in fact every single day since my previous section!)

I opted for the section in the end due to some symptoms of pre-eclampsia that made it very hard for me to stay positive about VBAC, plus hospital were getting itchy about inducing me which was something I didn't want at all.

The 2 days leading up to the section were really odd, I sort of drifted around the house half-doing little jobs and staring at books/TV without taking anything in! My poor DD bibbled away as usual and I just stared vacantly at her. Every little twinge brought hopes of natural labour. However around midnight the night before, I found myself feeling pleased that I would see my baby soon. Also I had to be nil by mouth and REALLY didn't fancy labouring that way! So there was a strange mental shift to "I hope that WASN'T a contraction!" after weeks of trying to gee them up.

The section itself was in fact wonderful. I had hoped that a VBAC would help me to come to terms with a previous section that didn't go well. What a wonderful surprise to find that c-sections are all completely different, just like vaginal deliveries. This one was so peaceful and happy, and the aftercare was/is gentle and thorough. I am on such a high. The fact that I went overdue (even just 2 days) means that I can say, hand on heart, that I gave VBAC everything I was prepared to give until a section became the right thing to do. I feel as though a lot of ghosts have been laid to rest, and it is truly wonderful to have a baby in my arms.

I never did work out what to do about the endless "Anything happened yet?" requests, beyond keeping a sense of humour. My personal favourite was an aunt who told me "You love stringing us all along!" yes auntie, it was great fun keeping everyone guessing!

Chin up chuck, whichever way it works out it will soon be part of the story of your baby's arrival and you will be feeling very proud of yourself to have endured it.

I had my vbac at 8 days overdue- they broke my waters and 4 hours later my baby daughter was here. Fantastic experience. Don't lose heart!

I do completely understand though... every day feels like another week at this stage. I coped by having sweeps (5!), walking a lot and bouncing on my birthing ball... none of which brought on labour but I was 5-6cm dilated by the time they broke my waters so maybe it helped to reduce my stage 1 a bit.

Good luck.