Trying for VBAC but 10 days overdue - advice please

[junojo]

I am due to go into hospital tomorrow to discuss my options. I know that my hospital will not offer a full induction with a drip but I think they may offer a hormone pessary and to break my waters. I had an attempted stretch and sweep on Friday but my cervix was too high for this at that point.

Part of me is tempted to request an elective c section rather than the fear of another long drawn-out labour ending in an emergency c section (as happened last time).

Does anyone have any advice or experience of this situation? Thanks.

My advice would be to not go, you are not overdue yet.

Other than that could you request a scan to check baby and placenta are all ok and then wait another few days and see if labour starts naturally. If baby is not ready to come out yet it could be another long drawn out labour if they try to force it out.

Remember it is your decision and your baby will come out when he or she is ready to.

Induction for a VBAC is a bit iffy, lots of places won't induce at all. Prostaglandins, which are in the pessary, increase the risk of uterine rupture. Risk is still quite small though.

Personally, I would wait til 14 days over, accept expectant management ie regular scans etc to ensure baby is happy, and if baby doesn't seem to be shifting I would have a repeat CS. However, some people are happy to accept the risks and may have a 'gentle' induction. If you are very keen to have a VBAC discuss it with the Dr/MW and see what they offer/suggest?
This is covered somewhere in the RCOG green top guidelines, will look for a ref later for you

I went 8 days overdue with DD. A lot depends on the reasons for your first CS- mine was a placental abruption and my consultant advised that the risk was slightly increased due to going overdue once I hit 10 days.

Anyway, I was offered induction by having my waters broken and I agreed. I had a 4 hours 23 mins labour and a successful VBAC- brilliant experience.

Good luck!

I am going for a VBAC sometime in the next few weeks and my plan, if I go properly overdue, is to ask for monitoring and then, if the baby genuinely needs to come out, to go straight for a CS. This is because it was all the meddling that I found so distressing last time, not the cs itself.

Some consultants (but not mine) at my local hospital will augment with a drip once you are going, but they won't use the pessary or gel apparently. Funny isn't it?

I will be trying some "natural" induction methods too. Sex is pretty much out of the question, but I'll be trying evening primrose oil, acupuncture, reflexology, lavender essential oil etc. Have you given any of those a try? They probably sound a bit futile, but you never know!

I was in this exact situation last Thursday plus 10 with no sign of imminent labour , I went had an internal and they could hardly even reach cervix let alone break waters. Anyway after a lot of discussion and crying on my part (had been so determined to have a VBAC) I ended up with an elective on Friday as the likelihood of ending up with an another emergency one was big.

It was not at all as I expected- after the trauma of the last time this was so calm and actually quite a nice experience and saw baby girl arriving and cried tears of joy. The recovery has been much better, although painful you don't have the exhaustion factor of having been in labour for hours. We were discharged today and all well so far

Good luck with your decision!

Thank you to all of you for your advice. It really is so helpful to hear of other people's experiences. I think I'll now write a list of questions I'd like to ask tomorrow. Will get my DH to read your comments too.

Elmum - I'm so pleased that things have worked out well for you and you are happy with your birth experience.

MMW - I didn't realise what was actually in the pessary as I wasn't induced last time. I guess the dr/midwife will go through the risks with me tomorrow.

Caro1302 - your experience sounds great. So pleased for you. Child birth is so unpredictable - wish I could ask for the same as you. My last c section was due to failure to progress.

Mrs Happy - no I haven't tried any alternative methods yet but am open to suggestions.

Thanks again everyone.

here are the RCOG guidelines The info is on page 10 of the PDF, about induction. It's written in a very clinical jargon way, if you want me to translate anything just shout, will pop back later. I found all this very helpful when I planned my VBAC.

I've just had a very similar experience to Elmum - a joyful last-minute elective, when I had thought that only a VBAC would do.

I refused a few offers of induction because at my hospital every consultant seemed to have a different opinion about how many different induction methods were safe to apply for VBAC - everything from no attempt at induction, right through to allowed everything available for as long as necessary.

Good luck!

MMW - Thanks so much for finding the time to find the RCOG guidelines. I've just read about induction which has made me feel much more informed.

SSC - I think you've made a really valid point that each hospital at least has its own version of a safe induction.

DH and I are now thinking we will probably ask to wait for the full 14 days and give baby every chance to make his/her appearance spontaneously and if not then opt for an elective c section. Although obviously that may change after our hospital visit tomorrow depending on their advice.

Thanks again x

Just wanted to pop apositive story in. My first labour was 42 hours, failure to progress ended up with emergency C section. 2nd time wanted Vbac, went for a sweep at 7 days overdue, cervix closed couldn't go it, begged for an elective! But they didn't want to as I'd got that far, booked in for induction 11 days late due to previous section. Contractions started the night before induction, had a sweep to speed it up 6 hours later DD born, VBac successful. Try and hang on if they think its safe, good luck, let us lnow!

You're welcome, do come back and let us know what they say/suggest? [nosey]

Just to let you know that after another internal it was decided that an induction wouldn't be viable anyway as cervix remains high and that waters couldn't be broken.

So I'm very comfortable with our decision to have an elective c section tomorrow morning. Am feeling very excited tonight that I will have our baby in my arms tomorrow.

Thanks again for your advice.

Ah lovely. Glad that you are happy.
I'm very of you getting to hold your baby tomorrow!

Same thing happened to me. Was quite relieved the pressure of trying to have a vbac was lifted and we had a elective cs. Much calmer than the emergency one.

Best of luck for tommorrow.

Good luck for tomorrow, how exciting, hope you have a lovely peaceful birth.

How exciting Best of luck!

Oh how exciting, you are probably in there by now getting prepped! Hope all goes well!