Have a planned section booked, but if baby is premature should i try VBA2C??????

[MummyTumble]

I have a section booked for the end of march when i'll be 38 weeks (have had 2 sections before). However i've been in hospital with mild contractions, and been let out to rest as they have no idea if/when things may progress.

I had joked if this one came early (DS came at 36 weeks and spent 2 weeks in SCBU) i'd try naturally. Now this is a possibility i'm completely terrified. I'm only 32 weeks and would have to assume baby would be in SCBU for some time. Hospital is half an hour away, i have 2 DCS at home to consider etc.....We have little help where we live.

Obviously I'd have to have a good chat with consultant, but not sure whether i should try, or just go straight for another section.

My only experience of childbirth is loosing DD at 20 weeks so my head is not in a good place regarding contractions and delivery Also terrified of birth problems, where as my c-sections have been great!

Any experiences/advice??

There is no "one size fits all" answer to this. It all depends on why you had the previous c-sections, the medical risk to you of having a vaginal birth, and your attitude to it.

Somme women really want to experience vaginal birth and that is a big deciding factor for them. Do you feel like this? Others feel relieved they can have another c-section and have no desire to go through natural birth.

Why did you have your last 2 c-sections? Is there a medical problem which will be the same in this birth?

Thanks for the reply. I have no great desire to the natural birth thing, being induced at 20 weeks was bloody awful and thats in my head.....i know totally different circumstances this time....

DD was breech and DS cos mentally i couldn't do a vaginal birth at the time. Not sure i could this time....but it would be easier all round if this baby ended up in SCBU and i hadn't had a section. I'd be able to look after everyone easier, get to and from hospital on my own etc. But i know where i am with c-sections, have had positive experiences and recovered well.

I suppose there's the option of a short trial of labour and if the panic sets in or things don't go well i get taken for another section. I'm just scared of the whole thing now.......fear of the unknown!!!

DH thinks i should give it a go.....easy for him to say

Yes, easy for him!

Have you tried looking into hypnobirthing and the like to reduce your fear? Try reading "Effective Birth Preparation" by Maggie Howell? Might be too late if it's all happening now.

Even if you do decide to CS anyway (and it sounds like you have good reasons for going that way, and hopefully you'd recover quickly again), a trial of labour could be good for baby - contractions can start setting baby up for outside life.