Anyone up for a VBAC support thread?

[Chulita]

I'm 34+3 and baby's currently OP. Had an emcs with DD 19 months ago and I'm desperate for a VBAC but there seem to be so many variables and I'm just dreading another OP labour.
Anyone fancy joining?

Hello,
Quick update from me as dh is making lunch and taking care of the big one so I will be summoned in a minute.
Well I ended up with another cs after getting stuck at 7cm for a few hours and on top of this dd having heart rate issues and them thinking she had turned back to back (which she had). I think they would have given me a bit longer if i had begged for it but my birth plan was always to go for c section if recommended as I have never been super having my heart set on vbac and I preferred the idea of cs to a complicated natural birth. I have to say i am more disappointed this time round as i had 12 hours of established labour and it all seemed to be going quite well and i was coping ok (maybe i was coping cos not much was happening at the end who knows?)

Anyway i am happy as i have my lovely little baby dd!!!

Ok now i may be saying something that may worry you chat happy. I have seen you on the cambridge boards so i am wondering if you are having your baby at addenbrookes? As when I went in they said they don't have a mobile monitor at the moment and havent for some time. Which was most annoying as they said they wouldn't let me use the pool as i had to be on the continuous monitoring. Obviously I could have refused this but i don't think I could have forced them to let me change room if you see what i mean and the main reason for me not wanting the continuous monitoring was to use the pool. On the plus side they were good with the continious monitoring and i didn't stay on the bed and they helped me to comfy positions where i could be mobile. Anyway hopefully it is not addenbrookes but it sounds a bit like it from the description.
Also having said this I have a friend who had her baby in the pool in consultant unit in addenbrookes after c section. She got this signed off prior to birth. Only factor that may be different is that she had also had a successful natural birth once after the cs (I,e it was her 3rd baby after emcs first time)

I think they discuss things a little earlier here as I have already seen the consultant mw and as far as I know she has no plans to see me again. She followed up our meeting with a letter stating I could use the pool, would not need a cannula, did not want cfm unless wireless, etc, and things seem to have been left at that. But I know that they DO use syntocin here, which I feel uncomfortable about. TDD, is prostin the pessary? That is what they said they wouldn't use at my hospital.

Congratulations Summer! I am like you, if I don't have a VBAC, it is not the end of the world, I just want a more positive experience than last time.

First of all, congratulations summerlightning !!!! That is fantastic that your dd has arrived safe and well. Hope you are recovering okay. You gave the vbac a go but the main thing is that you and dd are well. And you're right - I think I would also prefer a section to a really long complicated labour as well. Really happy for you

You're right I am on the Cambridge boards but I actually live just outside of Cambridge in cambourne and I'm going to hinchingbrooke hospital in huntingdon. Where do you live if you don't mind me asking? I did have ds2 by elcs at addenbrookes and did find it good there (although the postnatal ward was unbelievable busy - I guess like all the hospital is). I've chosen hinchingbrooke this time as I looked in to both and hinchingbrooke seem more vbac/natural birth friendly whereas addenbrookes was coming across a bit more medicalised (and they said I couldn't use the pool or anything!). Hinchingbrooke seem really good so far as they have that telemetry monitoring and seem a bit more flexible about everything too. So fingers crossed that is the case when I go in!

Yes damndog I never felt comfortable with a home birth either (although parts of it are appealing!). I wanted to try and compromise on things with the hospital as I didn't want everything to become a "battle" and stressful either! But they seem pretty good about most things so far anyway.

I think you are definitely right about the mental attitude point! I've been doing hypnobirthing and it's all about just teaching yourself to be confident about it all really. I do feel a lot better about it for doing that so it's helping already at least!

37+1 now - come on baby, would be great to have a baby this week (although I doubt that will happen!)

Congrats summer! Well done for having a good bash at it :)

Yes I think it's a pessary. Not very happy about that given induction risks, but one thing at a time. I won't roll over when he pushes for that at only 40+7!

chathappy I am in fulbourn, just east of cambridge, so v near addenbrookes. Glad it's not addenbrookes you were talking about. The buggers told me they had a remote monitor in a meeting I had with them beforehand, and only told me when I got in that they didn't. I should have made a proper appointment to get my birth plan agreed beforehand I think, but never mind, since I didn't get to the stage where I wanted to use the pool anyway!

And yes the postnatal ward was very busy! They practically threw me out after 24 hrs.

Yeah I have spoken to a few doulas who have worked at the rosie and they were saying that they come across slightly more 'scalpel happy' there (as in they are more likely to take you for a c section than waiting to see what happens). I don't know if that's true and also agree that sometimes you would rather just go for the section than it getting long and complicated (I would have probably done the same in your position!).

Hinchingbrooke is much more peaceful and nicely decorated and so far all the midwives seem really friendly and like the vbac idea too.

It is pretty manic at addenbrookes isn't it!

I've been to the soft play with my 2ds a few times in fulbourn. It's nice there! Funny enough I've also been to fulbourn hospital a few times this week visiting my brother (long story - not a great one as you would probably imagine from the type of hospital it is!).

Getting my hair done right now, hope I'm not waiting too much longer for labour (bet I'll be overdue now!)

37+2

Hello again, did post a few weeks back but not for a while. Am headed (hopefully) for VBAc (currently 26 weeks). I have an appointment with the community matron (head of community mws?) on Wednesday. HB unfortunately more or less out of the question as we are an hour from the hospital, but I want as relaxed and non-hospital type of birth as possible (all continuing to go well of course) as I get panic attacks and chlaustrophobia.

Any suggestions as to what I should ask? I need to write a list as I'm so stressed about the whole thing that I forget what to say even to mw!

Also, big congrats to SummerLightning - are you named after the beer? mmmmm, good beer...

Also also, what would you say to suggestions of some sort of due date list? I can't keep up with everyone! (brain freeze again)

What do you want to know - will they insert a canula as standard or check your veins? can you use the birthing pool? do they have wireless fetal monitors (how many, ie. are they likely to not have any available?)? how will they induce you if you go over your due date? when will they book a c-section if induction does not work? what is the hospital's VBAC success rate? any consultants/surgeons dealt with a ruptured womb?

I didn't ask all of these - I had a researcher from One Born Every Minute in the room, which was slightly distracting (with hindsight I would have said no, but she was just listening not filming and I thought it would be OK, but am now a bit annoyed I said yes) and I think I am going to have to see the consultant mw again to ask the rest of the q's!!! Good luck.

I am due Oct with DS2!

I need to mark my place again so I'll start the EDD list :)

ThatDamnDog 26th September DC2
DomesticG0ddess ? October DS2

Er, that's it so far

I have no idea of anyone elses dates either so I'll mark my one on anyway!

ChatHappy, 8th September, DC3
ThatDamnDog 26th September DC2
DomesticG0ddess ? October DS2

Latest from me - midwife thought that baby may be breech last week but went for a scan that day and baby was head down, 3/5 engaged (and on the other side of me that she thought she was also so midwife wasn't very accurate!).

They also reconfirmed it's a girl which is good as I was worried we had wasted loads of money on girl related purchases if it was wrong!!

Be quite happy to have this baby born now-I've swollen so much in the past week!

37+6

ChatHappy, 8th September, DC3
ThatDamnDog 26th September DC2
DomesticG0ddess ? October DS2
Unbuffy 27th November DC2

A bit further on than you folks!

Domesticgoddess I have written down all your questions to ask tomorrow!

ChatHappy, 8th September, DC3
ThatDamnDog 26th September DC2
DomesticG0ddess ? October DS2
SpiderWilliam 11 November DC2
Unbuffy 27th November DC2

Good idea on the due date list.

Cant remember if I updated last week. My GTT results came back normal (as did my iron levels). So the questionmark the consultant raised about DS being big because of missed gestational diabetes has been ruled out. The cs was due to malpresentation though...

Hi Chathappy, yes we are regulars at Fulbourn soft play, although we have only actually been living here for about 4 weeks. Hinchingbrooke sounds really good. Would have been too far for me though I think, especially if I went into labour in rush hour (bloody A14)

Yes Unbuffy I am named after the beer!! Also the mountain bike trail on the north downs, also called Summer Lightning, beer and mountain biking are two of my favourite things, both of which I can do now I am not pregnant, hurrah!

Good luck everyone, I may lurk for a while to see how you all get on.

I am 22nd Oct!

Good luck tomorrow unbuffy, I am going to email the consultant mw and ask a couple more things and see if she thinks it is worth having another app or if she can just set my mind at rest.

Has anyone been tempted to have a private scan at this stage to check all is as it should be?

How is feeding etc going summer?

It's all going ok at the moment, thanks for asking.
Feeding in particular is good, she seems to have taken to it very well and I am not too sore or anything yet, fingers crossed it stays that way!
A bit tired but that's unavoidable really!

Well done to baby Summer for being a feeding pro! Hope you're getting lots of rest.

I've been for my now weekly blood pressure and marvel at my swollen-ness check up and apart from baby being back to back everything's looking fine. Midwife says by the look of how swollen I am I could be getting ready for labour anytime! She's fab, wish she could be the one to deliver this bump. And she says if I want it's fine to phone her when I go into labour, not just dash in like the consultant wants me to. So all round feeling positive. :)

Sounds like you have a lovely midwife damn dog - thats great. Swelling.... Urgh! I hadn't suffered with that as bad with this pregnancy until about a week ago and now it's awful! Even my face is puffy when I wake up in the morning!

Glad to hear the feeding is going well summerlightning - that's really good.

I haven't had any late private scans domestic - usually trust that they pick anything up at the 20 week nhs scan.

Would be so nice to have a baby tonight! I'm struggling now with my 2 little boys and my eldest starts school next Thursday so would be nice to have a baby then have a week to recover before that! (such wishful thinking!)

38wks today.......

Good grief! A helpful person! Community matron has just left - she was here for 1 1/2 hours, answered all my questions and discussed it with me fully! Is writing it up to go in my notes so mw can read all about it in hospital when i go in! Will be an official thing! Blimey! Only thing she could not answer was whether I will be able to use the pool as they are having a meeting about potentially changing their guidelines (hopefully from No to Yes) tomorrow... but has taken it into account in notes! Now feel much more positive, have about 10 times as much info as before, and know where i stand! And I should be getting another scan at 36 weeks to check presentation and placental positioning! Goooooooo-ooood Grief Penfold!

And breathe.

Very pleased to hear about LighteningBaby feeding well, and hope for the best for Those About To Pop by the sound of it... TDD I hope you're getting some feet-up time for swelling, and Chathappy have a nice hot curry and see what happens!

That's great unbuffy. But why are you getting a scan to check for position - is that standard where you are for VBAC? Sounds like a good idea to me.

Hope the day comes soon Chathappy and Damned Dog

Think it's standard, plus lots of nerves over this pg/birth (pg after mc, vbac after breech birth cs etc) mean that she's pushing for a reassurance scan - !!!! her not me!!!

Hi all. New VBAC mum-to-be here.

I'd just like to share my research into VBACs and how I came to the conclusion that I'll be having my next at home, with an IM for support.

There's some great findings that make encouraging reading for me. Just visiting the vbac support sites and delving into the VBAC pages and AIMS info on the subject alone makes a huge difference. Knowledge is power when it comes to dealing with fear, and the NHS come to that!

I certainly find comfort too in knowing what I'm aiming for is safe, realistic and in-reach.

The scar-rupture rates all too often quoted include those that are a-symptomatic (ie no danger, a small tear or "snag" that will heal no probs on its own within days). Very few pose any problem at all to Mum or Baby. The stats are clear on this if you look close. In fact Mum stands more chance of dying during a repeat C-section than a VBAC and Baby much more likely to be in intensive care after surgery than after a VBAC.

Of course. Rupture sound real scary so I've been cramming info on this too. Not noticing a symptomatic and "true" rupture during labor would be impossible it seems. As the pain so severe and stabbing that it will be noticiable even under epidural. The danger comes if it is not acted upon and baby is not cut out within 20-30 mins. I've read aweful birth stories of mums being on their own in busy wards during a rupture and having no-one to tell and no midwife to organise a crash c-section. Best to stay at home, knowing that a midwife will not leave you and knows to dial an ambulence if you do have the misfortune to suffer a true rupture.

I've decided on an IM this time as my labor last time was long (just like my mum, and her mums too!) and the stress of new midwives for every shift change was ghastly. So just people I actually know this time please! We can't really afford it. But we can't really afford not to either. A healthy baby is not all that matters (obviously a huge part of it all) and a tearful, disappointing and unfulfilling birth experience is damaging for whole family.

Ho hum. Anyway, these are my thoughts on it all. Its great to see plenty of other vbac mums to be and I hope that you're all getting the care that you deserve. Some areas I suspect have better services than others by the sounds of it too!

Hi. Found myself awake at 4am this morning then worked myself into a complete state about giving birth. It all started because I turned over in bed (which I'm finding really painful to do) and for some reason, that prompted memories of my recovery post emcs last time to come flooding back. I'm finding it so hard to have a positive outlook and have the confidence and strength of faith that things will go to plan this time. I really want a successful vbac but for the first time th0si morning, found myself thinking, why am I putting myself through this extra stress? Maybe I should just tell them I'll have an elective section instead.

Hi Max

Sorry that you're in such a stress. For what it's worth, plenty of VBAC mums feel like this, especially if their labor hasn't been said to count for something and the recovery has been a tough one, physically and emotionally.

I'm not sure under what circumstances you had a c/section, but rest assured you and baby are safer with the VBAC option, hands down. How did you labor last time? Or was it an elective? Remember also that your first labor absolutely counted for something, as any dilation at all will have contributed to your body being even readier this time round. So any hard work back then was an investment really!

Emotionally it's much trickier though isn't it? Sounds like you may benefit from a de-brief from your previous experience. Have you thought of asking for a copy of your notes? This may help. It'll probably cost about 20 quid or so, but the hospital have to provide them. Go through them (with box of tissues) and write down worries and fears as they crop up.

Then you need a sympathetic and informed person to talk these through with. Without paying out too much, you could ring a local doula, explain your situation and ask if you could have a one-off session to help you sort things out. An independent midwife will almost certainly also have time for you too. If not, both will be able to hopefully point you in the direction of support.

The choice of course, should always be yours and no-one knows what's best apart from you. Even a midwife or consultant. If you decide on a repeat c-section you can make steps to ensure it's a positive experience emotionally of course too.

thanks carly. My last pg ended up in emergency section due to a failed induction. In some respects, that adds to my stress as I keep thinking, well, my body didn't know what to do on its own last time (hence the induction) so what chance have I got this time? Due to see specialist mw on Friday so I'm hoping to get a better debrief on what happened last time as well as go over the intentions for this one. Part of my problem is that I keep breaking down in tears when I think about what happened last time and I basically dread being in the same situation this time. I'm anxious that I don't come over as hysterical mum-to-be as I want my wishes respected, so need to also convince them that any decisions I take are well informed. My community mw's all seem to be quite positive about me trying for a vbac and indeed one of them has been through it hersef (I'm really hoping she's on duty when my LO decides to put in an appearance).