Have you had VBAC? any advice?

[BusyBeeMommy]

Hi, I had to undergo emergency c-section with my DS three years back. Found after surgery quite painful with infection etc. With my second one I would like to aim for VBAC, I understand it may not be all under my control... just wanted to know if anyone had succesful VBAC story? Any advice? definite dos and donts? many thanks

I kind of did have 2 successful VBACs with mine. With dc2 I had a retained placenta and with dc3 my scar was vunerable and we both nearly died but recovery wise I was driving when dc2 was a week old and with dc3 when he was less than that.

My advice would be to be not too fixated on having a vaginal delivery. As long as baby and you are safe it doesn't really matter how they are born. If you end up having another section you have not failed and remember to stock up on comfy pants and sanitary towels.

I had a vbac 7 years ago after a emcs three years before.
It went fine but I did find it was a bit medicalised as the staff were a a bit twitchy about the speed I was progressing (four hours start to finish!). I do feel I recovered much quicker but it's difficult to tell as they were such different pregnancies.

Stay on your feet and let gravity do some of the work, and as phipps says keep an open mind.

I'm planning a vag delivery again in march!
jx

The best thing you can do is get yourself really well informed on the subject so you know all your options and can make informed decisions, not just spontaneous ones when questions/'facts' get thrown at you by health professionals. There are some fab ladies on the Childbirth threads who've already done much of it - I've copy/pasted a huge amount (!) and it's really helped my confidence and opened up my options with the hospital. I am aiming for a vbac in about 6 weeks, hopefully...

Thanks a lot ladies, yes, I am keeping an open mind, having learnt my lesson from last time, when I thought I would have nothing but all-natural, ended up in emcs because of raised BP. Agree with you Unbuffy getting all my options together, will definitely check out childbirth section. good luck to both of you, I am due in May, can't wait!

There is this thread 'ere with loads of success stories on it, of which I am one. DD1 was em c-s, but I have since had 2 VBACs.

Keeping an open mind is key - I was like you, devastated that I didn't have the natural lentil-weavery waterbirth I'd planned. With DD2, I got to the point where I was begging asking for another section but a lovely gentle obs suggested they do the epidural and 'we'll see where we are then.' Thanks to the epi (and the positive reinforcement!), DD2 was a vaginal delivery.

That lovely obs came to see me the next day, BTW, as she had gone off shift before I delivered. I was so grateful to her, and thankful to get the chance to say so. She said 'Oh, no need to thank me, I was just doing my job. I'm so glad to see how well you got on.' I wish I knew her name...........