VBAC or ELCS?

[hotchocolate86]

I’m still early days in my pregnancy, just had my 12 week scan and the baby is looking good so far. I want to start considering my birth options.
I had a vaginal birth 11 years ago. It went quite well, 11 hours active labour, a fairly bad tear that needed 30ish stitches, no urge to push but I managed. No interventions, only pethidine and baby was born healthy.
2 years ago I had a C-section as baby was breech. The operation terrified me but went smoothly and my recovery was ok.
I don’t know what to do this time. Part of me wants to try for a VBAC but I’m scared of the scar rupturing. I’m worried because my local midwives didn’t pick up on the baby being breech and it wasn’t until I was in hospital with reduced movements that anyone noticed. I don’t want that to happen again as I don’t want to try for a natural breech birth. Also I was hoping for a birth centre birth which I’m pretty sure won’t be allowed but I have read they insist on continuous fetal monitoring. I’m not sure I fancy that. I’d like an active labour not to be hooked up to machines all the time. Has anyone any advice?

Just bumping this.

After a c section they wont let you use the birthing centre if you try for a VBAC they will monitor you continuously. im my area that means no birthing centre because if gods forbid something goes wrong they dont have the equipment to intervene.

If youve had a c section before do you have extra scans and monitoring? You can ask midwife at your checks to see if baby is breech. The risk of uterine rupture is much lower than youd think.

Does continuous monitoring mean being hooked up to machines constantly? Or just regular observations?

I am under consultant led care due to the previous c section and also thyroid problems but I don’t know yet if I’m having extra scans. It possibly means there will be more people who can check whether the baby is breech or not though.

I would go for another section personally, but I live in a fairly remote area. We do have a hospital and a maternity unit, but a consultant once told me he would never encourage a family member to have a VBAC, as our hospital isn't equipped should the worst happen. (I wasn't pregnant or his patient at this time, just a conversation between colleagues but it's stuck with me!)

That’s interesting thistles Something to bear in mind I think.

You can use a birthing centre after a C Section. I have the exact same history and all the options are available to you, you just have to know what you're able to push for.

I would highly recommend doing the Positive Birth Company's online hypnobirthing course. It's £35 and I'd pay it three times over because it's done wonders for making me more informed about what my options are, being confident in my decision and I feel far more relaxed about a planed C-Section and a VBAC.

Just to add, I haven't decided what I'm doing yet (I'm 24 weeks), but I feel far more relaxed than I did about making that decision. And weirdly the enormous fear I had has now been replaced with excitement.

Thank you AKP79. I’ll have a look at that course. There is a birth centre attached to the delivery suite at the hospital I’m booked at. Maybe it will be worth asking if they will let me use that one in that case rather than the local one that’s 40 mins from hospital. I was certain the local one would be out.

I would ask, what harm can it do? I tried for a natural breech birth with my son and pushed for it because I knew my rights. Unfortunately it ended in a section because of factors no one could have anticipated, but if I had gone with what I was told I had to do instead of informing myself then I would never have known it was an option.

If you're feeling anxious either way, then I'd definitely recommend hypnobirthing. Doesn't have to be that course, I think they all cover very similar ground and you may prefer to do something in person rather than online. For me it was a cost thing which is why we opted for online - surprisingly my husband is loving it!

Oh and good luck!

Thank you. And good luck to you as well