Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Original poster

VBAC or ELCS

27 replies

schafernaker · 13/04/2020 22:59

So I’ve got my decision to make. At the start of my pregnancy I was all for a VBAC (post EMCS due to failed induction at 33 weeks for iugr baby).

I’m seeing the consultant this week and she would like to have a decision on if I would like an ELCS. I know under no circumstances I would consent to being induced due to an awful experience last time.

However I’m now really undecided (mainly due to the corona changes) as to whether to have a VBAC or ELCS.

Pros VBAC:
Faster recovery
I wanted a vaginal delivery last time
Better for baby’s lungs etc

Pros ELCS
Can plan
Can give some control to the current chaos
Childcare for DD easily sorted.

So hit me with your thoughts, pros and cons. I’m honestly open to either option at the moment

OP posts:
FirstTimeBumps · 14/04/2020 06:57

Can't talk from.prior experience but I'm.having same dilemma. Previous EMCS due to.undiagnosed breech after 30+ hours of waters breaking and early labour plus merconium lead us to the hospital where they discovered he was breech. He was meant to.be a home water birth.

I'm personally leaning towards ELCS. For VBAC I'd be expected to be on the delivery suit with continuous monitoring so no midwife led unit or water birth. Concerned I'd be coerced into being on my back, legs in the air and with increased risk of intervention.

Ill have an almost two year old by the time baby comes and "allegedly" VBAC gives you a quicker recovery however I had a really good recovery last time from.the section, better than some.of my friends with natural deliveries. I dread the thought of tearing or episotomy which I can imagine the recovery from being worse than my section recovery. There's just too many unknowns for my liking so definitely thinking ELCS here

Hercwasonaroll · 14/04/2020 07:01

I had EMCS first time after failed induction and it was horrific.

I refused induction this time and booked ELCS for 41 weeks. I wanted to give VBAC a go if I went into natural labour. But I never did and the docs wanted baby out. He was definitely well cooked when he came out too. I think my body doesn't do labour!!

ELCS was a breeze compared to the EMCS. Apart from losing more blood and feeling vv woozy immediately afterwards the rest of my recovery has been quick.

flowerstar19 · 14/04/2020 07:36

No experience of a VBAC sorry but I had an EMCS with DC1, he ended up in NICU - all quite stressful and no desire to try for a VBAC so my decision 2nd time round was easy. ELCS was so easy, we were packed and waiting for 24 hours to be up after surgery to be signed out. When I got home I unthinkingly walked up the stairs carrying baby, definitely couldn't have done that 1st time! I do have a very good friend though who has an EMCS first time then a VBAC with no pain relief and just hypno-birthing! Good Iuck whatever you decide Xxx

Original poster
schafernaker · 14/04/2020 13:50

Hmm leaning more and more towards VBAC 🙈😂

OP posts:
Original poster
schafernaker · 14/04/2020 13:50

I meant more and more towards ELCS. Wow baby brain

OP posts:
popcorndiva · 14/04/2020 13:54

When I get pregnant again I am going for vbac if go into labour naturally then if not ELCS at 41 weeks. I refuse to be induced again.

DorotheaHomeAlone · 14/04/2020 13:57

I was in your shoes four years ago, without the Covid complications, and went for elcs. I hated labouring during my failed induction the first time and recovered really well from the emcs. Second time was even easier recovery and so calm and joyful compared to my first birth. Just had a third cs this year and easy recovery again. I knew from straight after the first baby that I’d go with sections for any future baby. Vbac comes with higher risk of interventions than a regular birth, more monitoring and a high chance of another emcs.

TheShoesa · 14/04/2020 14:09

First delivery was EMCS due to failure to progress beyond a few cm, baby in distress, meconium in water etc

Next pregnancy my midwife said I should try for a VBAC, I really wanted a CS as my labour had been long and horrific. Found out early on that I was expecting twins and so I got my ELCS. Totally different experience to the first one, very calm.

BeMorePacific · 14/04/2020 16:14

I had a great EMCS and think of it as a very positive experience. But the recovery after it was pretty awful. Infection after infection.. delay in milk coming in.
This time I’m leaning towards VBAC, and plan on hypnobirthing. Weirdly I feel really comfortable and safe in hospital, so consultant led care is fine by me x

Treacletoots · 14/04/2020 16:24

I don't know why anyone in their right minds would 'try' for a VBAC if they've been offered a ELCS. I mean this, in the nicest way possible. They're unpredictable, painful and you've a far higher risk of tearing or intervention. No thanks.

I had a few complications and asked several times for a ELCS, which were dismissively and condescending ignored by the midwife. Until.. DD turned breech at about 36 weeks and then it was offered without a problem.

I was high risk, lots of issues with pre-eclampsia, cholestasis etc but the ELCS was absolutely carried out brilliantly by the docs. Calm, quick and recovery almost no pain, yes really.

Why anyone would want to risk a VBAC, when they had a section on offer, I have no idea.

Ragwort · 14/04/2020 16:29

Totally agree with Treacle, I had an EMCS, but recovery was very quick and straightforward - I was not particularly ‘healthy’ or ‘fit’ & was certainly not young.

However, I am always amazed that, whatever birth you have, women actually choose to go through another pregnancy Grin.

Treacletoots · 14/04/2020 16:35

Totally agree with @ragwort. One time is enough!

Original poster
schafernaker · 14/04/2020 19:58

😂😂 thanks for the advice! I’ll keep mulling it over, certainly leaning more towards ELCS

OP posts:
Luna321 · 14/04/2020 20:58

I was the opposite, I was sure I wanted a ELCS through-out my first trimester. Now I'm 21 weeks I'm leaning more and more towards a vbac. My recovery last time was great but I had an awful time with breast feeding and I'm sure it was due to the fact my milk came in late and I couldn't get into good positions because of my wound. Plus looking after a very active 3 year old this time and not being able to drive really worries me.

Last time I went into spontaneous labour at home, coped fine but after 20 hours went into hospital and turns out he was breech. So got the choice and had a section 1 hour later!
I do worry about being monitored during labour and the unpredictability of a natural birth but being able to have a quicker recovery outweighs this for me right now.

Luna321 · 14/04/2020 21:02

My hospital won't induce me so if I go over I will have an elcs so the way I look at it is I might as well see what happens up to that point. Plus I have growth scan booked in for 36 weeks so have up to that point to make a decision too.

Original poster
schafernaker · 14/04/2020 21:17

@Luna321 I have a scan too. Just want to have some ideas and talk it through with DH as he won’t be at the appointment 🙈 thank you covid

OP posts:
Mummyspider27 · 14/04/2020 21:27

I had exactly the same at the beginning of this pregnancy and asked the question myself. Someone said “you won’t regret having an ELCS however if you go for a VBAC, and after hours (days!!) it fails and you end up with an EMCS you will regret trying”, and that stuck with me. Obviously lots of people have very successful VBAC’s but it’s the unpredictablity for me that I couldn’t cope with x

FraterculaArctica · 14/04/2020 21:32

Just to balance the pro-ELCS stories here, I went for VBAC and was so pleased I did. Admittedly I did get lucky with a very easy and quick labour after a first traumatic labour and EMCS. But I also found that an easy decision to make (I decided within 48 hours of DC1s birth that I would 'try again' in the event of DC2!) It's not always a rational thing and I was prepared to risk a second traumatic labour. But just to show it can happen and be fine, if you're inclined.

RenegadeMrs · 14/04/2020 21:44

I'm 29 weeks and have made my decision. I've refused to be induced but if she comes naturally I'll give it a go. If not, I'm booked in for an ELCS at 40 weeks as they don't want me going over that.

I've never laboured at all, so it could be fine and if it is I'd be in and out as quickly as possible. Obviously it could also go tits up as well, but I was in hospital for 5 days after my last section which I'd like to avoid this time, especially with no partner support on wards at the moment.

Also, this lock down has cemented my resolve to be able to drive and get out the house (assuming we are allowed by then!) if at all possible and I wouldn't be insured for 6 weeks with a section.

Mumdiva99 · 14/04/2020 21:48

I had 2 vbacs after EmCS. Very glad I did. Labours were nothing like with baby 1. Everything just moved along. If you can do it then I would recommend it.

Original poster
schafernaker · 14/04/2020 23:30

Thanks @Luna321 that’s really helpful 🙃

OP posts:
HulaHoop2 · 14/04/2020 23:41

I had a failed induction ending an emergency C-section with my first child.

With my second, they gave me the choice of VBAC or ELCS. They did an internal ultrasound and confirmed that I was a good candidate for a VBAC but warned that it could still end in an emergency C-section if the baby got stuck or whatever. I said I would hold out for a VBAC until 40 weeks, after which I would have a ELCS. I refused to let myself go overdue or to have another induction.

I ended up having an ELCS.

And I’m really happy that I did. Firstly, as you mentioned, it was easier to arrange childcare for my son when I had a specific date in mind. Secondly, it was just the most perfect birth ever! I arrived at the hospital at 6:30 and was holding my beautiful little girl less than 2 hours later. The actual operation took only about half an hour and I was fully conscious throughout instead of exhausted and drugged up to my eyeballs like I was last time. It really sort of healed a lot of the trauma from my previous birth experience. Recovery was quick and easy too.

I think going way overdue, having to be induced again, then possibly having to undergo another emergency C-section would have been really horrible.

Whatever you decide, best of luck to you!

Mummyspider27 · 15/04/2020 08:55

@RenegadeMrs just to let you know, you can drive before 6 weeks if you feel up to it. My sister drove after 2 weeks (12 years ago) and I drove after 4 weeks (5 years ago), a lady on here recently drove after a week. Just incase that was a deciding factor for you xxx

BeMorePacific · 15/04/2020 09:43

If you plan on having more children then that is something else to consider.
People have had 3+ C sections. But it does increase the risks, and isn’t recommended x

Swipe left for the next trending thread