How can i get a vbac?

[Melaniec234]

Hi, feeling really down because im 5months pregnant and have been told i need to have a c-section again. Ive had 2 sections before because i went into early labour 30wks and 34wks. But i got a really badly infected wound last time and dont want another section. Also my 5yr old is adhd and autistic. I just feel like i wont be able to cope if ive to have another section. Sorry to rant on, but its really affecting the joy surrounding my pregnacy.

I'm not here to score points and I appreciate that my posts may be somewhat 'unemotional' to some people.

Learning to impart knowledge in concise manner has been part of my background.

I would never presume to tell a woman what a LSCS was like from a patient's point of view, not been there, not done that.

However I am very passionate about childbirth and my personal experience includes a full term neonatal death at 1/2hr, a full term stillbirth undiagnosed breech/obstructed labour at home amongst other things.

Yes , my passions can run high, but it doesn't mean I can't be objective.

It is amazing the power a white coat wields however & the OP does deserve to have a better answer than 'because we say so'. My friend recently had her 3rd section because 'the hospital wont let you try for a natural delivery after 2'. I said I was hoping for vbac this time as my previous section was actually unnecessary according to my consultant and she said she'd been told if you do try they only let you try for about 4 hours labour or something, nothing I could say would convince her otherwise. It's a shame that an intelligent woman is afraid to question that authority and just blindly accepts it.
By all means there may be lots of reasosn why a vbac would put this mother & baby at risk but she should at least know exactly what they are.

Hi Melanie, Hope you are feeling slightly less cross and angry, it's difficult at times though isn't it?

Wondered if you have a good Health Visitor who understands your situation with your 5yr old?

If ultimately a Caesarean Section is the outcome, be it elective or emergency, maybe the HV could look at the possibility of organising some post natal care for you, or help with the care of your other little ones for a short period.

Sorry if your thread was a little hijacked, trust you know that we all wish for the best outcome for you and the baby.

Maybe making some tentative enquiries now will help you to come to terms with the situation in the event a LSCS is necessary.

Hi, thanks for everyone advice and concern. I obvisouly dont want to risk anything happening to my baby, but i feel like a number not a person in the eyes of the hospital and midwives. Regarding help with my son, thats doubtful as his consultant referred us for respite care, which weve been told by local social work is unavaible due to budget cuts. He only sleeps 2-3hrs every 24hrs. Ive being doing some research through all your kind links and im going to ask to look at my medical records. Once again thanks to everyone

Just to stick my opinion in here, I have had 2 sections and wanted a vbac for third. The first gp I spoke to laughed at me and asked why on earth I would want a vbac when a section is so much nicer. next I saw a consultant who also laughed and said that they would not support me in a vbac at that hospital. THEN, I managed to wangle an appt with a top-dog obs. at another hospital who spent a fantastic hour with me going through statistics, my personal history, reasons behind decisions, etc, etc, etc, etc. She went off a nd looked at both sets of notes and wrote to me a few weeks later saying she would support me if I decided to go ahead with a vbac, but that she had certain conditions. She was also quite honest in her judgement of my liklehood to succeed.

The thing I appreciated most was the consultants honesty, both with regard to me individually and to vabc as a "whole". being told I couldn't "just because" was upsetting and frustrating.

My advice,Melanie, would be to keep pushing at someone until you get a chance to have a proper, decent consultation and conversation and have it all laid out bare for you. At the end of the day, it is your choice but it would be so much better to make your choice based on REAL information instead of the c**p you have been given so far. I have no doubt that if they explained clearly that there are risks because of a, b and c then you will think carefully and make a decision based on reality.

I really hope you get the answers you are after.

xx

Nice to read a positive vibe there mMelanie.

If I can help in any way to decipher the medical jargon and/or abbreviations in your notes, please ask.

All the best.

noname.. my earlier post was absolutely not a criticism of you , in any way at all. I can see that you are extremely knowledgeable and coming from a standpoint of being 'with woman' and i absolutely admire that. i have yet to rein in my emotions, and don;t always have the factual knowledge at hand. I am always delighted to learn something on these threads, which would enable me to grow as a doula. My longterm goal is to train as a MW, and I have the greatest respect for those who have done it and are doing it now. so i hope that you see where i am coming from and i am so very sorry that your own personal experiences have been so very sad and traumatic. being unemotional and concise can be a very good thing, and there are two sides to the VBAC coin and it is great to have someone to provide the flipside.