Anyone had a VBAC?

[pennyforthoughtsx]

I’m not due until May but I’m just thinking about my options.

I had a c section in February 2025, I had an easy pregnancy but I didn’t dilate more than 1cm in 10 days after due date, because of that I had a c section after a failed induction. He ended up being 9lbs so kind of glad he didn’t come out naturally… 😂

I was going to just do a c section again but I’ve put myself off it due to the recovery, mine was bad and the pain was awful so having that plus a newborn AND a very active toddler does not sound fun.

I do have a partner who is very helpful and a lot of family but of course my toddler will want me mostly! Can be a blessing and a curse at times 😆

Has anyone had a VBAC? How was it compared to a c section? I know everyone’s different but would be good to hear some stories.

I would want a water birth ideally but I don’t think I’ll be allowed this due to having high blood pressure towards the end of my last pregnancy.

Im bad with pain, I can’t take it at all! I’m worried about the ripping etc but I’ve been told by a lot of people that vagina birth recovery is a lot easier than c section recovery (dependant on what happens of course)

Go for a planned C-section.

I had a VBAC and would not recommend it. My midwife sold it to me on the 'your recovery will be so much quicker' line but in fact it took at least as long post-partum until I could drive and I had to have reconstructive surgery 10mos later - missing work when I could have recovered from a C-section during mat leave.
The birth itself was ok but there were serious complications immediately afterwards.

My experience was completely different to the poster above.
My first was EMCS due to failure to progress after days in latent labour and a failed syntocin drip. So with my second I had an elective booked in for my due date but said I'd try VBAC if I went into natural labour beforehand which I did and had a really straightforward and simple birth within 20 mins of arrival at the hospital. I did need a few stitches and felt like I'd been kicked in the vagina by a horse for a few days but after the initial few days of discomfort I was fine and recovery was a breeze compared to my c section which I also had a straightforward recovery from.

I like you struggled after my section (had one for breech the first time) and really wanted a VBAC the second time. I had my VBAC- worked hard with the midwife to get myself into labour naturally and my daughter was quite big and I am petite but no issues bar she passed meconium. Felt amazing to get up and shower straight after! The only thing I found afterwards as I ended up with tiny paper cuts from birth that having a wee was very stingy even with my sprayer! Am pregnant with number 3 and definitely would like to go for a VBAC again.

I had a VBAC twice. Still remember the amazement that at a week after the first one I could drive the car!

I recommend the Freda mum tool and regular perineum exercises with that if you aim to go VBAC as feel that massively helped me as felt things get easier and then amazingly did not tear.

I did! Recovery was much quicker than from the emergency section. I had a water birth which was amazing.

I did and would do it again. A much quicker recovery, was up on my feet feeling fine in next to no time and milk came in perfectly. Hope all goes well for you.

I did. DS1 was an EMCS. I wasnt progressing and his heart rate was dropping and had a borderline low blood oxygen level. I hadnt started pushing so an easier section in terms of recovery. But still took a good 3 weeks before I was comfortable and longer for lifting and driving.
Decided to go for a VBAC as DS1 was just 2 and a late walker used to lots of cuddles and lifts onto sofas. Obviously it hurt a but had a quick ans easy birth with a small tear despite slow progression before. We got stuck in hospital for 2 nights as there weren't enough doctors to do discharge. But as soon as we were home we were able to go out for walls with me pushing the pram.

I had a planned c-section with my first, although I didn’t have a great experience with the section I planned to have another section with my second mainly due to anxiety over VBAC and lack of childcare as it was during covid. Baby number 2 came early and was a very swift VBAC, I felt great afterwards compared to section and recovery was fine.

My second was HBAC. 9.5lbs. No tearing. Recovery was different, probably took about the same time, but mentally a lot better.

Thanks everyone for your stories, it’s comforting to hear people’s experiences even though I can’t predict what’s going to happen!

I think I’m going to go for the VBAC, this is going to be my last child and if it’s possible I’d like to try and experience child birth that way. Of course it could go totally not my way and I could end up in a section but we will see!

I’ll be buying all the prepping and aftercare tools!

I had one cs and then three more babies vbac afterwards.

im not sure if the last two would be called vbac?

Anyway, all went well. Recovery was fast and straightforward. My last two were home births.

I was glad not to need a c-section again because it took me so long to recover from that. However that could have been it was after a 36 hour labour. Had it been planned then perhaps recovery would have been faster.

Ah good to hear!

I had no labour and the recovery for my CS was awful, couldn’t get up or down, movement was limited, had to set alarms every 2 hours day and night for pain killers and don’t get me started on those blood thinner injections!!

My 2nd daughter was a vbac birth & I honestly found it amazing , she was born 11pm & I was home by 10am the next day but I had no complications stitched or anything but I did find recovery so much easier then my emergency c section & there was 2 years between my kids.

I was very anxious trying for it but luckily it worked out & I am hopefully going for my 2nd vbac in the next 2 weeks as I’m due 21st Oct.

There are a lot of variables here. I have three friends who tried for a vbac. 1 ended up with an emergency section, 1 who preferred it than the section, and one who regretted it and has a much worse recovery than the section. So spin a spinner.

I was going to say you'd probably find a plan section much easier because he wouldn't be labouring before, but if you didn't labour before, then who knows.

Section recoveries vary massively. I loved my planned sections and found them a pain free way of giving birth. For me recovery was in days not weeks and as it's worst best of my period pain usually is (and I don't suffer unusually badly from those). So I was out shopping and pushing the pram by day three, put for pub lunches, seeing friends, hosting people for BBQs in the first week etc. my recovery was the easiest out of our NCT group, even more so than those with straightforward births. But I know friends with tricky recoveries . Again, spin a spinner.

Its just luck, and I don't know whether if you've had one tough recovery you are more likely to have next time.