Cara's arrival (vba2c!) 31st May

[pash]

Wow! Well done! Though that doesn't quite seem big enough for it. And welcome to the world Cara!

[~ Mylitta ~]

You had every right to feel like a hero after the birth sweetness! You did fantastic and so did Cara. What a good girl finally turning head down bum up for you! Hopefully she is just as obedient now that she is out in the big wide world

[MummyNaomi]

Cathy - after knowing how important a VBAC2 was for you, I am so pleased to read your birth story, and so proud of you, what a fanstastic experience for you - Yaaaah Cara!!

Naomi
x

[CathyS]

Thanks girls!

I didn't come out totally unscathed. I had haemorroid probs before the birth. So I'm dealing with a sore butt right now lol. I'm still SO happy I had her naturally though! My partner filmed the birth too!! (we didn't plan to, but we had the camera there, so thought, why not?) It's awesome to watch!

[MamaSpice]

Hi again Cathy, you just sound on such a high. How awesome! And bub is just gorgeous BTW

Just a quick Q though, while you are mentioning haemorriods. I suffer from them slightly and they were bought on just by the streses of my last pregnancy, Nothing to do with birth because I had an elective cs. I'm wanting a VBAC more than ever next time around but I do wonder how much worse actually pushing a baby out could make the condition? So I guess what I'm saying is would you much rather have bad haemorriods to deal with as opposed to dealing with the emotional and physical recovery of a repeat caesarean? I'm assuming the answer is yes but would love to hear your point of view.

[CathyS]

I got my very first ever pile pushing my son out (first vbac). Was a bit of a shock at first, but you arm yourself with prunes and roid cream and a week later you feel better! I have had a few probs in the years since though, and had to have one of them cut once (it could not be pushed back up..sorry if TMI for others lol).

This time (this pregnancy) I got a bit constipated and suffered haemorroids again. I get them when I am a bit run down/stressed/not going to the toilet properly. When I was in labour the pain in my backside was pretty intense (she was a bigger baby too). I did have them a bit worse this time around, but I already had roids a week or two before I gave birth..which didn't help!! They have been a bit painful at times...but seem to be getting better. Just make you feel a bit miserable. But I would STILL rather have that then recover from a caesarean! The whole birth was just WONDERFUL! I was able to reach around and grab bubs myself, hold her in my arms for HOURS, they let the cord pulse for quite a while (I didn't even ask for this..but in hindsight..I think that's great!). Bub was alert and had her first breastfeed easily. And to get up and have a HOT shower afterwards.>JUST PURE BLISS!! (funnily enough I ran out of hot water at home while in early labour....this shower was something I longed for that day hehe).

Every day, as I move about the house, going about my daily rituals, drive my car, etc..I am thankful that I didn't have a caesarean again! :-) I hope this helps answer your question!

[MamaSpice]

Thanks Cathy. That definately puts it all into perspective for me. Cara's birth sounds like bliss and I want that! Especially considering I was robbed of experiencing Charli's birth altogether (I needed a general for my caesar)

[CathyS]

Glad I could help hon!

Don't forget also the excitment of not knowing when baby will decide to arrive. I loved the fact she got to CHOOSE her birthday! (and she was a sunday baby..you never see weekend elective caesareans!).

[CathyS]

Glad I could help hon!

Don't forget also the excitment of not knowing when baby will decide to arrive. I loved the fact she got to CHOOSE her birthday! (and she was a sunday baby..you never see weekend elective caesareans!).

Having a general must have been tough.

Arm yourself with everything possible to have a natural labour. I went all out...raspberry leaf tea, epi-no and evening primrose oil (inserted). I'm sure they all helped! My son's labour (at Logan hospy) was very stop/start and needed a syntocin drip to kick start again (they would not induce or augement my labour at the Mater though).

[MamaSpice]

Yep I sure will be arming myself with those things. I actually bought an EpiNo for last time. I also drank heaps of raspberry leaf tea and had acupuncture to try to bring on labour. Poor bubba had no chance in deciding her own birthday though as OB wanted the caesar done at 38 weeks if I didn't go into labour beforehand. And induction was out of the question because bubs head was still not engaged. I had developed pre-eclampsia late in the pg. In hindsight though I think the cs was unnecessary when it was done cause the PE wasn't severe and bub was born completely healthy with apgars 9 & 9 and her placenta was still completely healthy too.

So was Logan good for your first VBAC? I know I'm better off going public next time if I want a VBAC but I don't like how GC Hosp doesn't have a continuity of care program (except for the birth centre but they wont accept a vbac) but I hear that Logan does have a mid group practice and it would be so beneficial I think to have a known midwife throughout the pg, birth and afterwards.

[CathyS]

Well my vbac at Logan was almost 10 years ago now. They were supportive at the time, and I gave birth with just a midwife delivering him. I had shared care with the gp at the time, though this time aroung I went to midwife clinic. The midwife encouraged me to state my case for vba2c there, and I ended up getting referred to the Mater at 34 weeks. The Logan is not a tertiary level hospital like the Mater, but I think they are more supportive of first time vbac. I think you are better off going public if you want a vbac. Though some women beat the statistics I'm sure.

[MeganH]

Thank you for sharing your story. I too will be having a vba2c. I am having a home water birth. I believe that my bady CAN do this and your story makes me feel even more certain that this is going to happen for me this time.

[Marant]

Cathy, congratulations on your beutiful baby Cara and the birth you deserved. You did an awesome job and are an inspiration to all of us!

Enjoy your baby and hope that bf gets better for u 2.

Cheers