DD was a emerg C set after being stuck and "failure to progress"
I am currently 11 weeks and trying to get my head around trying for a VBAC.
I have been accepted into a midwife care program at my hospital (well if my GTT is ok next week) and the MW I saw was very very supportive of a VBAC attempt.
How do I go about getting my best chance at a VBAC? Is there certain things I can be doing to better my chances??
The best thing IMO is to read what you can, get an idea of what you can expect - all care providers will differ a little bit but there will be some reasonably common ground.
Work out what is important to you, what matters, what you are prepared to argue about & stand your ground on.
See if you can get a copy of your notes from last time to go over with your MW.
I also think if you are feeling confident & calm about it all it helps enormously. So hypnobirthing might be useful, as Ryatha suggested.
Congratulations! Sounds like you have already made a great move in achieving a VBAC by getting into a midwife-led care program.
My number one tip to any VBACer (or first time mum) is to hire a doula. You want someone in your corner who can speak for you when you can't and also help 'hold the space' for you - create a nuturing environment where you feel safe and secure and you can just let yourself get on with labour and birth. Most midwives are just lovely, but you can get some who are rather hung up on policies and procedures, especially with regard to VBAC (I got one of these to start off with). A doula can provide constant support in the case of midwives changing shifts etc. I love my doula. I wouldn't have got my VBAC without her.
I read a lot prior to my VBAC. I (only half) joke that I have Australia's largest private VBAC library. In the end, I steered clear of anything too laden with statistics (like 'Silent Knife' for example) and just focused on positive birth stories.
And as Fleur said, going over your notes from last time might give you some great insight into how you can approach things differently this time - positioning, active labour etc etc
Got to go with Puggle here - hiring a doula is one of your greatest tools for getting a VBAC. My doula was/is also my calm birthing (hypnobirthing is pretty much the same thing) instructor, so she could even tell when I was starting to "slip out" of my relaxation concentration and a single touch where I was holding the tension was enough to cue me back in.
Another thing is to find out hospital policy - ask for a hard copy - because it will show you what script your care providers are obligated to work by that you may have to opt out of in order to give them options. Policy is generalised and often based on what is best for the hospital and not what is necessarily best for mother and baby. I know Canberra hospital's VBAC policy for instance, is completely outdated and not only not based on research and evidence, but in some procedures in contravention to it. This is something I needed to know because some midwives blindly follow the script because "that is how it's done", while others hate the script but have to follow it unless you assert your right to informed choice.
The other thing is research, research, research. Know your stuff. I didn't stay clear of the stats because I knew they might be thrown at me to try and coerce submission/acceptance of certain things and I wanted context. I researched everything, every possible procedure - its risk/benefits, it's ingredients if it had any, when it should be done, when it shouldn't be done.
Also make sure you write out your birth choices with closed language. Notice I didn't say plan - you can't plan. On the flip side, it's also not a wish list either - you are not asking your care providers for their permission to have the birth you want. You are making informed choices based upon a standard model of expected processes. If that model is to change, then you may need to change some of your informed choices - but the choice is yours. Hence the need for closed language to emphasis this so there is no misunderstanding. Opening with "I would like" may seem friendly, but its also passive and instantly gives away your power (you're asking permission). Terms like "unnecessary" are also subjective. What is seen as necessary by your care providers (generally because of policy - or outdated habits) might not be seen as necessary by you (because you are not subject to the policy like they are). If you remove the ambiguity it means there is less room for misunderstanding. I have a copy of my birth choices here: https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...th-plan-4.html if you want to check them out.
Jakabella: I know this is quite an old thread, but thought I'd join in
You've got some very good advice from everyone here, I agree whole hartedly. Positive thinking, LOTS of research, and a definite birth plan.
I also wanted to add that you shouldn't get stuck into reading any bad stories (like I did). Think I scared myself with them. I wanted to read what it was actually like for people who'd attempted a VBAC and had a rupture. I definitely wouldn't suggest reading them. I think it was a less than 0.2% (don't quote me on this, it's my memory from when I was trying a VBAC with DS) chance that anything like that will happen. BTW, I did have a successful VBAC.
Anyway, I hope you're well on your way to planning/researching your VBAC and have a supportive team with you.
Registered User
How do I go about getting a VBAC??
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks