VBAC... oh so dangerous... ;)

Someone sent me this about her experience at the Angliss and was happy to share it with everyone.

:

---

"I thought you might be interested in this small paragraph in a letter from the Angliss Hospital, responding to a formal complaint I filed with them regarding my intrapartum care, given the VBAC items you have posted recently.

I had been in to have a discussion with the Senior Obstetrics Registrar regarding my concerns, and had told him I would never birth in a hospital again after my experience and this was part of the outcome.

'Lastly I wish to reiterate to you my concerns regarding your plans for a home birth in the future. I cannot emphasise strongly enough how dangerous it would be to attempt a vaginal birth after a previous caesarean section without the appropriate safeguards that can only be delivered in a hospital setting. I hope that during our discussion and with this letter I have alleviated many of your concerns and I welcome you back to our Health Care Network in the future. We stand ready to offer you a safe and pleasant environment for any future birthing plans you may have.'

---

Just goes to show you how dangerous they feel VBAC is. Women can safely have a HBAC and do so with midwives all over the world.

:wall: :shakehead: :protest: :wtf:

thats all i am saying!

:yeahthat:

I think they are blissfully ignorant of the success rate of HBAC. They use this ignorance on women who are unaware of the numbers also, which is totally unfair!

Perhaps they should consider reducing the number of initial c/secs if they feel vbac is sooooooo life threatening!

I think it's interesting how whilst singing loudly about the dangers of vbac they never mention the dangers of repeat surgery! Dangers which are shown OVER AND OVER to be greater, and outweigh the"dangers" of a REAL birth.

Happy home birther here :D

Thing is, I'm talking to DP about HBAC for #2 (whose conception is still a matter of discussion, but I thought it was best to prepare the groundwork!), and while I am all for going down the HBAC path, I'm not the only parent involved. No matter how informed, educated, committed I am, this kind of statement (were DP to see it) would make him very unsure of my position. I can't see how I can have a HBAC (and a relationship!) without the support of my DP. :shakehead: I wish they'd put these scare tactics aside. This makes it so much harder for some of us to even attempt this.

I think no matter what Jen, you are the one who is educated about where it is safest to birth your baby. No-one wants best for your baby more than you do. I think you need to talk to DP and try to get him to tell you why it may be that he would preferr to go to hospital. Then you will know what it is that he is scared of and you can assure him with real statisitcs that birthing at home is a very safe environment.

Another thing that can help is when you interview IM's have him there... they are FANTASTIC!! I have not met one that can not illistrate with certanty why home is very safe and wonderful place to birth!

That's my intention, Tanya. I have a great list of middies in the area and I have a friend who is a doula who will be invovled in either scenario. DP just needs to know that he is involved in the decision so that he can support me.

Our biggest issue is that my ob for DD was actually a lovely man and is supportive of a VBAC (our c/s was due to placenta praevia). It is not out of fear that I am avoiding him or the hospital (although it is the reason I will avoid drugs, esp an epidural, after my experience!), it is more out of a desire to have the birth I see in my mind, involve my DD fully and really enjoy the experience. I did point out to DP that we won't know which middies we get at the hospital, and while some were great, a couple definitely were not, not to mention that I'm sure they're success rates for VBAC are not great either.

I think if we had have had an emergency c/s that was required after lots of intervention and I had been really upset by the whole experience, convincing DP to go home birth would have been easier!

The other thing is that I'm going to have to keep my options open, so book into my ob as well as choose a midwife, at least until the 18 wk u/s rules out any potential issues. I don't like this, as I'd prefer to believe all will be well, but given our bad luck last time, I feel I need to have this on the back burner. :crossfingers: that when we get to this stage I have a beautiful pg with the placenta waaaaay out of the way and no other issues.

Jennifer I can really relate to what you're saying...we're in the same boat ATM. I know that a HBAC would give us the best chance of achieving the birth I want, but DP & I need to sit down and have a good chat about the reservations I know he has and talk through why a home birth might be right for us.

I have so many things running through my mind about making this choice, its keeping me awake at night. I guess keeping our options open is going to help us too.