I feel like my chances of a VBAC are sliding away!!

Hi All,

This is my first time posting on here, so I’m hoping I’m doing it in the right place. I due on the 1st of March and are hoping to have a VBAC and I feel like all my caregivers are against me too! My first bub was born by emergency Caesar.
With my first I had PROM (Pre labour rupture of membranes) and was induced with syntocin (sp??) after 24hrs due to risk of infection. After 10hrs being hooked up to the drip I started to have contractions that were out control and I had only managed to dilate 1cm. When they first mentioned they might have to do a c-section. I burst into tears and said no, but after 2 more hours of these horrific contractions and still being only 1cm and totally exhausted and not coping and we agree to the c-section. I was told at the start of the day that bub was high and in a slightly posterior position and I should consider having an epidural which I did not want. I should also tell you that bub was 4.220kg, so she was pretty big. I felt like with this labour I had a cascade of medical intervention that to led to my Caesar.
Back to this pregnancy. I been going to our local pregnancy care clinic which offers shared care between midwives and doctors (the doctors aren’t OB’s.). Anyhow the first doctors I saw told me, I must have CPD and my baby got stuck because its head was too big for my pelvis and there was no way I could attempt a VBAC. On my second visit I requested to see the female doctor at the clinic and she was much more supportive and would allow me to go to 41 weeks. Well I’m now a bit over 38 weeks and it seems like everyone is starting to mention the Caesar word again, because this baby’s head hasn’t engaged either and at my last ultra sound I had at 28 weeks it was measuring 2 and half weeks bigger than it should and my fundal height this week was 46cm at 38 weeks. Anyhow the clinic has now scheduled me an appointment with the hospital’s head obstetrician to discuss my options. I’m very nervous about this appointment and would love to go into labour before this appointment because this is the obstetrician who performed my first Caesar. For some reason I feel like he will have the same opinion as the other male doctors at the clinic.
I’m not a very confident person and every time they start to mention having a Caesar I start to get all tearing and flustered and end up not standing up for myself. I was just wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience to me and could offer me some advice.
MummytoBell.
:pray::cry:

Welcome to BB - you've definitely found the right site for support with your VBAC.

Firstly I think it's important that you address the feelings you had about the first c-section because it sounds like a lot of your fears with this pregnancy is based around that (and rightly so).

It sounds as though your membranes ruptured naturally (but early) and your body didn't go into labour on it's own. Because of the risk of infection, they like delivery to happen after a certain amount of time after your waters have broken.

I'd say that the length of time you were given on Synto with little progress meant that the only other option you had was to either keep it going and get even more exhausted or go the c-section.

For what it's worth with the information you've given about the decision - I think it was the right one for you at the time and remember that history doesn't always repeat itself so you really need to treat this pregnancy in it's own right.

Now, bub2 not being engaged is absolutely nothing to stress about - because second babies often don't engage until labour begins......

Secondly - you DO NOT have to do ANYTHING you don't feel comfortable with, so if you go to this consult with the OB and he is furiously pushing another c-section, very calmly explain that you'd like weekly monitoring until 42 weeks at which point you'd be happy to consider induction with AROM first, time given before starting a low dose drip etc (IF this is what you'd like)

I'd encourage you to think about all your alternatives and put them in a birth plan so everyone knows what is acceptable to you and what isn't.

In this day and age there is no reason you can't work closely with the OB to ensure the placenta, fluid and womb are all in great condition and until something of that changes - why push what nature intended?

As for the size of bubba - fundal height is notoriously incorrect for guessing size - some ladies take the mindset that your body won't bake a bub it can't birth (unless you have GD or something else complicating this) BUT I am not one of these people to be honest. If it really bothers you - go for a sizing scan, but know these aren't accurate either (although more accurate than fundal measurements).

Lastly, I think the babies head size and shoulders are a better indication of whether you have CPD rather than the weight of your baby - so if your OB is using that line to justify a second c-section, I'd be asking for a pelvic scan to prove you're too small to birth vaginally otherwise that voids his only reason for justifying it.

Good luck I'm sure more ladies will come on with better advice

Dear Chris, I had a VBAC birth with my DD at 41 weeks. My DS was born at 42 weeks via an emergency CS (under a general anasthetic) after "failure to progress" .

When I was preg with DD my Dr was very supportive as I told her right from the first appt that my baby WAS going to be born via VBAC!!! During the last couple of weeks I increased my rasberry leaf tea to about 4-5 cups a day, I tried to walk every day and then at 40 weeks I had acupuncture every day.

It was hard work and I ended up having an assisted delivery (forceps) but so worth it to see my darling princess arrive into the world and be able to BF her immediately.

My advice would be to stay focussed, read as much as you can about active birth and above all believe in your ability to birth your baby vaginally. Your body is designed specifically to do this, you deserve to give it your very best shot.

Now, having said all that, it is important to keep you eye on the prize - a healthy baby and healthy Mummy. If whilst you are in labour and you feel you absolutely can't do it or your Dr genuinely fears for your babys safety then I believe (this may get me in trouble) the best option is to allow the Dr's to lift your baby out. I know a repeat CS is not what you want but a healthy baby is.

Good luck!

Great advice Mummato2! I don't think I can add much.

I only just found out today that my bub has engaged. I think it happened a couple of days ago, so after 39 weeks.

I often get upset at my appointments, but I don't let it stop me asking questions or getting my point across.

It really sucks when you don't feel supported. Try not to get down about it and make the most of the support available here.

Hi Ladies,

Thanks for all your great advice. All I need to do now is to stay strong!!!

Hi everyone,

I just thought I would let you know that I had a little (well actually quite big) boy 2 weeks ago, three days after his due date. I was in on again, off again labour for 2 days and also had ruptured membranes. It was decided after 30 something hours with my waters broken, that the risk of infection to bub and I was too great (I did end up with aninfection and fever and was treated with strong antibiotics), and a caesar was scheduled. Whilst, waiting for surgery I started to have very strong contractions, that were 3 minutes apart. We still decided to go ahead with the caesar even though I dilated to around 5 or 6cm, as we knew he was very big and this really did scare me, as I didn't want him to get stuck if I had a vbac. I probably should have trusted my body, but in a way, I'm glad I didn't because bub was born a very healthy 10.2 pounds (4.61kg). The doctor said I probably would been able to deliver his head and it would have been bub's shoulders that would have caused a problem in a Vbac attempt, as they had trouble getting him out of the cut they had made. I'm dissapointed I didn't get my Vbac and probably will never now experience one, as my babies are only getting bigger each time. But I'm also extremely happy and accepting of my caesar expereince and glad I have a healthy baby to hold at the end of it. I can tell myself I tried my very best to have a Vbac, but in the end having a healthy baby is what counts.

Congratulations on the birth of your little (big) boy!!! :D

If you ever need a debrief, there is a section here for attempted VBAC mums HERE