VBAC advice

Hi Everyone

I am currently 36 weeks pregnant with my 2nd and honestly thought I would of had the baby now and am at a lose end. DD was born 35w+2 with a CRASH c-section due to footing breech/cord prolaspe (all due to a heart shaped uterus). This time DS is head down so am trying for a VBAC.

I was all prepared for this one to come out early but he seems to be happy wear he his which is great except for the fact I don't know what to do, so have some questions for you all.

With DD I lost my plug about a week before my waters broke, does that happen normally? Can contractions start before the plug breaks away?

I am on EPO and RLT (tablets) for a few weeks now and have been getting some BH. I also see a chiro regularly for pregnancy.

Is there anything else I can do/should be doing for labour?

My sister (although not a VBAC) had contractions at 34 weeks, and dialated 2cm. She was on nifedapine til about 38 weeks.

She had regular contractions all day at 39+3 and she had her show at 9.30pm and her waters broke at about 11pm and my niece was born at 5.30am.

So, yeah. You can have contractions long before your plug comes away.

Good luck with your VBAC!!

Just relaxing :)
Trust your body and your baby, everything will happen at the perfect time. Enjoy the last days of your pregnancy and all the best for your VBAC.

what is a CRASH c-section?

best wishes for your birth

With my first vba2c i never saw my plug, just had contractions.

With my second vba2c, my plug came out just before she did - so yup contractions before it.

As for further prep - have you read any books to prepare your mind as well as your body? Read up on birth stories of successful vbacs? That always helped me increase my confidence.

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what is a CRASH c-section?

best wishes for your birth

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They did an internal and found feet poking out and had to rush me down in case the cord prolapsed, which it did just as we arrived so they had something like 3 minutes to get DD out. Scary stuff

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As for further prep - have you read any books to prepare your mind as well as your body? Read up on birth stories of successful vbacs? That always helped me increase my confidence.

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I have been doing Hypnobabies course which has been great so far. I should of mentioned that! I also have GD so I guess I am freaking out that the longer DS is in there the harder it will be for a VBAC due to his large size. The US shows him at -7th percentile atm which I know they often can be out which their measurements but I kind hear this clocking ticking down as I lose my VBAC option IYKWIM?

I know it's easier said then done, but just try to relax and go with the flow.
I lost my plug a few days before I went into labour and my waters broke before I had contractions so everyone one is different.
I agree with reading lots of VBAC success stories. This place is great for that! I read heaps when I was pregnant, not only VBAC's but just positive birth stories in general.
I don't have experience with big babies but it shouldn't make a difference to whether you can VBAC or not. A friend of mine's VBAC baby was over 10 pound and I've heard plenty of stories about others with big babies not being a problem.
Good luck with it all, I hope you can enjoy the final weeks of your pregnancy :hug:

Mel I to had GD and was going for a VBAC. I was induced at 39 weeks. Slow drip of pitocinin and balloon catheter inserted night before drip. I got my VBAC and luckily they induced as the placenta was getting ragged. I'm sure your support team will talk to you soon about options. Just relax hun and let your body do what it was meant to. BTW I had a 4.4kg baby (not vbac) and birthed vaginally so don't let them tell you your bubs is to big

I am still a bit confused by the CRASH C-Section, do they cut you differently to the lower segment or classic cuts? I am curious to know how it differs from an Emergency C-Section ... just my curiosity though.

Can I ask why you are expecting to have bub earlier? Do you have a medical reason why you cannot carry to term? Or are you just expecting an early arrival due to your history?

There is absolutely no reason to expect an earlier arrival just because you're having a vbac. Every pregnancy is different regardless of your history.

BH happen from the time you are 14 weeks, and really are nothing more than your body preparing for birth whenever that may happen. Just because you are noticing them now does not mean your going to go into labour early nor does it mean you won't ... its just something that happens.

You might not loose your mucus plug until labour is well and truely established.

In my case I silent laboured up until a point and only felt my first contractions when they started 5 min apart lasting for over a minute. I had no tell tale signs, no mucus plug loss, no waters breaking NOTHING. I literally went from nothing into full blown labour.

I am not sure at what point you lose your VBAC option when it comes to GD thats something you will need to discuss with your Ob.

But in regards to everything else, you might just wake up one day/night and know that its "all happening".


Best of luck, I hope this helps a bit I was a bit confused what you were really asking but thats ok I am easily confused anyway :rofl:

Nae x

I am confused as to why you are expecting bubs early with a vbac, I had one early at 37 weeks with gestational diabeties and the second at 39+5 ds, was 4.45kg.

Trust your body, stay at home until labour is established if you can.

A CRASH c/s is more like an emergency, emergency c/s. In a normal emergency c/s there is a time period to get that baby out - some hospitals refer to a CRASH because you need to get this woman on a table NOW (cord prolapse usually). The timeframe is about 10 minutes. In one hospital my aunt worked in it was even a code yellow (internal emergency) - clear a theatre now, no time to waste. Often, if the woman doesn't have an epidural in, it requires a rapid induction general anaesthetic - hope that helps!

Anyway... I met a woman when I was in hospital after DS (emergency c/s) who had just delivered a 10.5lb VBAC. It can be done - and she was not a big woman. A slight tear, but no major damage. I agree with the girls above - just relax and trust that bubs will arrive when he's meant to and not a moment before :) Good luck - can't wait to read your birth story :)

Thanks for that explanation Wannabemum! It explained it perfectly. I was a code yellow as well.

To answer a few questions (sorry if I make no sense again)

I was expecting an early labour again this time due to a heart shape uterus. That basically means I have a uterus that is divided into 2 sections with a wall in-between. The baby quickly runs out of room and labour starts early.

I just wanted to say thank you to everyone that replied. You stories have given me hope! I guess I will take this week by week and just try and relax lol

Find the successful VBAC thread and read the stories too :) That helped me prepare.