What do I need to know?

I have just found out I am expecting again. After a horrific experience ending in an emergency c/s with DS's birth I am really hoping to get my vbac with this bub. I am looking for some advice on what I should research and educate myself on or simply any advice people may have.

Points to note:

• I have just been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and I have been told the safest way to deal with this will be to have insulin in the 1st trimester and then insulin and metformin from tri 2 to birth.
• my hospital is pro vbac
• epidural is not an option
• I am not comfortable enough to consider a homebirth

Hit me with your suggestions/knowledge ladies TIA

Bump.. Anyone have any suggestions?

Would you be interested in a doula who specializes in vbac? If your in Melbourne i can recommend a very experience doula. Calm Birth would also be worth a look as well as Ina May's Guide to Childbirth.

No suggestions lovely but every time I see a post from you about being pregnant I'm just gonna say woohoooooooooooooooooooooooooo ;-)

Def consider birth support from either an independent midwife or a doula. Do heaps of research and talk to them about what happened in your DS's birth.

Congrats! My DD2 has a VBAC at home and a great experience.

My only other advice as to what everyone else said - read Silent Knife to get the real facts about risk with having a vbac.

Then put it out of your mind and read normal birthing books - because you are having a normal birth. :)

Find a supportive doula if you can, independent midwife even better but more expensive (my IM does hospital support for $1500).

Read good empowering birthing books - I can lend you mine if you like.

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Would you be interested in a doula who specializes in vbac? If your in Melbourne i can recommend a very experience doula. Calm Birth would also be worth a look as well as Ina May's Guide to Childbirth.

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Yes I am definitely interested. Would you mind PMing me her details? I am really worried about labor and think I need a doula to help me work around the extra crap that make me do with diabetes.

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No suggestions lovely but every time I see a post from you about being pregnant I'm just gonna say woohoooooooooooooooooooooooooo ;-)

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haha - I keep saying woohoo too!

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Def consider birth support from either an independent midwife or a doula. Do heaps of research and talk to them about what happened in your DS's birth.

Congrats! My DD2 has a VBAC at home and a great experience.

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Thanks - I am trying to educate myself as best i can so I can stand up for myself better and also understand if they are suggesting something if it is really best for me and Tiny T

PM sent :-)

I'm planning my VBAC at the moment and this is what I have done so far...

Get the Caesarean Births booklet from Birthrites (a WA based group, but I'm sure they'll post you a copy of their booklet - try FB or Google them for their contact details). It has facts about both CS and VBAC's, was easy to read and contained some useful info.

Write two birth plans - one for a VBAC and one for a CS....because if things don't go to plan again, being prepared will help you to make that second CS a positive experience still. Look at examples to help you. Discuss and get them signed off with your carer early!

I attended a Positive Caesarean workshop through Community Midwives here in WA. It really helped me to work through the issues I had with my CS, figure out why the CS was such a tough experience emotionally, put it behind me and now, to work out how to make my next birth positive and empowering, even if it doesn't turn out as I want.

I'll also be doing their VBAC course. See if you can find courses like this where you are.

Research the kinds of things that might stop you getting your VBAC this time around...interventions, what medical professionals might say and whether they are really barriers to a successful VBAC or 'over cautiousness'/protecting themselves iykwim. There are a few good articles Kelly has on here with questions to ask your carers. The Community Midwives WA website has some downloadable info that I found useful too.

I've been asking my ob his beliefs/intentions at every appointment - a lot say they're 'pro VBAC' but change their mind later on - that's where the above research comes in...e.g. They won't let you go over your EDD (babies don't have the schedule so you end up with another CS), they won't induce (but a CS is not the only other option), you can't VBAC a 'big' baby, baby isn't in position by 37 weeks, you can only labour for a certain amount of time/with constant monitoring/as long as you progress at a certain rate etc. This is where a doula or private midwife can help you advocate for what you want.

I am reading as much info as I can about the birth I want, lots of positive stories plus videos etc (You Tube has plenty). The books recommended above should be great.

I plan on seeing a chiro shortly and will be looking into acupuncture for closer to the end.

I've also joined a vBAC Aust. FB group. And trawled through the BB threads here :)

I'd also be doing some specific research about diabetes and what kinds of things your carers may say about diabetes and VBAC's. I know that preg related diabetes is often used as a reason for not doing VBACs.

HTH and congratulations! :)

Thank you so much for your response JLeigh I really appreciate it

Omg! I missed the BFP part! Congrats xxx

I would echo Arimeh's advice. Deal with the 'risks' of VBAC and then put it out of your head. It is no riskier than a whole bunch of medical procedures associated with birth that hospitals seem to be comfortable recommending with little or no talk of the cons.

Put your energy into watching and reading about natural birth, watch videos that show birth proceeding as it is intended. Regardless of where you're planning on giving birth, more home birth videos (YouTube is great) show unmedicated birth that isn't interfered with.

I wrote a very long birth plan in case I needed to transfer, but I don't think you need two separate ones. I dealt with all possible medical procedures related to birth, including c/s at the end. I used a lot of info from other BBers and their birth plans. Everyone had copies, we had one with us and on file. Again, I dealt with the medical stuff in the plan and then moved on and focused on natural, un-medical (not a word, but YKWIM) birth.

No problem MummaT! :)

Yeah, as Jen said, you don't need two birth plans, but you do need to address the possibility of a CS. My birth plan for DS just said something like, ' I only want a CS if it's medically necessary'. This time around it will be more than a sentence! If it does happen this time around, I still want it to be a positive, loving experience that feels as natural as possible and that I feel I have some level of control over.

Having said that, now that the CS bit is done, its all about the VBAC. ;)

Mt c/s part was the most extensive, JLeigh. The rest was a great long list of 'do nots'. Lol

Thanks ladies, you have given me some great information.

I am lucky that in my case it is actually easy to see that it is safer for me to have the vbac instead of a repeat C/s so that gives me some bargaining and will power not to give in to a c/s at the end unless it is a necessity. I will definitely look into what you have given me