All or nothing, your thoughts?

Been doing all this reading up on uterine rupture, in every single case of uterine rupture i've read the mother has had oxytocin and epidurals, coincidence?
I'm thinking maybe the best way to go about this is to say it's gonna have to be completely natural or it will be another c-section. If i can't handle the pain anymore and want an epidural then wheel me into the OR and there is no way i'm having any labour enchancing drugs such as oxytocin, doctors have said to me and i've also read it that they don't induce with a VBAC anyway because it significantly increases the chance of UR.
Having said that if i've restriced myself to no Epidural it may be motivation enough to continue through the pain.
bah, i've got a headache, why can't all this be simple.

It is good that you have in your head a plan and obviously much determination for it too. That's the first big step, i reckon, in achieving a VBAC. So well done to you.

Just a thought though, have you considered maybe having a doula at your birth? I realise you've not got very long to go but there is still time to get one. They will help you to acheive the birth you want and deserve. If money is an issue, there are student doulas, which are free.

Anyway, just a thought. :)

I wish you all the luck in the world for your up coming birth and VBAC.

I didn't think they used syntocin (oxytocin) in VBAC's for just that reason.

i am totally with you on those thoughts Jade .... i am unsure what to do ..

Tegan ... i would love a doula at my birth but where do i find one .. pity your too far away

Lea, there's a doula locator here on BB. Up the very top of the page. I am pretty sure theres a doula in your area on there. Or just google doula and put your nearest major city/suburb after that. Goodluck!

I don't know many Obs who induce c/s women because rupture risk is increased. In fact in the studies, apparently they include inductions where there is no c/s too so the figures are so skewed. Crazy. Defintely a doula with VBAC experience and the Pink Kit will help you, along with some good VBAC books/sites. Check out the resources in the VBAC discussion thread.

I wasn't really worried about the risk of UR until today, i had my first appointment at a different hospital (the last one didn't support my decision, they would do it but were so negative that it just wasn't gonna happen) anyways the doctor i saw there seemed far more positive on the whole thing and more open minded and level headed. Most of what he said i agreed with however there is one thing that struck me and made me think i should read further into, which is that if UR should happen the baby doesn't have a very good chance at surviving. So i read up all these different stories on the net and yeah in every case i read there were some nasty side effects, the baby always ended up in intensive care with respiratory problems with tubes attached to them and all kinds of nasty stuff.
I also found (its amazing what you can find on the internet) a court inquest document in which a mother had died after UR which happens to have taken place in the very hospital i was booked into before changing. This mother was in fact given Syntocin as were every other case. Granted this happened in 1998 so it was 10 years ago.. either way i'm saying no to syntocin if its offered and ultimately an epidural because epidural seems to almost always lead to syntocin.
In my ramblings i forgot what the point i was trying to make was :p

Student Doulas are free you say? To tell you the truth money is a real issue atm and even the baby bonus is pretty much already spent.
I have strong plans to go to the next CARES meeting, i think i would be stupid not to go.

Definitely a great place to start, well done! Remember while there is only 0.07% chance of rupture, there is 99.93% chance not, and you can also rupture with a c/s. Also each c/s increases your risk of major complications to you, like hysterectomy, haemorrage etc... increases dramatically with each one so depends on how many children you want too....

Jade - thanks for starting this thread. I have been wondering the same things with regards to having a VBAC. Added to mine is that I do not want to have an assisted birth (VE or forceps) as last time they attempted a VE before the c-section, which ended up causing no end of breastfeeding problems. I just don't want to go through that again. So for me I feel as though it has to a natural birth or straight to c-section. I am currently discussing this with my midwife team and with the obs next week to see how they will support me in this.