Would you risk having a VBAC home birth?

Im petrified about the whole birth process after my first experience with my DS. I had a posterior bubs, and along with a bad back after painful riding accidents I decided to go along with my OBs suggestion and get induced at 40 weeks and 1 day. I had a painful s & s that afternoon on my last appointment, went out to lunch and then to a movie for the last time as a couple. After the movie I couldnt move! I felt like something had changed and or I was in labour. We went into hospital that night to have a trace and cervadil gels inserted and stayed overnight . I had a few niggles over night but nothing eventuated. The next morning the Ob turned up and broke my waters. I laboured naturally for two hours and then decided to get the EPI because the lady next door was getting it and so I went ahead. All day I only went 4cm, from 7am, the Ob visited three times, and 5pm she said that Id only got to 4cm and if I wasnt getting anywhere by 8pm that night, I would need a cesar. I knew from 5pm onwards I was going to have a cesar, just something was telling me. She came back at 830 and said that there was swelling on bub's head and his little heart rate had gone up and down too much so an emergency cesar was organised for that night. I was crying because Id let myself, bubs and hubby down and didnt want a cesar. I was also petrified of being cut open. The midwife I had was awful, making rude comments about my stretch marks etc and we got down to theatre, the sheet was ripped off me exposing everything from the waist down with not a care for my feelings, my feet were tied to the operating table and my epi was topped up so high I was shaking. Then I felt poking and prodding and what felt like someone jumping on my rib cage, and then my son was born crying, and whisked away to be cleaned and checked. I got him back for ten minutes before being told he had to go to the nursery for weighing and a bath. I was by myself in recovery without my son for 2 hours. The midwife who promised to call the birth weight and length down to me, never did. I got back up to the rooms at midnight after a 9pm operation and finally got to feed my son. Many days lay ahead of painful recovery and bad luck with breast feeding.

This time around I am hoping for so different. We are now in a different state, I saw an OB here with my previous information, she more or less said I had to be in hospital from the start of labour because " you have a scar". I have decided to go to another hospital further away and go through midwifery care where I can also labour in a bath and their outlook is wonderful. I have also been looking into home water births but Im a little sceptical and scared.

Any feedback?

Trish, one of BB's long term members has had 2 HBACs (home birth after caesarean), I'm sure she'll pop in to talk to you about it ;)

I would definitely do it if it wasn't for the fact that I looove my ob (my c/s was for medical reasons - placenta praevia - so he's not a c/s-happy ob) who is pro-vbac and I have a friend who is a doula and happy to support me next time around. I don't want to have to find alternative health care since I was so happy with mine, so my vbac will be in the same hospital my DD was born in.

If I move or my ob quits practising (please God no!) then I'd reconsider.

Hi Gippymum,

Sorry to hear you had such an awful, impersonal experience :(

But congratulations on your pg :)

Ok, enough with the smiley-faces. Fear can play a huge role and really inhibit the whole birthing process. So for starters I'd strongly recommend having a birth de-brief, where you can re-tell your story and let out any emotions and feelings you have about your experience. Storing them up can often lead to them bursting out at the most confronting time - the next birth. You can de-brief with a private midwife, birth attendant or counsellor, and there's also a de-brief thread here on BB.

The best birthing experience for you is the one you where you feel most supported and safe. So if you would like a home-birth, then set about finding a great team of supporters. There are pro-VBAC, pro-homebirth private midwives, birth attendants and some pro-homebirth Obs (although they are a little rarer than hospital-based obs!).

The absolute best thing you can do for yourself and your baby is to know your stuff! So ask questions! Ask your ob, ask a midwife, ask other mothers you might know who have had a home-birth experience and ask here on BB! There's just about every type of birth experience here so ask away. And if someone has had an awesome experience, ask them how they did it and who/what helped them.

Looking forward to seeing many, many posts from you!

One thing I think you should really remember is that your scar is strong - there is no reason at all why you can't have a successful VBAC, even at home. Do you really want to give birth at home or do you feel like it is your only alternative to achieve your VBAC? Because if you are determined to do it, then you will be successful no matter where your birth. Like SJH said, you need to surround yourself with supportive people. There are some fab books you can read to help you feel more confident in your decision too.

Depends what you class as risk... 0.07% is less risk than miscarriage for an amnio which is 1%. At home, you wont have access to an epidural, which could mask the pain of a rupture, so the midwife would be able to know if you are experiencing pain out of the ordinary.

Check out these clips:

VBAC

VBAC 2

Hi GippyMum,

I'm so sorry that your birth didn't go as you had planned last time, and I am so sorry you were treated in such a horrible way. I can see why you are so put off by the hospital system.

I had a c section with my now 5 year old son. He was breech and even thought i pushed for a vaginal birth I was not listened to, so a c section was planned. Now while I had a pretty positive c section it still wasn't what I wanted.

When I fell preg with my 3 year old daughter Tehya I started thinking about a homebirth. I knew that I would not get a natural birth in hospital. I would have to have a canula, I would be on a timer, constantly monitored, and have my freedom to move as I wanted limited.

I found my midwife and did my research. Everywhere I went to told me I was a fool for even considering it. The Dr's tried scare tactics and statistics, as did friends. I KNEW in my heart that homebirth was the only way for me to go. I armed myself with the knowledge to throw back at all if they tried to talk me out of it. Dr's don't like it when you can argue their stats.

I got the whole "trial of scar" talk from the Dr's and midwives at the hosp. I got told how my uterine scar was at risk of rupturing. (FWIW there is a higher rate of uterine rupture in women without uterine scars than there is in women who have one)

Anyway I went on to have a beautiful home water birth with Tehya, as I did with my latest daughter Abbey.

I strongly recommend it.

I will give you the links to my birth stories and to both of my birth montages. You can see the pics of my homebirths. I hope no matter where you birth you are successful in getting exactly what you want hun.

Abbey's Homebirth
Abbey's Montage

Tehya's Home waterbirth
Tehya's Montage

A warning though, there are naked images there ;)

Trish, I just watched Abbey's birth montage and it looked wonderful! Just made me think 'that's what birth is supposed to look like'.

I wish we could all have a birth like that...

Well, you surely did have a lousy time first time around, didn't you! :hug: As the others have said, you need to consider first whether you really want this baby at home, or if you feel like you've been pushed into a corner where this is your only option. Birth where you feel safe. If that is at home, then great! (I had Emily - my third baby - at home, and loved it!) But if you feel like you'd rather birth in hospital, but can't because of last time, then maybe a private midwife who will deliver at a birth centre or in hospital is your best way to go. I don't think that having had a previous c-section is a good enough reason to deny yourself a homebirth. If you want it, go for it, and find a good midwife who will help you achieve it. A friend of mine had her first by c-section, and went on to have five more - the last two or three at home. No problems. And Trish's story speaks for itself, too. (Her story was a major contributing factor to my decision to have this baby at home. Thanks Trish! :))
And about waterbirth - I'd highly recommend that too! You can labour in water if you want and then get out for delivery. There is a great article here on BB (somebody post a link - I'm not smart enough for that! :redface:) about waterbirth if you have questions. (Look in the articles section) I read up on the pros and cons and risks of waterbirth, and found that the risks are virtually non-existant, and the pros are wonderful! Drug-free pain relief, and reduction of tearing. Sounded good to me. There was no budging me out of that tub once I got in there.
BB has a recommended reading list - maybe copy it down and head off to your local library. You will make the best decision when you know as much as you can about your options.
Oh, and maybe see about getting a doula, whether you birth at home or not.
All the best!

Gippymum! definatley go VBAC. :)
Find yourself an environment that will support your choices and get yourself a doula!

I had a yucky CS too and trust me I am almost obsessed with finding out as much as I can to prevent a repeat performance. If you don't quite feel comfortable with homebirth make sure you go to a pro-VBAC hospital, surroud yourself with encouraging people. And i know this can sometimes be the most difficult (it's what I struggle with most since my caesar), but have faith in your body.

Best of luck to you :)

Hi Gippymum
I has a CS with my first and wanted to have a VBAC with the second which my OB was all for. I knew the risks, 3 of my friends had succesful VBAC so I was positive that it would work out. It however didn't work, (the pain from the scar was more intense than the labour and bub was posterior )and another CS was done.

While it was not the outcome I had hopped for, I am so glad I opted for a VBAC. I now have two beautiful kids.

Decide what you want, surround yourself with people that will support you and look forward to meeting your new bub.

Aww, Thanks Jennifer :hug: And hey, we CAN all have births like that.

Cricket, thank you too huni :hug: