Not feeling supported for VBAC
BB is certainly a great starting point for feeling some positive vibes for a VBAC but it's not the same feeling I'm getting else where. Although I may end up with a 2nd caesarean I'd like to feel as though it's my choice rather than being what I feel pushed into. How have other Mum's coped with this feeling?
I'm going completely public with bub 2, as I did with DD. ,I was very happy with the hospital, midwives and doctors with DD and I can't say that I was upset when I ended up with an emergency caesarean when bub went into foetal distress. After 2 1/2 days of contractions and very little sleep, I really was worried about how I'd get through labour and delivery, especially as I was only 4cm along and things hadn't settled into any sort of rhythm yet. The caesarean went very well and te recovery was textbook. As a result hubby is very pro-caesarean this time too as it's what we know, it went well last time and I'm sure that part of it is that he doesn't want to see me in pain.
When i spoke to the midwife at my last visit about it she said that I'd have to talk to the doctor but to consider the fact that most Mums want as natural a VBAC as possible but the reality is that Mums having a VBAC (at this hospital atleast) are strapped to monitoring equipment for most of the time and are mostly restricted to the bed. This means very limited use of the shower, bath, walking around etc. With 1st bub I hated being on the bed to be monitored and really wanted to be moving around. So there's one VBAC negative.
When I saw the doctor she just handed me a brochure and said that we'd discuss it at 34 weeks. I'd like to have things sorted before then but being a public patient I don't have much choice.
When hubby was talking to our GP, who I usually really like, on an unrelated visit, they started talking about VBAC Vs 2nd caesarean. The GP said, "Why would you want to go VBAC." His point was that even though both options have very rare complications, if something did go wrong then the VBAC complications would generally take longer to recover from than the caesarean complications.
There are 23 months between the birth of 1st bub and the due date of 2nd bub. Some of the resources I've been reading are saying that 2 years is the minimum time between bubs for a safe VBAC. I've enoticed at least a few Mums on BB who have had shorter than 2 years between their bubs and have had great VBAc outcomes.
Hmmm, too much to think about. I'm certainly not looking forward to a VBAC, like many first timers I'm a little freaked by the idea of giving birth but then again the MUCH shorter recovery time is very exciting.
Congratulations that is fantastic
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Thanks to all who gave me quite a lot to think about. Sorry it has taken me 11 weeks to write about my experience.
i looked into a Doula and decided that a single income family with one (almost 2 ) little ones just couldn't affort the extra cost. I'm lucky enough to live 1/2 way between 2 good public maternity wards, so I asked questions and found that both had similar policies. I read a lot and talked it through with hubby.
When ended up being watched in hospital because of an unexplainable bleed and really strong Braxton Hicks contractions I found that all of the midwives and doctors i came into contact with were very suportive and positive about the possibility of VBAC. When I went home i felt sure that i'd get the support i needed.
When I went in to have bub a week later i had a great midwife. Things slowed down and it was clear that it was going to be a while so the midwife talked to me about the fact that it was borderline as to whether or not I was in active labour. If she put on the paperwork that it was active labour I could stay in the delivery sweet but would be restricted to the bed and i'd be strapped to the monitors (hospital policy that I couldn't avoid). if she said that i wasn't in active labour then I'd be sent over to the ward but I'd be able to walk/move around and stay off the monitors. I went with the second option and still felt very supported as the midwives kept an eye on me and i was able to find ways to help feel more comfortable etc.
When i reached a point where i felt that i needed to use the gas and air i had to return to the delivery sweet. The support was wonderful and the end result was fantastic.
I really don't know what had me so stressed. I'd do it naturally again if i was to have any more children.