For those who had or attempted a vbac...

My ob is encouraging me to try for a vbac. My Caesar was due to failed induction and she sees no reason why I can't try. Personally I'm not fussed but willing to give it a go.

The catch is, she's not prepared to let me go past 39 weeks for various reasons. So basically she has booked me in for a c/s at 39 weeks, but if my waters break and labour progresses prior to this, I can try for a vbac.

So, for those who had or attempted a vbac, did your doctor or ob put an 'end' date on your chance to try for a vaginal? I know you can't be induced but I'm just interested to know if your caregiver was prepared to just wait and see what happened?

I know if I had my heart set on a vbac I would push to remove the scheduled Caesar from the picture but I'm not fussed either way at this stage of the pregnancy (this too could change as I research!!)

Oh I should say my waters broke at 36 weeks but labour never progressed, hence the induction which didn't work. The chances of my waters breaking prior to 39 weeks are pretty high due to polyhydramnios (excess amniotic fluid)

If she doesn't want you to go past 39 weeks, she doesn't want you to have a VBAC (IMO) Most obs will likely have a 'cut off' date, but I would think that would more commonly be 40 weeks at least. I was public but I think I would have been 'allowed' to go to about 40+6, but luckily for me I went into labour at 38+2. I say luckily for me as I really wanted a VBAC and would not have agreed to a c-section if I had gone over, but really did not want to have a fight on my hands. If you end deciding you do want to have a VBAC after doing some research, then when it comes down to it they can not force you into anything. They can book a c-section but they can't force you to show up!! How many weeks are you hun?

ETA: I posted before I saw your second post. I guess things aren't as simple as I made out if your waters break early again. Sorry, I have no advice on this :hug:

my doc is letting me go through to 42 weeks with no c/section booked in (assuming no preeclampsia etc) - I am attempting a VBA3C. I don't have any other conditions to affect my chances though and my c/sections were due to breech and maternal issues not anything birth related.

I was booked into a c sect at 38 weeks because of gestational diabeties but I went into labour naturally at 37, I fully expected to miss out on the vbac.

My OB was supportive of VBAC and was happy to let me go past 41 weeks, also hospital policy was not to go past 41 weeks. We didn't book in a c/s because I knew I wouldn't make it past 40 weeks. DD was born at 38+4.

40+1 for me. Though my kidney function was dropping, my BP on the rise in a big way and my liver not so great either. Water broke at 38+6. No VBAC though.

So what are her reasons for the end date??

I never talked about any end date. My plan was to talk about it if I got to 42 weeks. But I had my VBAC at 40+2

I'm going to be having a VBAC in January. In fact, I'm having a HBAC.

There are no limits on me, but I would be going for monitoring at 41 weeks to check everything is functioning okay.

Has your ob explained the reasons in full? I'd encourage you to research those reasons to see whether or not you are comfortable with limits based on these. If you are, then you have your answer. If you are not, you can simply refuse to 'book in' a c/s (you could probably refuse that at this point anyway, just try and take it how it comes without feeling like you're on a deadline). If your waters break earlier, as they did with DD, then you might not even need to worry about a timetable.

with DD my Ob didn't give me a cut off point though I did ask and he just gave me a wry smile and said "we'll just see how things go" ........ 3 days later I had VBAC :rofl:

I would definately be asking why the 39 week cut off,unlessthere are specific medical reasons I cannot see why a normal healthy pregnancy cannot go to 42 weeks.

DO your research hun, it pays to be knowledgeable especially when you are dealing with Professionals who may have a rather strong opinion on C-sects .

Nae x

What are her reasons?

I had a HBAC and there was no talk of an end date. Due dates are just an estimation ;)

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If she doesn't want you to go past 39 weeks, she doesn't want you to have a VBAC

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Have to agree... same as the others, the big question is why is she putting a limit of 39 weeks on it? Considering she is so encouraging of a VBAC it seems odd to put such an early expiry date on it.

I had until 42 full weeks to go into labour, I was booked in for monitoring at 41+3 but the OB did say that was largely for my peace of mind, not theirs.

Inthink I screwed myself over as far as my ob and dates. He asked early on if I wanted a cs or vbac-I said I didn't know and when did I need to decide? He said his preference for a decision was 39 weeks. I decided I wanted to try vbac and despite the baby not engaging or looking like coming, I kept saying "let's assess at 40 weeks." we got to 40 weeks and the baby had to the oblique position. He raised concerns about cord prolapse and I'm booked for a cs for 40+3. but he did say if I go into labour before and the baby is in the right position then I could still vbac if I wanted. He warned me though he thinks the limiting of that happening was minimal. So to answer your question, no he never put an end date on the vbac when things were looking okay but at the first sign of things not being quite right, the 40 week mark was pretty clear.

Same thing happened to my gf, she originally wanted a vbac & OBS said, if that is what you want, then no changing your mind later on for a c-sect....She didn't think much of it. Then when she got panicky about the VBAC, he told her 'too late' to book in (can't remember what gestation bubs was).... She ended up going into labour naturally but ended up with a c-sect. I asked why it was too late for elective c-sect & she said that if you are going elective c-sect, they have to book you in by a certain time during your pg & she had missed that window....??? Sounded odd to me, b/c women end up having 'emergency c-sects' all the time....

I think if you really want to try for VBAC, cancel the c-sect - that way no pressure to go into labour by 39 weeks. GL with whatever you decide

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I asked why it was too late for elective c-sect & she said that if you are going elective c-sect, they have to book you in by a certain time during your pg & she had missed that window....??? Sounded odd to me, b/c women end up having 'emergency c-sects' all the time....

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Sounds a bit odd to me too, I had an appt at 41 weeks & with a high, closed cervix was offered an elective CS (but encouraged to give it another week).
When we were discussing what actual day of the week would be the cut off, they said Monday (I think it was Monday), because that was when they scheduled their elective CS - I asked for Tuesday, so I could really hit that full 42 weeks - and the Ob said "Well I guess technically if you haven't gone into labour by then we could class it as an emergency" - in other words they were very accomodating and I would think there is always a bit of wriggle room, it probably comes down a lot to the individual OB and the hospital.

I agree with RhiChiChi - if you cancel the CS, you don't have a number hanging over your head. Best of luck :hug:

My Ob let me go to 40 weeks 4 days and incuded me. He was happy to let me go for a Vbac.

I've had two vbacs.

Why do you have a deadline??

My first vbac I was induced at 12 days past EDD

My second vbac was spontaneous labour at 7 days overdue - I did have an acupuncture induction though. She was born 2 days later so 9 days overdue.

Spoke to my ob today and she is more than happy for me to go to 41 weeks if I want a vbac, otherwise she is happy for me to be booked in at 39 weeks but still try for a vbac if anything happens before then.

Love my ob, she's just happy for me to do whatever makes me comfortable!

Yay Kel :)

I was told 41wks too, but only because I insisted. Originally they were saying I needed the CS at 38wks because I had gestational diabetes, but never had a CS booked because of the trauma I went through with my emergency one, my BP went right up every time they mentioned CS so they never set a date, but they did book me in to have my waters broken at 40+2 (they couldn't use the drip obviously lol), I'd been 1-2cm dilated since 37wks so it was easily done and DD was born less than 5 hours later.

Good luck, and if they start hassling you for a CS if you still aren't 100% sure about having one then ask to have your waters broken instead if things are favourable at 41 weeks and see what happens :)

That is great Kelsbels! Especially with the polyhydramnios darls :hug: FWIW I was about to push my hospital that wanted me to book in at 41 +2 to 42 weeks! Pity he didn't come out by 14 days over but anyhoo! Good luck!