VBAC / EBAC Discussion #4

Are you looking to have a EBAC or Empowered Birth After Caesarean? Looking for some support or have a question? Post your thoughts here.

According to the Birthrites website, the risk for uterine rupture in a VBAC is extremely low. They state, "The likelihood of uterine rupture with attempted VBAC is 0.5%. (0.2% uterine rupture, 1.1% asymptomatic dehiscence from case control studies). The risk of hysterectomy and perinatal death from uterine rupture are 0.05% and 0.07% respectively in hospitals equipped to provide rapid laparotomy. (Australian VBAC study)"

VBAC RESOURCES

Birthrites (Aus) Lots of info on caesareans and VBAC
ICAN - International Caesarean Awareness Network
VBAC.com - Provides childbearing women and maternity care professionals access to research-based information, resources, continuing education and support for VBAC
CARES-SA

Books

Birth After Caesarean, Unlimited Possibilities by Caroline Daniels
Caesarean Birth...Making Informed Choices (Birthrites Booklet, AUS)
The Thinking Woman's Guide to A Better Birth by Henci Goer - good section on VBAC and other important birth topics
The VBAC Companion by Diane Korte
Silent Knife by Nancy Cohen
The Birth of Aasha (DVD) by Tara and Garfield Darlington - a VBAC birth
Obstetric Myths versus Research Realities by Henci Goer

Last thread can be found here

Hi guys...

We are looking at possibly TTC # 2 in October...

I had an emergency c-sect with Alexa - she was born at 32 weeks gestation..

My big concern about having a VBAC is that with Alexa having born early I didnt have a big belly at all & I am worried that if I was to go to full term this time there would be alot more stress on my uterus scar than normal as it hadnt been totally stretched before.... hence a higher risk of uterine rupture!!!

Anyone had a EBAC/VBAC at full term after having a preterm c/sect???

Hope that made sense....

Thanks :)

yep, mine wasnt as preterm, but my first two were born vaginally at 33 weeks, and then my csec girl was 36 weeks ( she weighed 7 pd 9) My vbac was term, and weighed 4625gms, ( 10 pd 3) so I dont think it really makes a difference to you uterus how term or how big bubs is, a contx is a muscle "cramp' and dont think it matters the size of the bub IYKWIM???

Thanks for you reply Vanita...

i am jsut looking at my options for when # 2 is on the way!!!

I have a question for you all.

Do you think it matters if I get a doula and she does not have VBAC experience?
I have found a lady that I like but she has nearly finished her training and has not had one herself nor supported one.

I have a supportive Ob but I want extra backup for my own peace of mind.

TIA

I wouldnt think it mattered if she had experience, as long as she would support you and stick by your decisions I think that would be more important. good luck

HotMumma - I don't think so at all. I am getting a friend as my 'doula'. She doesn't have VBAC experience, but very positive natural births. THat is really important I think. And like Vanita said, as long as you are both on the same page, then it should be fine!

Thanks girls,

I have sent her a email and I hope to hear from her soon.

Have a squizz of this ladies: https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...ad.php?t=36529

What books are the best to get for a VBAC? I can only afford a couple and I would like to get them now.

I have chosen the hospital and Ob so I have got that far by myself. I am currently 14 weeks.

TIA

I got the pink kit. Haven't really had a chance to get into it yet, but it was highly recommended to me.

"The Thinking Womans Guide to Better Birth", that one was amazing for me as well as "Silent Knife" I got them off Amazon & found them to be invaluable. In fact, I've lent them to other VBAC hopefuls in the past :)

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I got the pink kit. Haven't really had a chance to get into it yet, but it was highly recommended to me.

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Linda once you have had a good chance to get into it and have read it, please give me some feedback.

Thanks

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"The Thinking Womans Guide to Better Birth", that one was amazing for me as well as "Silent Knife" I got them off Amazon & found them to be invaluable. In fact, I've lent them to other VBAC hopefuls in the past :)

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Thanks I will look on Amazon and hopefully buy them both.

Will do! I start maternity leave next week so am planning on getting stuck into it then. I have given it to my friend who is coming to the birth in the meantime so she can read it. She said it's been really interesting. Even though she has had 2 natural births she said she has learned a lot from it.

That is good to hear Linda about your friend learning stuff out of it. I have looked into buying it before but I was not to sure it was suitable for VBAC.

It's not VBAC specific, but certainly still benificial for a VBAC.

Hi :) I birthed my daughter at home in July 2006 after a hb turned transfer to c-sec for my son in 2003. It was just a birth :) VBAC = Birth. Simple. I'm happy to talk about my birth if anyone is interested. LMK!

I'd love to hear all about it Janet! It's funny, that's what my support person has been saying, that VBAC is really just birth. There doesn't have to be any big difference about it.

Will look forward to hearing your story!

I wonder if I know anyone in your team? What would you like to know? It was a long hard birth, I wouldn't change it for the world. It went on for days, everyone supported me, I just kept on keeping on and then a baby was born. Cool, hey? ;) No timing, no monitoring, no VEs, no pressure, just me, labour and baby. In the birth montage thread you can see my slideshow. :)

That's great. I'll go & check out the montage. :)

wondering if anyone has had a successful VBAC when they had gestational diabetes?

Hi All,

Looking for advice/ reading material/ websites etc. I had my son Andrew 4.065kg (8p 15oz) in May '06 by C-section. I was 'induced' as he had gone 6 days overdue, even though he was still high. I had 2 applications of the gel and after 12 hrs contracting (and being sick 3 times!) the Ob. went to break my waters, which he didn't end up doing. My cervix was still high, hard and completely closed (0 dilation) and the baby still hadn't dropped at all. The only thing that had happened is that I'd lost some of the mucus plug. So he said I could continue contracting all day if I wanted and have a C-Section that evening, or he'd do it in the morning. It was done about lunch time. I was so disappointed and hated the epidural.

Now 24 wks pregnant with #2 and worried about the same outcome. I am looking big again and although my ob. is willing to let me have a VBAC, he won't induce me and won't let the baby go more than 7 days overdue. He also wants me to at least have the epidural catheter put in, so if an emergency C-section is necessary they can numb me quickly.

My mum, grandmother and aunt all had similar problems (g/mother had a very long and difficult birth with her 7pounder and others all had repeat c-sections) and we all have the same shaped bum and are all short.

Please, somebody tell me, how do I avoid a repeat of last time? How do I get the baby to drop and engage, and come out before 6 days overdue? I feel so helpless about this, but I really really don't want another C-section as it was so horrible, and also as I want a big family.

Any help is appreciated,

MessyMum

Hi Messy Mum, If you email me I can send you hoards of information to read through. PM me your email if you like.

Hi Philippa,

Do you have an email address (maybe a professional one) I can send to? I'm a little wary about posting mine online.

MessyMum

Hi
Yes
philippa.s@people.net.au

[QUOTE=HotMumma;757697]What books are the best to get for a VBAC? I can only afford a couple and I would like to get them now.

I don't get to reply to posts often, so I hope I am doing this right :doh: I am a Doula, and have had a VBAC myself, and the ones that I suggest are Gentle Birth, Gentle mothering by Sarah J Buckley, Active Birth by Janet Balakas and another absolute fav is Ina May's Guide to Childbirth.

Oh, and further to your Doula not having VBAC experience, I would say that you should trust your instinct. Doulas have a passion for all types of birth and thrive on women having empowered birth experiences, so if you feel that with her, you are definately on the right track, no matter what her experience. All the very best to you!:D

I decided today that this thread isn't used nearly enough especially when I know there are lots of us heading towards our VBACs in the next few months.....

So here's my story, who else wants to share.....
I went into labour with Zander at 40w 6d on the Friday afternoon at 1pm, laboured at home until 1am Saturday then headed to the hospital. Sadly I was only 2-3cm when I got there but was kept overnight in maternity. I was in the delivery room from 9am Saturday, had my waters broken, sinto drp & epidural at 7cm around 3pm. I got to 9cm at 7pm and stayed there. I laboured until 1.15am Sunday when it was decided I'd have a c/s so my little man was born at 1.27am on the Sunday.

This time I've got a wonderful support team (Kelly & Cailin) so hopefully the midwives won't make a difference - I believe labour stalled due to my wonderful midwife going home at 7pm (after she had stayed 4 hours past her shift finishing for me) & getting one I didn't really like at the shift change.

Paris' birth:

Went into hospital, at 6 am, with concerns of OC (obstetric cholostesis) and the MW told me my contrax were off the charts and I was in labour. I now know I probably was in early/pre labour and should have been sent home :rolleyes: They also tasered Paris (in utero) which I still get angry thinking about, I wonder still what that did to my poor baby in her secure cocoon, definitely not very welcoming I'm sure. I had little sleep the night before due to itching and was a little tired, but was also really excited that my baby was coming today (or so I thought). I lost my plug at 10 am and contrax started to become stronger although irregular at this time. I laboured all day, had a bath (which I know now was probably a bad idea and could have slowed things down). The delivery room I was in was nothing more than a broom closet with a shower and toilet that had a curtain. I had visitors during labour, which also says to me I shouldn't have been there and it wasn't established yet. At 5 am the following morning my waters broke and there was mecconium. At 5:30 or so I had pethadine as I was exhausted and needed sleep. Then at 7 am they wanted to induce birth with a drip and encouraged epidural due to having about 2 hours sleep in 32 hours. Then at 9:00 am I was told Paris was in distress and I needed an epidural, mind you they had upped the drip about 20 mins before hand (which I think led to her distress). at 10:01 am she was born via c/s with apgars of 9 and 10 which is very odd for a baby in distress :rolleyes:

I look back and I know where things went wrong, I know why I had my c/s and it wasn't because I was failing to progress (only got to 3 cms) it wasn't because my body had failed me or my daughter but because they had failed my body.

Seth's Birth:

With Seth I got the empowered birth I deserved. I got contrax at 3 am, went into hospital at 9 am and birthed naturally up until 4 pm, when I had my only intervention, waters broken (I was 7cms) and then continued to birth drug free until he was welcomed into the world at 6:57 pm I reached down and grabbed my son turned around carefully and held him to my chest, cord still attached. I cannot express the emotion surrounding this amazing and beautiful event. And it was 2 years from this very day :) I do believe that with the education and support I had as well as taking part in an active drug free birth my body was allowed to do all that it needed to do with minimal intervention.

It can be done, and you can do it :)

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she was born via c/s with apgars of 9 and 10 which is very odd for a baby in distress :rolleyes:

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Gee same thing happened with Maggie's birth - whilst I realise with her that she did need to be born by c-section, the panic and "abuse" that I was put through getting her to that point as she was "in distress" was just not necessary.

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wondering if anyone has had a successful VBAC when they had gestational diabetes?

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Hi I had a vba2c with GD. It can be done. Just keep and eye on your BSL and try and be as active as possible. Quinn was only 3980gms (my smallest) and I delivered him relatively easily.

Melissa

Another one heading to VBAC.... Great thread bump Sarah!

My story in a nutshell, induced with gel at 9 days overdue and then in the morning again, nothing. Waters broken at midday, nothing.... synto at 2pm.. mild cx building up to intense cx! Bub was posterior and I was getting alot of back pain so epi at 130am.... was 7cm dilated at this point... went to sleep (kind of!) check at 5am says IM 9cm - whoo hoo I can push soon... Dr comes in at 8 and says - off to c/s you go and no you can't try to push as bub is posterior and your cervix is too high.... so my plans of a natural birth with no epi and definately no c/s went out the window, although after 36 hours of THAT I was glad to be holding her finally!

This time around- I will have a doula, am booked at a hospital where Im not classified as high risk (shock horror) who have a number of Dr's who support VBAC and lovely supportive midwives and we are armed and ready!!!

Hey ladies!

I've just found out I'm pregnant with our 3rd bubba :dance:.

I'm really not sure what I want to do this time around. Patrick was natural, with the help of forceps, as he was in serious distress at 41 weeks. I was fully dialated after being in an induced labour for about 2hrs. (Private hospital).

With Riley, I had a low lying placenta, and so we had to have a c/s for safety reasons. He came, no issues, at 38 weeks at Frankston public hospital nearly 12 months ago.

As Riley and bubba #3 will only be just over 18 months apart, do you think that they will encourage me to have another c/s or a VBAC??

I suppose it's up to the hospital and I know that Frankston only do c/s for emergency or for medical reasons, so they would probably encourage me to have a VBAC this time around.

I'm not actually really too concerned about it, but I have serious problems with hemoroids after both boys and I'm actually more scared of THAT, after a VBAC than I am of the c/s!!!!!:(

Please advise your thoughts on this so early after first c/s.

Thanks.

I'm headin for a VBAC also - and 18 months exactly (nearly to the day) from previous c-section.
Mine was elective c-section with Aricyn.
Got myself a very supportive OB, student doula with previous VBAC experience herself, and a great supportive hospital which encourages waterbirth even with VBAC.

Hopefully - fingers crossed - we all get what we are after!! Good luck guys -
Sarah - good luck to you mate, you're up first!!!

Hi Tashie and Gudism,
How exciting for you both, planning for your VBACs! I had a VBAC in Dec with the support of a Doula, my DH and mum. I chose a VBAC friendly OB but in the end he wasn't even present at the birth. My first birth was an emergency c-section at 28 weeks (due to placenta previa and placental abruption). This bubba was born 2yrs 4 months later totally naturally with no drugs or intervention. Although through my entire pregnancy I was worried about the the scar and what would happen during labour (fear of the unknown I suppose), when I was actually in labour this was the furthest thing from my mind - it didn't even play a part at all!
Tash, I'm not sure how having a c-section on'y 18months ago will effect a VBAC, probably a question best for Kelly or Alan? However if you want to have a VBAC it is not up to the hospital at all. Every woman has a right to chose the sort of birth that they want and a c-section can't be performed without your consent. If a VBAC is what you really want my advice would be to do lots of research into VBAC and reading other people's experiences. One thing that I learnt from my experience is that a lot of the time the medical professionals can give you mis-information in order to encourage you to do what is most suitable for them, rather than what is best for you and your baby. I also found that having a Doula was invaluable.

Hey Tashie! Good luck with your decision - hopefully your placenta is in a nice possie this time and the hospital will support you to have a vbac. My VBAC will be 16 1/2 mths from my c/s and the midwife said that my risk of uterine rupture is slightly higher than otherwise, but nothing significant so that is a relief. My odds of rupture were probably higher when I was induced as a first time mummy with Izzy and I didn't even know it!

Mel - I can't believe how quickly time has gone and that you are already almost 30 weeks!!

Sarah - any day now honey and we will be hearing about your beautiful, empowered VBAC for your princess!!! :cheer:

Carrie - great post - thank you!!!! Can I ask which hospital you went to??

Question for you all. I mentioned that I wanted a doula at my midwife appointment and got a mixed reaction. I'm going to the Mercy and they have been wonderfully supportive so far. Anyway the midwife basically said something along the lines of,
*doulas aren't medically trained ( I knew that!) but they are labour trained!
* in the event of a medical emergency or issue arising they will advise along the "natural, no drug lines" IYKWIM
* at the Mercy most doulas or IM go through the FBC which I am not going through and they don't get many in birth suites, unless women are transferred.
* They have had times where the midwives have told the labouring mother XYZ and told her what they think she should do - mother has turned to doula and said "what do you think?" which I think puts the midwives offside and makes the midwives feel like the mother is giving her power away in sense?

Right now I know the answer to alot of this but I guess I want to know especially from Kelly or other doulas what you think. I really don't want to be in the middle of a doula and midwife disagreeing if that makes sense. So now I'm all out of whack with what we should do! :rolleyes:

Rambling on so will catch you all soon! We have our scan tomorrow - :hooray:

Tan, I think if she is a good doula she will be acting on what you want, instead of what she prefers for you. Mine is coming along to support my wishes, not to enforce her own beliefs.... I'm sure all doulas are like that... :hug: My midwife didn't even comment when I said I had one coming in with us, it was just like it was perfectly normal and acceptable....

And btw - I can't believe I have just over 10 weeks to go. If I had fingernails I might be starting to bite them.

Mel I have way way less than that but I'm excited though, not nervous at all. I CAN DO IT!!

Tan, maybe read this article about doulas to give you an idea of what might happen.

Tan- I went to Francis Perry, however I spent my labour at home, arriving at the hossy only an hour before bubs was born. Goodluck for your scan tomorrow! Oh, the other thing that I had was a detailed birth plan, DH had a few copies that were given out when we arrived at the hospital.
Gudism- 10 weeks woohoo! You sound like you have really supportive birth team.
Sarah- Definatley you can do it! I hope that you have a fantastic birth experience and that it is all you hope for.

Yep I have a good birth plan as well, Kelly has a copy (she's my doula :)), the hospital has a copy & there will be one in my bag.