Do i still have a chance?

Ahhhhhhh - i'm feeling so depressed and annoyed right now. I'm desperately wanting a VBAC this time around and have done everything i can manage to get my body ready for one. I'm now 40+2 weeks and saw my OB today. He says my cervix is high and soft but not at all dialated. He would not do a stretch and sweep as it was too closed and he said it would cause me too much pain. Bub's head is down - not engaged - but just sitting in the pelvis.

I have been getting regular (every 40 mins) and fairly strong contractions for 3 days now and today have had constant lower back and front period-type pain so i really expected to have a more favourable cervix...but no!

We have booked in an induction date for next Thurs (i'll be 41+2weeks) which will involve an internal first to see if my cervix is favourable. If it still isn't then i'll just get sent straight off for a c/s :( Unfortunately i won't even be able to have the gel for induction and be put straight onto a drip because of having a c/s scar. They were explaining they need to have control incase something goes wrong and the gel does not allow that. They won't allow me to go past this date due to having a placenta abruption with my last preg.

Anyway i have been taking RLT and EPO for months, been walking every day, been sitting and bouncing on my fitball, DTD everyday, nipple stimulation, burning/bathing and massaging clary sage oil, had one session of induction acupuncture, been practicing positions from Pink Kit and other resources, accupressure points....you name it i'm doing it - but still it seems it's not enough.

I'm feeling so completely drained (have a horrid head cold right now too so it doesn't help), am not sleeping cause the contractions keep waking me and am just at a loss. What more can i do...and do i even have a chance to achieve this VBAC or am i setting myself up for disappointment?

Any advice would be great cause i'm just not coping too well right now.

Rae, I am sending you huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge hugs!!

I dont have any advice on what more you can do and I know how very much you want to have a VBAC. The only advice I can offer is to stay positive and know that your body is doing what it is meant to.

Just try and stay positive and keep doing what you are doing and I am praying that you will soon go into labour.

:hug: :hug: :hug:

Awww Rae, I'm sorry Tia still hasn't arrived and that you're feeling so helpless.

I can't offer any advice re VBAC but sweetie, you have absolutely done everything you can (and it sounds like literally everything) to give yourself the very best chance for a VBAC but honey, there comes a point where you just have to be happy in that knowledge and hand the rest over to the universe (or God, whatever your beliefs). There's nothing else you can do.

Having said that, you still have a whole week before now and your induction date - I had my DD the day I was booked in to be induced and prior to labour starting I had NO signs whatsoever that labour was near. One day absolutely nothing, the next morning I had a show and that was that, I was in active labour the next day. So there is absolutely every chance that it will happen between now and then.

I have a horrible cold at the moment too and it is really draining. Maybe take a day off tomorrow and just stick with the bathing and massage, the more relaxing methods, and give the rest a miss. It can't hurt for one day and it sounds like you need a break.

Good luck! I'll be thinking of you and hoping you're in labour before you know it!

Thanks so much girls. I'm gonna book myself in a for a massage i think, have a bath and take it easy. My mum's here til the 3rd of June so she has been great helping me out with Ella. Sure she won't mind looking after her again tomorrow while i chill out.

I agree with Willow - there is EVERY chance it will happen b/w now and then. Whilst i didnt do nearly as much as you did in terms of trying to bring labour on, it did get me down when my EDD came and went without a glimer of ANYTHING. I had sophie 4 days later and can i tell you it was the quickest labour in history.....i had sophie in the emergency section with skirt and shoes still on....it totally took me by surprise.
I dont want to come out with cliches or anything, but just try and enjoy your time with DH and your lil girl at present....Tia's arrival is a matter of hours away (24,48,72, whatever).
You need your energy for the labour and looking after Tia......rest honey, what youve been doing sounds really draining (i agree Willow).
X

Sounds like a great plan Rae, enjoy!

PS aren't mums the best? I'd be lost without mine. And MIL at times too I must admit.

Rae,
I really should not be posting here since I'm not pg now...but I saw the title & had to take a peek. I've had 2 VBACs and an abruption :D . Yes, you cannot have gel. I was very worried about going over dates for my VBACs but luckily the guys came before EDD.

I think the current plan of kicking back & enjoying these last few precious days is the very best thing you can do! A week is a long time at the end of pregnancy. Can you decide to take your mental energy & focus it on relaxing for these next days? HUGS.

Hi Rae
It sounds like you are doing everything you can to bring on labour. I've got my fingers crossed for you hun

Thanks for all your feedback everyone - it's very encouraging :)

:hugs:

I'll send Christy in for you Rae, she went over & had dramas as well with Jovie.

Hoping it all happens for you soon.....

*hugs* Rae! Thanks Sarah for pointing me here.

Sounds like you are working very hard at it. The only things I did differently were having a massage and acupuncture. I went to acupuncture and would have contractions for hours & the day I went into labour with Jovie I had acupuncture 2 days before and a massage 3 days before and had another massage that day.

You are doing everything you can matey. Its sooo draining & frustrating. Especially with your history.

Rae, Have you thought about giving your cervix a hurry up yourself? I don't mean sweeping or anything, just giving it a work out with your fingers? I know sounds horrible, but it can help release hormones which help the cervix to dilate etc.

Good luck and I am sure your little girl will be here veeeery soon! :)

Tanya

Rae, not sure if you will be no today to see this, but when you DTD, it really does help if you climax as well. We DTD when I was due with Erin and literally 5 minutes after we'd finished the contractions started at 10mins apart. Not sure if it was coincidence, but it is worth a shot.

Think positive Rae. You still have plenty of time. Those pains you have been having are hopefully the start of something so just relax, and let nature take it's cause.
You know, I have read alot of things about labour not starting because people have unresolved issues, or are stressed. Totally off the topic i know, but my doula was telling me about women, who for example live in Africa, can be in full on labour, and then if danger approaches, say a wild animal, labour will completely stop, give them time to get away, and then start again when things are safe!! Amazing how our minds work. It is only natural to want a stress free, safe environment to birth our babies.
Have some more acupuncture, think positive, and hopefully your bub will decide to make her arrival in the next few days!

Just thinking of you Rae this morning, I hope things are going well. I got hit pretty hard by the OB's at my hospital and I was going public with the midwives. I got told that I had to be induced with the syntocin because I was risking stillborn if I went over 42 weeks. I know I was besides myself. But for some reason my hospital pushed being induced over repeat c/s. I refused induction and had a scan just to ensure that my placenta wasn't calcified and I had enough fluid to keep going another week. I bought time that way too. HTH!!

Rae - sorry, no advice, just :hug: for you.
Hope things start happening for you soon!

Rae, sorry to hear things aren't happening for you yet.

Sending loads of labour vibes your way......Come on Tia it's time to meet your Mummy,Daddy and big sister Ella

Rae, you can refuse an induction you know :) Trust that your body will labour, it is designed to do that, and yes you have a week but don't get hung up on it because you can choose if you want to accept the induction or not. If your baby is happy and healthy no reason to induce.

Rae
How are things going?

Thanks so much everyone - i appreciate all the feedback :)

I've just had my 3rd session of acupuncture so we'll see if that does the trick. Last night, a few hrs after an acupuncture session,i was sure i was in labour due to having contractions 10 mins apart for 5 hrs (til 2am) but when i eventually fell asleep they stopped. I was very nauseous during my session this morning so hopefully that may mean something. I'm trying to relax now and just do some gentle induction stuff like burning/bathing and massaging clarysage and jasmine and will go for an easy walk this arvo. Might take up the advice of fiddling around with my cervix and see if i can convince Paul to DTD yet again (lol - i never thought we'd get so damn tired of it). I'm also totally off food - no appetite what so ever so maybe????
All this pre-labour stuff must be doing something helpful - SURLEY - so fingers crossed i have this baby soon....today would be nice ;)

Just want to send you lots & lots of labour vibes Rae!!! You have done so much preparation for this, I'm sure it will happen.

Big hugs to you, I hope this is it!

Sending u lots of slippery vibes hope your little darling pops out to meet you soon!! :hugs:

Sounds like your body is doing a great job of getting ready. These runs of contractions are preparing your cervix. You will go into labour when you are ready. Everything your Dr says is advice they don't hold the power to allow or disallow, you do. Full term pregnancy is 37 to 42 weeks and you have lots of time to ease yourself into it.

The research out out there on VBAC does not recommend any form of induction. A drip artificially contracts your uterus and this is way more likely to cause a complication than if you do it naturally.

Nipple stimulation in the bath for 20 mins a few times a day is a great way to produce oxytocin. As well as intercourse and cervix fiddling :)

It'll happen soon, I'm sure.
Lisa Barrett
midwife

What she said!

Your body rocks. It is doing its thing. Be patient with it and force your caregivers to do the same.

Have hope!

How are you today Rae? I hope things are happening for you!