vbac vs c/s , im stuck with a decision ...wdid???

ok , so as of yet i have no idea how my bub will be born, my head spins and spins with wanting a vbac and then just going with a c/s ... i just dont know ..

does anyone know qld's policy to repeat c/s or vbac's ???

the reasons i want a vbac is so i can prove to my head that i can do it and not get so scared , but then i have heard if i got 10days over its a c/s anyway because they wont induce me ..... i dont want to set my heart on it the get a c/s if im too far overdue ,

ds was born via c/s at 39+5 ( c/s was booked at 38wk appt) , there were 2 reasons : 1 he was stuck in a funny position and couldnt move , his head was buried in my right hip and couldnt turn to go head down , doc said it would be a induction leading to a c/s or a c/s any way as he wasnt head down and couldnt get my body producing the signals to start labour , 2 was i have anx and ocd and had pnd and was haing panic attack and low points and just damm miserable because the baby was big and i was so uncomfortable i couldnt stand it anymore , so for my sanity and the 1st reason i was give a c/s ..

but i hated being in bed and not being able to roll over to feed ds ....

so my mind is saying if you have a c/s you will have baby a bit earlier and the anx and ocd wont be as bad while im waiting for labour and knowning it could well be a 2nd c/s ... so a c/s is looking a tad better than a vbac , but i know my body wont take as long to recover with a vbac and i would probably cope a bit better with a toddler as well ....


SO what does qld allow ..... can i be induced or should i book my c/s at the 26wk appt or should i see what the ob says .... the midwife seemed to assume i was in for a repeat c/ and wrote it in my book with out really dicussing it .

its doing my head it , i cant decide ... :(

Nowhere will induce in the traditional sense with gels or the drip you with a VBAC. The risk of rupture is higher with an induction even withought having had a previous c/s. Having said that, there is a new way to induce for a VBAC which is what my hospital has suggested if I go too far overdue.... They use a balloon cathetar which they basically blow up to get your cervix to dilate. Sounds a bit yucky, but for me a far far better option than another c/s. Also, there is no reason why bub has to come out at 10 days overdue, none at all unless the placenta has stopped functioning. My hospital has recommended the ballon induction (sorry can't remember the actual name) at 10 days over but I plan on refusing unless there are some specific medical grounds for me & this baby, I won't be pushed into it for hospital policy. You can refuse anything you don't want.

As for bub's positioning, make sure you check out the spinning babies website fairly early on, now even, so you can start practicign to get bub into the correct position before s/he gets stuck. Basically don't recline in your chair & try to keep a nice straight posture when walking will help.

And beside from that get some reading done. Sit down & read Silent Knife, Thinking Woman's Guide to Better Birth & VBAC Companion. They are all fantastic & will put a fire in you that you can have a VBAC & no-one will stop you.

With your mental state, only you can decide what's best there. Are you under the care of a psychologist during your pregnancy? If you aren't, it might be a good idea to get in contact with someone that deals with pregnancy anxieties to help you deal with it all before you get too stressed.

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Sit down & read Silent Knife, Thinking Woman's Guide to Better Birth & VBAC Companion. They are all fantastic & will put a fire in you that you can have a VBAC & no-one will stop you.

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I agree. With knowledge comes power and confidence, we all know that a vaginal birth is safer, so the only way you will be able to feel convinced about being able to do it and have that confidence is with knowledge - and have a great cheersquad to hang out with, like the BB VBAC forum! Get some great support, a carer who fully supports VBAC and with people who believe in you, you will believe in you too.

I've been sort of surfing around here for the past couple of days and reading peoples stories. I just found out something startling on Wednessday. I never even knew that it was a possiblity to have a vba2c. I met a woman from the ICAN organization. I was baffled to hear that I could have a natural delivery. My ob will not do vba2c so she hooked me up with a doctor who does them and a midwife who does homebirths. My dilema is that I don't know which way to go. My family is so hospital trusting and none of them has ever had to experience unnessary (or even nessessary) c-sections. My sister and my mom are so worried about me doing a homebirth that they even start to freak me out. My dh is ok with whatever I want, he knows that it is my body and my decision, but I don't even know what decision to make:(. The doctor that she did hook me up with sounds really great too. Anyhow, I don't know what I should do, any advice would be greatly apreciated.

We all love our families, but we live with the repercussions of our births, not them. You will carry your experiences to your grave. Do what you want, do what makes you feel great inside :) If you had 'someone else's' birth, could you live with it if it didnt go like you hoped? Could you live with the resent?

This is your birth, your baby. Nothing else matters but how you and your partner feel.

hi charmalea, good luck and all the best with your birthing decision. Sorry I do not have any words of wisdom as such but I will say that I understand your angst in deciding what to do. My DS is going on 9 months now, he was my first baby and was born via emergency c/s. My DF and I cant wait until we start TTC #2, but for now we have to wait. Although I'm not pg, and wont be for a least another year or so, it still weights heavily on my mind (I'd even say daily) how the next baby will be born. Will I VBAC or C/S, will I or won't I, what should I do? Do I really want to do that again ie the surgery? what is best for my baby?

In all honesty, I'm completly confused as to what to do next time, and for some reason it seems important that I should decide now?? So I'm feeling for you and am here for you seeing as though you are half way there. :hug:

One thing I wonder about trying for a VBAC is the thought "what if it ended in a c/s anyway?" Would I be dissapointed, would it then not be a positive birth experience?

My experience having a c/s first time around was great, I recovered well and it was a loving beautiful experience, I would not change one thing. My baby needed an operation after birth and I was booked in to be induced at 37 weeks anyway, so the fact that it ended as an emergency c/s with the surgeons out of bed and waiting for him was a good thing. :lol:

But next time around knowing that everything SHOULD be ok it is hard to decided what to do. It is such a personal choice that no one but yourself can make.

Thinking of you please keep us updated or PM me if you want to chat more.

I'm sorry I can't help out with your decision, but I'm behind you all the way with your choice. Maybe you need a sounding board to bounce pros and cons from - or just to write them down?

Oh rkerr I agree, I wouldnt have even know about VBAC at all, let alone half the things I do now if it were not for bellybelly and the members (*big grins* sarah & kelly!!). Education is definately the key. keep in touch too. xox

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One thing I wonder about trying for a VBAC is the thought "what if it ended in a c/s anyway?" Would I be dissapointed, would it then not be a positive birth experience?

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But would you be more disappointed to be left wondering what if, or to have tried and know you gave it a go? What if you had a c/s, had a complication and were disappointed in your choice? Disappointment could happen either way, but in an informed, supportive, loving and caring environment, you are more likely to have a positive outcome, not just physically but mentally.

Kelly I think you got it there. For me, I was absolutely determined that I was not going to go through labour another time just to end up with a c/s, I was not going to have another baby if I had to go through that all over again...... I researched & talked about Zander's birth & researced some more & then decided that if I was as informed as I could be, did everything I could do & still ended up with a c/s then it would still be a positive thing for me. Like they say it's not about winning the race it's that you tried your hardest & for me that sums it up.

Another thing was that I learnt to make this birth completely seperate to my first birth. This is not the same, it is a completely different baby & I'm a different person to wo I was when I went into my first birth having had that experience already. I treated the idea of a second birth as if it was my first. Thinking that way made me realise, I would never have considered an elective c/s for my first baby, I let him choose the day he was going to be born, not some person in a white coat because that day was convenient. So why should I give my second baby anything less? Why allow the medical profession to decide wen she was ready to be born. So what, I've had surgery before, why should that mean my baby has to deal with those hangups & issues. If she was my first then she'd never even have these things considered for her.

Ok so I've rambled on a bit, but essentially what I'm saying is that you need to think about what is going to work for you & your baby. Can you handle it if you end up with another emergency c/s (the way I look at it is, well hey I managed once I can do it again in necessary)? Will you forever wonder "what if" if you go into an elective c/s?

It's a difficult choice I know, but the BB community will stnd by you & collectively hold your hand(s) through whichever choice you make :)

I am with you in that it is a hard decision.
I had emergency c section with DS as he turned into wrong position and couldnt come out. They attempted to vacuum him out and turn him but that failed. The entire vacuum experience was awful and I wont be doing that again.

Now I am 36 weeks preg with #2 and have always said from the day Jordan was born that I would have a VBAC. The midwifes at hospital are very supportive of my choice however some family members have concerns.
I have been told though that I may not be able to attempt VBAC as I am currently measuring 3 weeks ahead of my due date. If I continue to measure big they will do a growth scan to see how big Liam is going to be. If over 9pound 2 ounce, I will not be allowed to attempt VBAC.

For me, if I am allowed to try I definatly will. If it ends in c section again atleast I know I gave it my best shot. I know the labour wont be allowed to drag out forever and this time I know its a possibility, 1st time around I didnt even consider it as an outcome.

I think you should go for it..... have a go but always keep in mind a c section may be needed. Atleast you will have no regrets of not trying.

I wish you all the luck with what ever you decide.
XX

Deancey, out of curiosity, is there some reason that you're not allowed to have a VBAC if bub is over that size? I'm almost positive that Seth was bigger than that & Cai had no problems having him by VBAC.

Hi, my 1st birth ended in emergency c/s after 33 hours, he was posterier and the midwife made a misktake and told me he was in the right position so for 3 hours i pushed, until i couldnt handle it anymore and demanded the doctor.. bub was born within 20 minutes ...

Im preg with my 2nd and im scared about having to go trhough the same type of labour BUT i am damned if everyone around me can push out there bubs and i couldnt, so im gonna give VBAC a go.

And i agree with Sarah H I want the baby to decide when it wants to come - I like the anticipation of not knowing when its gonna happen... and i think that at the end of the day aslong as my bub is healthy if i have to have another emerg c/s then so be it.. (im hoping i dont)

Good luck with your decision and wish you a H&H pregnancy and labour

Take care

hmmm so much to ponder , dh and i like the idea of a spontaneous labour , as i have no idea what it is like , i never had a single contraction or the urge to push or the excitement that its about to happen , yet i have a baby , i think having him via elective c/s has left a void which i cant explain .... i was excited on his bday and i love him muchly , but i had a thought in the back of my mind that nagged at me and i tried to ignore , i think that thought/feeling was that it wasnt quite right ....

BUT im OK with the possible out come of a emerg c/s , to me right now i feel i need to feel labour . .kwim

but i am so scared of hosp authority ... i always feel intimidated so i think its hindering my decision too ... i dont want them to think im flighty and can pick and choose what i want ... because thats how i feel right now ... i have a choice but i dont want to stuff it up ....

You have 50% less chance of a c/s with a doula so seriously consider one, and take the time to pick a good one, one who has good VBAC experience.

Yes I agree it is weird having a baby without having a single contraction. This is what happened to me when Lucas decided to enter the world at 36+2wks, just 5 days short of when I was due to be induced.

Leading up to what was going to be my induced birth, I did the CalmBirthing classes at home with my DF, studied Juju Sundins Birth Skills to a tee (my son now plays with the coloured balls I was going to use at his birth) and Janet Balaskas "Active Birth" was my bible and best friend for 9 months. I was 110% ready, willing, and able to birth him, I cant get my head around why it is so diferent next time around, I keep telling myself "my scar is strong"...

Lea, where abouts in QLD are you hun? are you going private or public?

As for being flighty - no way darlin - your body, your baby, your RIGHT to ask questions, in order to be able to make informed decisions.

WOW. I am completely baffled. I went through so much to get my VBAC. I read Silent Knife and A Thinking Women's Guide to Better Birth. I had to make serious decisions regarding my VBAC. I had a doula and did antenatal classes away from the hospital.

In QLD there is a group who do VBAC antenatal classes to help you prepare. I would HIGHLY suggest going to them with your partner & your doula, even if you decide along the way to go for a repeat c/s. It will help you be confident in whatever decision you make that you have done all the research and made up your own mind. It is your choice ultimately. PM me for more details ;)

I went against the hospital's suggestions, against my mother's suggestions, and against many friends opinions. I had my VBAC and it was the most empowering birth I had ever imagined. I get angry along the way hearing about what hospital's putting women through and I get upset.

Why is it that they kind of frown at VBAC ?????

Thanks for everyones input. I'm going to interview both the midwife and the doctor that favors vbacs. I'm sort of hoping that during this I will come to some clarity. I know that I want a vbac and I want to be safe, beyond that time will tell I guess. I'm almost 30wks though so I really need to make a choice soon :)
Reading all these posts have been very helpful and i plan to keep reading them.

Meegm,
Doctors frown on doing vbacs because of misinformation, lack of research and liabilty research. I really think that in the past week I have done a ton more research than the ob that I just left. That ob would not even talk to me about a vba2c, he acted all knowing and told me only the downsides of natural childbirth but didn't mention the downsides to another c-section. It was def. like talking to a brick wall :wall:

hehehe, I meant liability insurance but my ds was talking to me and I wrote research again

rkerr glad to see you are looking into all your options, the best thing you can do is be prepared and aware of your choices.

Sarah_H I am not sure the reasons about not being allowed to borth large baby, they just said they wuold do a scan in few weeks to see his size to see if I was allowed to trial labour. I am hoping he isnt large though.... I really dont want to have repeat c section.

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Lea, where abouts in QLD are you hun? are you going private or public?

As for being flighty - no way darlin - your body, your baby, your RIGHT to ask questions, in order to be able to make informed decisions.

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I am in Ipswich and going public , even with a c/s with ds the public hosp was really good to me and i didnt feel like a number , but that was in the mothers ward , the antenatal section kinda feels like a farm so many women are packed in there each time i go , so i guess i see that they are busy and not 100% involved with each woman ... kwim

thanks christy !! will look into it !

Hi, just to let you know so that you can read the thread i started "vbac that did go wrong". I so wanted a natural birth second time around, but so that people can realise sometimes things go tragically wrong. My c/s scar did rupture after 9 hrs of labour. I had had a epidural so did not feel anything to begin with, it was complete caos and I just remember listening to the heart beat getting slower and slower. Don't want to scare you but do read my thread and if you want anymore details let me know, a lot of things went wrong that day.
good luck nikki

Hey Lea,

Just letting you know, I had a client have a fantastic VBAC over in Ipswich about 6 weeks ago. Her first birth was a 24+ hour labour with failure to progress, second was about 3.5 hours and brilliant. If you want to talk to her send me an email tranquillitybirth@yahoo.com.au and I will pass on her details as she is very happy to speak to people about her experience.

Claire :D

hiya sorry to hijack your thread but even though i havent had a c-section or children i have had major abdo surgery and one thg docs dont mention is that a) its a major op and b) then problems that adhesions (scarred tissue) can cause. i had my op 20 years ago and only started having problems with pain etc 2 years ago. my sister had a c-section with my niece and shes got probs with them now. don't want to scare anyone but ask your doc the risks of adhesions because the more ops you have the worse you can end up. i hope you make a informed decision and the best of luck.
take care and all the best for the birth. its your body and don't be forced into anything.
HTH Rach xxxxxx:hug:
p.s let us know what you decide xxxx

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But would you be more disappointed to be left wondering what if, or to have tried and know you gave it a go? What if you had a c/s, had a complication and were disappointed in your choice? Disappointment could happen either way, but in an informed, supportive, loving and caring environment, you are more likely to have a positive outcome, not just physically but mentally.

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Good question Kelly I have asked this question to myself as Im in the same position as Lea. I do have a c/s date booked however, if I go into labour my OB agreed I can have a VBAC. I want to try, I dont want to have a c/s thinking I didnt try at least one more time (my first resulted in 32 hour labour and emergency c/s).

Hey belle !!! how you going ??

I got my date booked but if i choose not to have it , i can go 8 days over , then they induce me with the tape they put on your cervix ....

so my csec is for the 11th aug , my EDD is the 18th and the induction is around the 26th ... i feel at cross roads , if i say no to my csec , then do happen to go over due it could end up as a csec 2 weeks later ....

unlike belle i have never had labour at all ... and now it seems i have heard that vbac labour "pains" are more painful then normal non vbac's......

i can not begin to imagine the amount of hours a day i think about this ....its so tiring

Lea, big hugs, it must be so hard thinking about this all of the time, which is so unfair! But you're doing the right thing, thinking things through, and making a choice, rather than just letting things happen to you. But you know what? It won't be long until your bubba is here in your arms, and all of this will seem like a distant memory :)

I can't really help, but I just wanted to ask you, have you talked, IRL or on the phone, to people who have achieved a VBAC? Not that I'm trying to talk you into one or anything, but you seem so undecided, and as a VB is not something you've experienced before, maybe talking to those who have achieved it would help you in some way? I mean, you've had a c/s, so you know what to expect there.

I hope that makes sense! Whatever you decide, we're all here to support you :)

Here in geelong.. they WILL induce will low dose drip but not gel.. they will rupture membreanes etc..

Im going to talk to a counseller today about this , I feel under pressure from the hosp because of the way they say "cs is this date , then if not induction is this date" like my body is under pressuer to do it naturally ..... kwim??

Big hugs Lea. It is such a tough decision, and worse when you feel pressured. Truly hun, just follow your instincts. If something doesn't feel right, don't let them talk you into it. If they suggest something and you feel ok with it, then maybe that's the way to go. The best advice I can give you is to try and figure out what you will and won't regret now. If you go into labour you will not be in any position to make decisions or question what you are being told (well, I wasn't!!). Whatever happens if you have a healthy you and bub and no regrets, that's a great place to be. Best of luck to you hun.

Hugs Lea,

Remember it is YOUR body, YOUR baby and ulitmately YOUR decision.

Why is your induction date so far after your EDD? I would have thought ( and I say this with nothing to back me up but hear-say) that a vbac came with more [this is not the word I'm looking for] risks. Wouldn't it be safer to schedule the induction for closer to your dates for you and baby, even if it's to help ease your mind?

the dates were not up to me , if it were i would have chosen a closer date ...