Quick Q - how long to wait b/w pregnancies..

Hi ladies,
I had emergency c/s (after 27 hours of labour) with DD. THe OB wanted to deliver her after 15 hrs of labour via c/s but she let me keep labouring as she knew how much I wanted a vaginal delivery. Anyway, after DD was born she said to me the next one will be a c/s baby. I want to try vag again. Im not pregnant atm but DH and I are started to think about when we should ttc#2. I was just curious as to weather the time in between pregnancies will make a difference to trying for a VBAC? (Ie if i wait two years is it better than getting pregnant after one year?). Id like to factor this into our 'plan' :D

Thanks,
Lisa

Hey Lis, I'm pretty sure that there is a 'preferred' waiting period, so as to be sure that your scar has healed fully. I'm not sure what it is, but I don't think it's anything too extended, like three years before getting pg or anything, maybe 18 months?

I'm sure one of the lovely ladies on here, maybe a doula or middy will be able to help you out :D Can't wait for you to be preggas again!

BTW, I'm SURE that you will be able to achieve a VBAC next time, if anyone can, you can!

My OB told me that her recommended waiting time is 18 months between births - so that is what we have done - if bub comes on due date - it will be 18 months and 10 days between births (we don't muck around in this house.. haha)
However, my last OB (who performed the c-section) prefers to wait 4 years. So I think its up to the individual OB as to what they consider is a good amount of time between them.

Good luck to you!!!!

When we were headed towards the c-section before the trial of vaginal breech (and then the c-section anyway :rolleyes:) I was having this discussion with the OB's (I saw 3). It was of great concern to me due to my increasing maternal age as I didn't want to have to wait an extended period between pregnancies. All of them said I could get pregnant and deliver within the 12 months, even as a VBAC. Now I am not sure if they were humouring me or not but the usual response is 18 months to allow for scar union and healing. But they seemed ok with the 12 months path. Maybe they knew better than me that the chances of me getting pregnant in that first 6 months was slim (esp with my history).

So now we are looking at the 18-19 months (if all goes well) so I will let you know after my high risk OB specialist appointment in a couple of weeks if there is a different point of view.

What are you waiting for anyway??? :D Come along and join me in this pregnancy rollercoaster, you know you want to :rofl:

Thanks ladies,

And Michelle PMSL!! You know me too well :D Pls let me know what you OB says.

I heard 2 years to be on the safe side when i had my c/sect but like gudism i think 18mnths is good :)

Just wanted to say Good Luck Lisa :D

My DD#1's aunty has 13 months between c-sect.

Oh and don't let anyone bully or scare you into another c-sect. Even if you do end up having another c-sect, trial of labour can benefit bub immensely!!

Oooh Lisa - you and Michelle are making me clucky!!

No chance of number 3 here though if DH has anything to do with it!

I'll have to live vicariously through you two!!

I am going for a VABC in October and it will be 16 1/2 mths between births. My midwife told me there is a SLIGHTLY higher risk of uterine rupture than if we had waited a bit longer, but nothing significant and that my wanting and being able to have a VBAC is completely reasonable. The reason for your c/s will be taken into account but if it is something like "failure to progress" etc you should be fine!
Good luck with it all!

Thanks ladies, but we are definately not TTC right now :( we have so much on, and I think I want to enjoy alex a bit more... and I want to loose 15kgs before being utd and getting even fatter :lol:

I dont know the "medical term" for the reason I had a c/s - but it was because the little miss turned into posterior positon during the labour, that was not the problem, it became an issue when she tilted her chun up and became "stuck", when the OB opened me up and saw her like that (her little lips were right up against where the OB had to do the incision) she said I could have been in labour for another two days and there was no way she would have come out. She also said that had she not have tilted, I would have "romped her out hours ago". So what do you think ladies? No reason why I cant attempt a VBAC???

For the record, we will start TTC Jan 09, which will give me a good 18m b/w to be on the safe side. Maybe I'll go #2 while Michelle goes #3 and Willow, i bet you will be ttc #3 by then too :)

THanks :D

OH and good luck Tan!! I'll be keeping my eye on you :D

No reason at all hun, you'll have your VBAC no probs next time :D

I feel a bit the same (although I didn't have a c/s). DS was posterior, but also had his head tilted, so after pushing for two and a half hours and no baby, I ended up having an epi so my Ob could manouevere him into a better possy (we did try first without the epi - yikes!). He still took another two hours to arrive though! I was lucky not to end up with a c/s, but it was still very difficult, and I try to tell myself that next time will be different.......the baby will be given a firm talking to about being in a good possy :rofl: Of course you will do the same :D And I'm sure we'll do things like check out Spinning Babies etc.

ETA Michelle, I bet you're already telling Edna all about the possy she needs to be in!!!!!

Oh woman - I feel your pain, posterior, and stuck!! Cheeky little buggers.....The OB did an internal and had a good feel (ouch!!) but she said bub's head was to the side so no manouevere's possible! Im relieved though, knowing you had a vag delivery with DS in similar possie, means there is no medical reason why I couldnt do it with the next.

Yikes Lisa :o You've got me headed to number 3 (well 4 - but you know what I mean :)) before number 2 earth baby is here!!!!!! Although if you wait until January I might be pregnant before you deliver ;)

Willow - you COULD join us :p

Janie - yep. Talking head down, nice position vibes already ............. although there seems to be a trend with the girl option. Edna can be unisex :D

Come on Willow, what DH doesn't know won't hurt him ;) JUST KIDDING! You might have to do some sweet talking, as I will for number 3.

Michelle, you are game woman, going for number four the day after delivering Edna :rofl: I think it's the Edna thing that's making everyone say girl :D

Lovely Lisa, hearing your pain too hun! I bet that 'good feel' sent you flying! But yeah, I am positive that next time you will fine, you'll get your VBAC. I want to lose weight before TTC too, like 10kg (but I'd take 6 ATM!)

So does that mean Miss Janie your ready for gttc again?? TBH Janie, that 'good feel' by the ob was worse than the contractions, seriously, I HATE internals, and even the midwife was freaking out at how well i was doing through the contractions but I was a total basket case when it came to internals... Oh and will you be going FPH again? It will be the new one next time!

Michelle, im sorry bub i just caught in the whole ttc chatter and didnt stop to count all your babies.... but you keep going woman, i can just see you with at least 5 babies :lol

But seriously ladies, im feeling very clucky....very very....

Lisa - no worries :) I knew what you meant. And 3 earth babies will be more than enough thank you - 5 would be the death of me if they were all like the little man currently here :D

Cluck, cluck, cluck ............ there's still time to join me on the rollercoaster :rofl:

Michelle, I have one thing to say.... :rofl:

Ah, you're all loonies :lol:

Nope, I won't be joining Michelle just yet........part of me is very clucky, but another part (the sensible part ;)) knows that it would be prudent to wait a bit longer, for various reasons. The absolute earliest would be in about four months, but that's very unlikely, probably next year. DH of course would love another one now! But he's very understanding and patient :)

You bet I'll be going to FPH again! I can't wait to see the new hossy! Not long now, and my Ob is going to have rooms there too, which is cool. Will you be going back? I didn't mind the internals much, I had three, but having a hand up there trying to turn DS's head seriously sent me flying! Didn't help that I'd been pushing for two hours already, and MAN OH MAN pushing out a posterior baby really bl00dy hurts! Contractions were nothing compared to that back pain. I think I'll be living on my hands and knees next pg to try and avoid another posterior bub PMSL!

Michelee, only three? Come on, Oscar's not that bad, I mean he sleeps like a baby!!!!!! Seriously, I firmly believe that our next bubs are going to sleep beautifully, we've done our hard yards ;)

Janie - I can only hope you are right (check out the parenting forum :rolleyes:) but it isn't the sleeping. It is the busy, alert, interactive, highly intelligent (I know - biased :D) explorer stuff that kills me. There is no down time. He needs the interaction and stimulation that wears me out (on top of the lack of sleep) and he is in to EVERYTHING at the moment. More than 3 of them would cause me to lose the plot completely!!! Having said that - I wouldn't swap it for anything :)

Okay you guys, this thread is making me very clucky. DD is nearly 8 months old and I cant wait to be UTD again. I desperately want a VBAC as I do not even know what labour feels like :(
My OB had said she prefers 12 months between pregnancies and I'm trying to hang out that long but a couple of you guys have now got me wanting to start TTC next month!

Does anyone else have an occasional sore feeling where your scar is though?

Yep - the occasional sore spot and being pregnant again it seems to be pulling a little more but that could just be scar tissue. Did your OB mean 12 months between pregnancies or deliveries???? I am seeing my specialist on Thursday to discuss the options for this pregnancy.

Hi Michelle,

She mean't 12 months between pregnancies. She said she recommends this whether you've had a caesar or not - just to give your whole body time to recover.
I have actually just been getting a bit of a sore feeling over the past week or so. Nothing really bad and yeah it's probably scar tissue but it makes me wonder if it's a sign to give my body a bit more time before TTC again. Mind you, Bubs is 10.5 kilo's so it's got to put a bit of a stain on my lower back and tummy lugging her around :) especially when I lift her up in the air to play supergirl.

Charli'smumma, I saw your other thread about the pain around the scar - I would go with Holly's advice and get it checked, especially before TTC. It's probably totally normal, but best to be sure :D

Yes, going to doc's on Thursday and while I'm there will let her know I want to start TTC soon. I bought some antenatal vitamins today. Getting sooo excited! :dance:

Charli'smumma,

Howd you go at drs?? OMG you bought the vitamins already!! I have some folate at home, and i was tempted to start taking it JIC we had an 'accident' as we have not been using protection since DD was born (very naughty I know) but I went and got my pill script filled, so just waiting for AF so i can get started..

BOL with TTC #2!

Hi Lisa,

Everything went well at the Dr's she said it was just my previously severed nerves re-attaching themselves. Haven't really had any pain the last few days either. So when are you going to start TTC?

Yes I have started taking the vitamins. I've decided to give the Blackmores Conceive Well a go. They say it's good to start taking the vits (especially folate) up to 3 months before TTC. I am tempted to start TTC after next AF too but that would mean about 17.5 months between births or even less if the next one came early. I suppose my OB can't force me into another caesar. The risk of rupture wouldn't be that great with 17 months between births surely???

Good luck hun, from what I can gather 17 months is enough time to try a VBAC. But your OB should be able to provide advice. Is your OB pro VBAC? I know mine isnt too keen, but she did let me go through an extra few hours of labour because she knew how much it meant to me.

Im going pack on the pill until the end of the year, then Ill figure out what to do from there.

Good luck and hope your ttc journey is short and sweet. Ill be keeping my eye on you....

You ladies are a crack up!!!! I missed all these posts until today!
Charlismumma- I will have a little less than 17mths and it hasn't really even been brought up as an issue for my VBAC hun, so you should be fine! I think the minimum most prefer is 18mths from one c/s to another birth although some prefer longer etc. The risk is minimal anyway and the increased risk is just slightly higher again, ( I don't have the figures handy but will chase them up for you) the % changes depending on your individual case too, for eg. My official line was "failure to progress" but she was posterior, and my cervix was high and posterior. However I got to 9 cms (how 9 cms is failure to progress I do not know) so my chances are a bit better than if I only go to 3 cms if that makes sense! I also found a bunch of info on another site, plus the lovely Carrie just sent me the Birthrites stuff as well, which is fantastic reading.
Good luck with TTC girls!!!! ;)

Thanks lisa & Tan :)

I am actually starting to think that I may already be UTD due to the fact that we used the withdrawal method twice as we'd run out of condoms (sorry TMI)

I am only 11 DPO atm but I've had tender boobs, and been headachy. Dusted off the maybebaby this morning and wacked a bit of saliva on it out of curiosity as it says on the instructions if you are preg you can continue to have full ferning. Well OMG I had full ferning 11 DPO, so I'm really starting to think I am UTD. Either that or my cycle is totally stuffed. If I AM pg ther will only be about 16.5 months between births:rolleyes:

As silly question, what if you fell pregnant and ur scar is still healing, will the streching be an issue?? My scar is still a little sore and its still half pink half white but i want to TTC soon if i can... anyone tried that soon after?

Hi Buzzie, I know someone who fell preg only 3 months after her CS and her scar was fine. She was not allowed to VBAC though, but her OB let her have a maternal-assisted caesarean. It's a funny co-incidence, the lady I'm talking about has her own belly casting business too :)

oh kewl, where abouts in QLD?

Any updates Charlismumma?? BTW Im back on the pill, so dont have to worry about that VBAC just yet...

Buzzie, the woman who does the belly casting up here lives on the Gold Coast.

Lisa, I got AF a few days ago :(
Probably a blessing is disguise though as I saw my endochrinologist about my graves disease and she say's it would be best to have had a difinative treatment (I am on meds atm but can't stay on it forever). So it looks like I will be having a thyroidectomy before TTC again now. I get my referal to the surgeon next week so should know how long I have to wait for the op soon. Not too long I hope :crossfingers: