I take issue with a previous poster's statement "A VBAC puts you and your baby in grave danger". The risks associated with VBAC are very small - there is a 0.5% chance of uterine rupture, and approximately 10% of the time this results in a really bad outcome. This means that 99.5 to 99.95% of the time your baby is NOT in "grave danger". Honestly, when you consider all of the OTHER things that can happen during a birth, this is a relatively small risk.
That said, the VBAC rate in Illinois runs around 8% (this means that 8% of ALL women who have had a previous c-section have a VBAC, not that 8% of women who attempt a VBAC are successful - that number is more like 70%). Because doctors are afraid of being sued and the prevailing wisdom is that you don't get sued for cutting someone open, most will be happy to schedule a c-section for you with no questions asked, since you've had one before.
I will say that having had both a c-section (for breech) and a VBAC, I would personally take a VBAC any day. I found the recovery much easier and was thankful that I could immediately pick up my baby and older child, walk around, go outside, and was home 36 hours after the birth. Especially since you'll not have much help at home I would think seriously about this as an option and educate yourself about the risks and benefits of each option. Repeat c-sections are also not without risks (especially to mom), and several recent studies have shown better outcomes from the baby from a vaginal birth than a c-section. See for example,
Neonatal outcomes after elective cesarean delivery.
Kamath BD, Todd JK, Glazner JE, Lezotte D, Lynch AM.
Obstet Gynecol. 2009 Jun;113(6):1231-8.
"RESULTS: Neonates born by cesarean delivery had higher NICU admission rates compared with the VBAC group (9.3% compared with 4.9%, P=.025) and higher rates of oxygen supplementation for delivery room resuscitation (41.5% compared with 23.2%, P<.01) and after NICU admission (5.8% compared with 2.4%, P<.028)...CONCLUSION: In comparison with vaginal birth after cesarean, neonates born after elective repeat cesarean delivery have significantly higher rates of respiratory morbidity and NICU-admission and longer length of hospital stay."
Best of luck with your birth whatever you decide. I know we all have our own personal reasons for the birth choices that we make, but please, inform yourself with accurate information before making a choice for yourself. I think the following website, which is a non-profit dedicated to improving maternal health care, is an excellent resource:
http://www.childbirthconnection.org/article.asp?ClickedLi...