Anyone else have such a low chance and succeed?
Here are the details of my first and only delivery that led to cesarean:
Normally have hypertension, but it turned to borderline pre eclampsia (slight increase of blood pressure and small amount of protein in urine ) at 39 weeks.
The doctor recommended inducing, which I went along with.
Pitocin did not have ANY effect on me. After a day and a half of the highest recommended dosage, they decided to increase it even more. This was very effective and I was having contractions that I couldn't talk through within an hour of the dosage increase.
I dilated to 8 very quickly, but then things stalled and I stayed at 8 for several hours. At 11 hours of labor I had an epidural. (My Mom thought she was being helpful by suggesting pain medication, even though I had told her before the birth, that I wanted to do it naturally.)
The epidural allowed me to sleep for several hours and eventually I was woke up to try and push.
As I started to push, I was feeling out of breath and was coughing uncontrollably. They gave me oxygen to help. But every time I pushed I was stopped by the coughing. The DR. was getting frustrated, told me I wasn't pushing correctly, and demanded to know why I was coughing. I didn't feel any urge to push and was just trying to do my best.
Then they suggested vacuum as a last option before cesarean. We tried this, but the suction came off her head. I believe it was after this that they decided to do the cesarean.
The pain medication wasn't working properly and I was put under general anesthesia for the delivery.
They realized after chest XRays that the reason for the coughing was Pneumonia. (edit: hospital acquired pneumonia).
It was a complicated delivery and was very traumatic for me, my husband and our new baby who had about a 4" section of her scalp that was damaged, which led to jaundice. We were in the hospital for a total of 10 days. Three before delivery and seven after.
I really would like to have a successful VBAC and the hospital I am going to is very supportive of them. However my Husband is worried about a repeat of the last delivery and now that the DR. said 15-20% chance of success, I'm feeling confused.
My thoughts and concerns are that there is no way to know good or bad how the hypertension will effect this pregnancy, and at what point. If I do need to be induced (which I will try to avoid if at all possible) I am worried that going above the recommended dosage of pitocin if needed again, could be too dangerous for a VBAC. The positives are that I was able to dilate completely and that if I can avoid the epidural that I would be more successful at pushing. I think the recurrence of pneumonia is very unlikely.
I would get more than one doctor's opinion. This percentage chance is this one doctor's guess. If the doctor you use doesn't believe in your chances, then a VBAC won't happen because they won't let it.
If you get two or three opinions and they are alike, then I would be much more likely to believe the advice.
I hope you are not using the same doctor.
I had an emergency C section for number one, also with pre-eclampsia. My son was in terrible stress and his heart stopped beating twice.
They finally wheeled me in to the OR and sliced him out quick, my scar runs vertical.
Then 6 years later I had a perfect VBAC, and another 2 years after that, then a 3rd.
I would want to try, the recovery time is so much faster.
Good luck
I say you should find a new doctor. If you find a VBAC supportive doctor, your chances are closer to 80% for having a successful VBAC. There are, of course, never any guarantees, but it's really important to have a doctor or midwife who cares about your feelings as well as your health. It just doesn't make any sense to waste time on someone who makes you feel bad or gets frustrated with you. When you have a care provider who really *cares* for you, even a "bad" outcome feels better because you feel like everyone cares about you and did the best they could to help you have the experience you wanted even if it didn't quite work out that way. Make sense?
I agree, get a second opinion. Why does the doctor say there is such a low chance? If you have blood pressure issues during the pregnancy then I'd skip the VBAC. Are you having another winter baby? They can do a chest x-ray if you get a cold and cough again but if you are sick why try for a VBAC?
I tried for a VABC but it didn't work out. Briefly, I had baby #1 in February and was sick with a cold and sore throat (I couldn't even talk during labor). I was exhausted at the beginning of the labor and after 15 hrs I got an epidural (plus pitocin), never dilated past 7 cm and after 18 hrs had a failure to progress c-section. After much debate and consulting with 2 doctors and a midwife I tried a VBAC. My water broke and my contractions didn't start on their own so I had a little pitocin (less then the first time), 6 hours of contractions and I was almost ready to push--then the baby's heart rate starting fluctuating so I had an emergency c-section. It had nothing to do with it being a VBAC rather than a regular labor. The cord was around the baby's neck so I'm glad we did the c-section though. Both times with the c-section the I could feel the c-section with an epidural and needed general anesthesia. The second c-section was much more painful because of scars from the first.
I think there is a support group for VBACs, I think it is called ICAN. I have at least 1 friend who had a successful VBAC and some that good planned c-sections. You already know how unpleasant emergency c-sections can be. You have to look at the odds with your doctor and decide if it is worth the risk or not. I'd make sure you have a midwife or doctor you really trust and a doula if you go for it.
I would talk to a CNM or CPM from a stand alone birthing center about this. When I went back and read my medical files for my birth - after I became a Nurse... I was angry. They did a lot of things they should not have done, induced when it wasn't medically acceptable, etc.
You cannot be induced for a VBAC - ever. It must be from a natural body reaction.
I'm 6 months along with #2 and am so relieved and happy to be having a VBAC at home, with a Midwife assisting. Natural birthing measures - such as walking, on hands and knees, warm water, squatting, etc are all better for pain relief and vaginal birth.
I hope you strength to go and seek additional OPINIONS - never forget - that is only what it is, an opinion!! And good luck!
