I Am Considering a Vbac---does Anyone Have Any Experience Good/bad with This?

I have a friend who had a vbac a little over a year after her c-section end is glad she did it. She actually had a home birth with no complications. Just very carefully monitored by her mid wife. I say if you want it, go for it.

I had a VBAC too and her name is Mollie too. I am SO happy I did it. My doctor was very supportive of it. She said she has the highest rate of VBAC in her practice. Bottom line is you should consult you doctor and do what you think is best. I was in labor longer with my second but 100% better recovery. I hear if you have a c-section without all the labor the recovery is easier but I didn't want to be cut open again. Good luck with whatever you decide!
K.

I haven't done it myself, but I have two friends who have had VBACS and everything went fine. They said the recovery was so much easier.

Hi Molly,
I'm not sure if you really wanted the nurse's perspective,:-), but as a mom too, I think I can give you some honest answers. First, I'm a mom of 7 y/o twins and I had a c-section for them and my first is now 22 years old and I had a vaginal delivery. Secondly, I'm a nursery and Labor Delivery nurse for 16 years. I've been through many changes at work and one of the more recent is the change in policy regarding doing VBACs.
I don't know what kind of facility you are planning to deliver at, but most around the country, now have a policy, based on research and recommendations from American Medical Association(AMA)where it is considered too risky and not in the best interest of mother and child. Most will refuse to perform VBACS. If there is a hospital, that will accept doing one, it must have a ready-waiting anesthesia team waiting just for you. And your labor may be quite a while. So, you can see, financially, why most hospitals wouldn't want to accommodate this arrangement. One time we had a couple actually PAY for the costs of the team during those hours. That's unusual.
If you were to show up (and this is important) at the hospital, fully dilated, the doctor's license would be put on the line if he did not continue to try, diligently, to order a cesarean for you. I've seen doctors try to make their patients happy, but working out some kind of quiet arrangement like this, then they were forced to face their review board for doing so. Fewer and fewer are taking that risk. As a nurse, I don't hear the outcomes of these.
Do I think it's possible to have a VBAC safely? Sure! We did them for years with only a very rare negative outcome. Is that one rare time worth it? I don't think so...is it worth being the one of a thousand mothers who die along with their babies in childbirth because their incision weakened and their uterus ruptured during childbirth? The mortality rate for both mother and child, in this case, is almost 100%. That is why they changed the policy, despite the rare occurance. However, the precaution of having a crew right by her side, would give me the most comfort if I were to go ahead with one.
With you personally, I would want to know what the reason was for your first cesarean. Was the baby in distress and not tolerating labor or the baby was malpositioned or did you not dilate past a certain point? If it was difficult for you to deliver the baby, I would not risk the slimmer chance that you could do it on the second try. If you'd had at least one other term baby vaginally, before your c-section baby, I'd maybe ponder further consideration of this choice.
I know they did these for years before putting a halt on it. And most all of those were just fine. I've seen only one or two uterine ruptures in all that time. Not necessarily related to prior c-sections.
But I've been around after a cesarean was performed to hear the doctor say, "she had a window in her uterus" many times over the years, makes me wonder how close we came to a bad situation. This is when the uterine wall has gotten so thin in an area that it is almost see-through. Those were all many close calls, that fortunately, we didn't have a rupture on.
I can also tell you that nurses put up little fits of frustration and voice them to the doctors, our dept mgrs, the management when we feel the patient is getting the bum end of the deal, but very honestly, this was one change that went through pretty peacefully. The nurses are patient advocates and the doctor's viewpoints often come from a different angle. But one thing I know we all felt for the patient is that when this change happened, it was very hard for the doctor to tell their patients "no", when they had even already had a VBAC since their last cesarean. Imagine that dilemma!
Anyway, you will find most places will not allow them to be done intentionally. Dropping in at the "last minute" runs the risk of having a cesarean anyway or putting the doctor in question. The best angle here is to discuss your options in advance with your doctor and find out alternative hospitals nearby which you could deliver at. Some have even found temporary housing near a willing hospital for the end of their pregnancy. Your best chance is at a large hospital, "tertiary center". Consider the reason for your first cesarean and what provisions have been made to protect you and your baby.

Sorry, this is so long! My very best wishes to you. :-)

M.

I hate C sections. I had 2. I tried for a VBAC with my 2nd child as the circumstances causing my first C section were not present in my 2nd pregnancy. I was allowed to go into labor on my own with baby #2 but after laboring for nearly 3 days I was done. They wouldn't give me an epidural until I was at 3 cm but I didn't get to 3 until 30 hours into labor!!!! When they did give me the epi they were able to monitor her heart rate better and realized that her heart rate was low. When they got her out they realized why; the cord was pulling on her neck so she wouldn't descend.

Mine is a unique case. I had 2 very different reasons for C sections two different times. My very good friend just had a very successful VBAC, only labored for 12 hours and then pushed out a very healthy baby #2.

Don't listen to ANYONE that will tell you that a VBAC is more dangerous than a C section!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There are OF COURSE risks to having a VBAC but there are risks to giving birth IN GENERAL and there are greater risks to having a C section as it is MAJOR ABDOMINAL SURGERY. And let me tell you, when you have had baby #2 and you still have to take care of baby #1 AND you can't get out of bed for a week, can't drive for 2 weeks, and can't pick your 2 year old up for 2 months its very difficult.

My only advice would be to find a dr. that is supportive of your decision but also tells you that he/she will do what is best for you & your baby. At the end of the day I had that dr. and if I had pushed at delivering vaginally I might have lost my baby. If my friend had stayed with her dr. that refused to do her VBAC she would never had experienced her perfect vaginal birth.

Good luck with your decision.

I had a successful vbac! One of the factors that made me a good candidate was that I fully dilated the first time even though she got stuck. She was posterior which made it more difficult. If you dilated fully it's worth trying again, if not, maybe not. The second time around I was advised to get on hands and knees during my contractions to encourage anterior position, and it worked. After baby one being 36 hours labor ending in a c-section (and foreceps not working), baby two practically flew out. Any more questions, feel free to email me directly: ____@____.com
Good luck!
D.

Good for you for considering VBAC!!!! I don't have any personal experience with this but just wanted to give a shout out of support to you! And suggest that you might want to consider hiring a doula as that might increase your chances of success.

Wow Molly,
You have a lot of great responses. I didn't even get through half of them, but I was thrilled to see so many positive VBAC experiences. My name is W. and I work as a Doula, and I also have had two VBAC's myself. My first son was induced at 37 weeks due to high blood pressure, didn't work, had a c section, never dilated past 5, he was 7lbs 6oz.

Less then two years later, I had a VBAC in the hospital, he was 9lbs 12oz. 3.5 years after that, I had a Home birth VBAC and he was 10lbs 4oz. It was a wonderful experience that I wouldn't trade for anything. I am so thankful I had the right kind of support. Having a VBAC in Sonoma County can be hard, because there is not a lot of support by the hospitals, (why I had a home birth). But if you really read the statistics, the death rate of mom and baby is actually less in VBAC, then in a repeat cesarean, good enough for me.

I have supported many women through a VBAC, and it's so rewarding, if you have the money, consider hiring a doula.

Good luck!

W. Sanders

Hi Molly!

I had a really positive experience with a VBAC for my 2nd child. My labor progressed rather quickly with very strong contractions. I did get an epidural at 7.5cm. I feel that slowed things down a bit, as my daughter didn't arrive until about 7-8 hours after that. I feel if I had skipped the epidural, she would have come much sooner. The doctor did have to us the vacuum extractor, but it did not damage or bruise her head at all. If I were to do it again, I would definitely do the VBAC - the recovery was much quicker and easier! Good luck to you!
-T.

Go for the VBAC! If you can find an OB/GYN or midwife who will do it and you have no other complications - then try it. If there is a problem you will transfer to the hospital or already be there if you need medical intervention. Pregnancy and birth are states of wellness and I don't think anyone should plan a surgery to give birth if they are healthy. I have 1 child born at home naturally (no drugs) with a midwife. The experience was AMAZING - to feel everything and allow the body to do what it is designed to do. My labor was 36 hours and I my midwife had to help me dilate. I keep reading about moms who were in labor 8 hours and 2 cm's dilated so they needed a C-Section. That's ridiculous. I was only 2 cm's at 8 hours!! They would have called me failure to progress and pumped me full of drugs and interventions leading to C-Section. Dr's don't want labor to last more than 12 hours. Mother nature doesn't work the same with everyone. It's all about money! The only reason most OB's won't do VBAC's isn't b/c of safety issues, but b/c they have to be present for your ENTIRE labor in case there are problems. That isn't cost effective. That Dr could be seeing a bunch of prenatal appt's or juggling multiple births in the hospital the same time you are in labor. They forfeit $$ to do VBAC's. Too bad for them - they shouldn't rob a woman of her inherit right to birth naturally and vaginally. Go for it! Oh - take a Bradley childbirth class. It's the most educational and empowering. I also have to comment on what Crystal wrote. She said the babies have it easier being born C-section and don't have to get all squished up coming out. She obviously knows nothing about anatomy and birthing. For millennia babies have been born getting squished. It's the way nature intended and the pressure forces the fluid out of the baby's lungs! It also gets spinal fluid moving. Babies born naturally have better sucking reflexes and moms have more success breast feeding. Also what nature intended! You get skin to skin contact immediately after birth beginning the bonding process. Babies born C-Section have more respiratory illnesses and poor sucking relfexes. They also get separted from mom and sometimes the hospital staff will give formula or sugar water and pacifiers causing even more difficulty to breast feed. Crystal is making excuses to feel better about her birth. I am sure her birth expereience was amazing in her way, as is everyone's but there is no PRO to a C-Section. Dr's will tell you that vaginal is the preferred way. C-Section is 2nd and should be reserved for true emergencies only.

Hello Molly,

I've had two vaginal births...so cannot respond directly about VBAC. My first was with an epidural which went very wrong (a wet tap--I was flat on my back for 10 days and couldn't take care of my newborn) and the second without an IV, no monitors, not even a Tylenol (but at a hospital as I was "very high risk"). Even though I have not had a C-section, I do have a recommendation for you. Please see the movie, "The Business of Being Born"...you will garner a wealth of info. there!

All the best,
R.

I had two c/s, then a vbac with my third child. I had a wonderful doctor, wonderful nurses, I had prepared myself and my husband with Lamaze refreshers, and I knew that the most important thing was to deliver my child safely--whether surgically or vaginally. There was no intervention with forceps or vacuum. I pushed twice, had no episiotomy, had my tubes tied under epidural the next day, and drove everyone to preschool two days later. You did not say why you had a c/s with the first baby--if your pelvic inlet is too small to pass the baby then you may have the same issue with this baby. I had a wide enough pelvis, but my babies were in trouble and had to be delivered quickly with the first two. Again, my only goal was to deliver my babies healthy and alive. My vbac was a highly positive experience for me, and I was high-risk for the last two pregnancies.

Hi Molly, you've gotten some great advice so far. I just thought I'd share my reasons for having repeat c-sections. First I would consider why you had one to begin with. Mine First baby was a week late,low on amniotic fluid so we tried to induce. I had never had a contraction before this and the induction didn't cause me to dialate so after a day and night in the hospital I was about to be sent home. Right when the nurse was going to unhook the fatal monitor the heart rate crashed and they could not bring it back. So off to the OR and on the table the heart rate came back up but it was important to get this baby out. Turned out the cord was around her neck twice and she was meconium asperated. Had we been sent home she surely would have been injured or died. So with baby number 2 we tried to see if I would ever show signs of labor. I never did and after considering how scary the first experience was we decided to schedule a c-section. It was really nice to be able to have everything planned out. It was a way different experience ,better, and my recovery was soooo much easier then the first. We did the same with my 3rd baby, another great experience. I have almost no scar from 3 c-sections. No trouble with them. Now we are waiting 3 more weeks and will have baby #4 scheduled for October 13th. I am happy knowing everything is set up for the other kids and the end is in sight. And this is the last. I hope it will be another easy recovery but I am getting older and I really don't want to risk anymore surgery's. So I would just follow what your gut tells you. This is a time to really just think about the baby getting here safley and you being healthy afterwards. Best wishes to you in what ever you decide.

Hi Molly,
I was in labor for 14 hrs. with my first child (my son) and only dilated to a 2 and therefore had to have an emergency C-section. With my second child (my daughter) approximately 7 years later... there was no question in my mind... I had been there and done that with the excruciating labor and had absolutely no desire what-so-ever to try for a VBAC. And the benefit of the C-section is that we get to keep our birth canal just as it has always been and not all stretched out and torn up by the birth of a wonderful beautiful blessing that is our children. The C-section was also much easier on the babies being born too. They don't have to get all squished up coming down the birth canal either... good luck to you and when I have my third beloved child.. you'll see me in the operating room!!! :) God Bless you and your sweet family.

Hello Molly,

I had a c-section with my first child. I was very concerned and questioned if I should do VBAC with my second child. Well my husband, doctor, and I discussed the reason we did c-section first. The cord was around my son's neck and his heart rate dropped at each contraction. This was unlikely that is will happen again. I also knew the rist of the c-section area opening. So I weighed my options and I did VBAC. I figured it was unlikely that the cord would go around her neck and that the c-section area would open. If either one would to happen there is always c-section. I thought I might as well try and realized that the doctors were there and would do everything possible to have my baby come out fine. Everything turned out great with the VBAC. I tore a little so if I had to do it a 3rd time I would try VBAC again because I have been through both procedures :0) I hope that helps.
T. - Mother of 13 years old Son and 9 month Daughter.

Hi....I had a VBAC. During both births I had the same problems. I would dialate 9 cm then the babies wouldn't move down. Both times the babies went into stress and I had emergency C-sections. They had to use the vacumn both times to suction the meconium out of the babies lungs after the c-sec. No one knows why the babies wouldn't come down......maybe my hips are not very wide? I labored slowly for 20 + hours the first time and 9+ hours the second time. It was kinda stressful the second time because my body wanted to PUSHHHHHH!!!!!!!... with each contraction when I was 9 cm. They kept telling me NOOOOOO!!!!! This is lowering the babies heart rate.....hold in that urge. Yikes....that was near to impossible. During the V-Bac I was planning on staying at home to labor. When I was laying on one side I couldn't feel the baby moving too well. I got worried about the baby. I went to the hospital so that they could monitor the baby. I did realize that I was not really that attached to the "birthing process" as much as I was attached to having a healthy sweet baby. Oh.....and during the V-BAC c-sec....they left the sponges in me....they had to open me up a second time to get them out!!!!!! Make sure if you do have a surgery that they get the sponges/rags out!! Either way......the most important thing is having a healty little baby!!!! ENJOY

I tried to do a VBAC, and I think it is a great idea if it will work for you. It just so happened that my son was 10 days late. My OB wouldn't induce me because I had had a c-section (I think that is pretty standard. Apparently the contractions are too strong when they induce you and it could cause a rupture), so after about a week, my OB scheduled the c-section. After all that, I wish I just would have scheduled the csection in the first place. My son was also 9 lbs 5 oz, and my OB and I agreed that it was a good thing that we had a c-section. Being 10 days over due is not fun! Everyone is different and you never do know how it will turn out. Good luck!

Hi Molly,
2 weeks before my daughter's due date...I found out
that she was breeched. At first, I was considering having
vb and have the doctors try and turn her...b/c I wanted to have a vaginal delivery (I had psyched myself up for it). But, after discussing this with my husband we decided against this b/c all we wanted was a healthy baby. So we went for a scheduled C-section...and it was good...the recovery takes a little longer...but I would do it again...I would schedule a c-section again if I have another baby. Because...who cares how the baby comes out...as long as she/he is healthy. Also, b/c having a vb after c can be dangerous...and you end up with an emergency c-section anyhow. Also, my sister-in-law...had a v birth has some bladder/bowel problems b/c of it...and so you might want to keep that in mind to. So I would go with the schecduled c-section...just take your pain meds afterwards. good luck with your decision...bye K.

I was totally enthusastic about doing a VBAC with my 2nd.
I pushed it until I found a dr that was willing to give it a try.
After full term, my daughter turned breech, and I had to do a c section. When she was born though, she was right side. Imagine that!
But if you are having them close together, like I did, and it seems you are because you have a 2 yr old, than you can definitely try, but don't give your hopes up and keep your options open.
Several reasons- your body has not totally re couped from major surgery, they say at least 3 years. The lining of your uterus and the old scar make the world of a difference (something to ask about, the dr who did the c section), because if it's thin, its not a risk you want to take. Check the position of the baby, and where the cord is before she/he is born. My daughter had hers wrapped so tightly, that had my water broken, she would have died. So, something to think about. Your pelvic outlet may be too small, if it is, and the dr measures it so, than the c section could be marked in stone, because its dangerous to you and the baby to do so. With my first, I was in labour for an insane amount of time, you would not believe, and its because of the outlet.
Just know both sides, go in educated, chilled out, and open minded and things will work out.I hope this helps.

Hi Molly S,

I have had 3 VBACs with absolutely no problems. I had the initial cesarean in 07/97 due to fetal stress and had my first VBAC 16 months later (11/99) with my son. I went onto to have 2 more kids after that (2001 and 2004), never having a problem.

You have to sign these VBAC forms saying that your initial cut could possibly rupture, ect., but everyone I know has gone through it with flying colors.

Hope this info helps.

The best of luck to you!

I had a VBAC with my twins 4.5 years after having a C-section with my oldest. My OB/GYN was supportive and flexible throughout, which was helpful. He explained that we could try, keeping in mind that I might need to do a C-section if there were problems. At 32 weeks gestation, I went into preterm labor and was hospitalized. I was dilated to 5 cm for a week, then finally moved to 6! Got an epidural and went to 10 cm within an hour. Delivered the first twin vaginally, but didn't know whether the 2nd twin would require C-section until the last minute. Fortunately, baby B came out head first. Was very rewarding and so much easier to recover from vaginal birth than the surgery. Good luck to you, I hope you can find a supportive OB/GYN!

Hi Molly,

I had my first daugther vaginally and natural. She came really fast. My second was breech so I had a c-section. I had my 3rd 25 months later and had a VBAC. My doctor suggested waiting 2 years to prevent tearing. I told my doctor I wanted to try a VBAC but if she saw the slightest problem to do a C-section. Well baby 3 came faster than the first and was natural as well. And no problems and she was healthy. I think as long as you discuss with your doctor you should be fine.

Best of luck.
S.

Hi Molly, I didn't have a VBAC, but I did have a c-section with my first child. I had an emergency c-section, where my child's heart beat was going down too fast with every contraction. And the doctors had to get him out right away. My son was fine and is now in Kindergarten. When I was pregnant with my second child, I was offered the option of VBAC because my OB/GYN had said it would be fine since I, myself did not have any complications with my first pregnancy and I was in great health. However, she also specified that she could not induce labor, I would have to wait until the baby was completely ready to come out. I was fine with that. My previous child was 6 lbs and it seemed this baby would be around the same weight, so we didn't expect the baby to get too big. Well, we moved to Oregon and my OB/GYN there said it would be a great idea, but I would have to go to a certain hospital to do VBAC because not all hospitals have clearance or have the staff certified to perform VBAC. I opted to go the the hospital that did help with VBAC, they also urged natural birthing processes rather than surgical. When I visited, it seemed wonderful. Two weeks before I gave birth, I found out that that hospital didn't have their medical team up to standards with VBAC. I had to schedule a c-section, which went fine. But my husband and I didn't like the fact that we were actually planning the birthday of our second child. In fact, we were disappointed that I couldn't have the baby naturally. I prayed that I would have some kind of "mommy/birthing/contraction-feeling" like I did with my first child to I could feel like I was going into a normal labor process. And I did! I had irregular contractions the Saturday before, they became normal through Monday and had my daughter on a Tuesday. I may have had her that day anyway. So my advice to you is to make sure the doctors are cleared & certified and have tons of knowledge on VBAC. I read and read and read on VBAC and I was ready & excited that the second time around, I'd have that one special birthing experience. We moved back to S.F. and have gone back to my old OB/GYN. She was very empathetic towards my experience. I'm not sure if I'd have another child yet, but I may have blown my chances of VBAC since I've had 2 c-sections. I'm not disappointed, I've got 2 healthy children, a boy & a girl. Really in the end, you just hope to have a great pregnancy and a very healthy baby. Hope this helps or gives some kind of comfort in making your decision.

Hi, I do not have personal experience with VBAC's but I wanted to recommend some great articles I have read on the subject from Mothering magazine, they are positive stories and medically backed with reasons that VBAC are a good choice for moms. Try the Mothering website and search for VBAC articles. You can never predict what your labor or birth will bring but informing yourself as best as possible and staying relaxed as possible will help
peace and love to you

I had a VBAC 7 years ago, and would do it again in a heartbeat. Granted, everyone's situation is unique. I knew in my situation that the circumstances causing my first C-section were unlikely to reoccurr. For that reason, I chose to give it a try. It went beautifully. I was so happy to have an easy recovery and I was able to pick up my 2 1/2 year old the day I got home from the hospital, which would not have happened if I had the c-section. Ultimately, whatever you choose, you will be very happy with your decision, and good luck with the new addition to your family!! :)

I had my VBAC over 6 months ago and it was a dream expericance. I was in labor for 32 hours, 24 of which was easy enough for me to be at home doing my usual daily activities with my 3 year old. I would just stop when I had a contraction, she would hold my hand and I would breathe normally, then when it passed (anywhere from 30 seconds to 4 minutes each) we went on with our day. Once my water broke we went to the hospital and within 6 hours of hard labor (30 seconds between contractions in the beginning until there was no time between them and contractions lasting up to 7 minutes each- no joke) medicine free I had my sweet baby boy. They did have to do an emergancy episiotomy because the cord got wrapped around my son's neck (his heart rate went down) but with the exception of the actually cutting my 3 year old got to be there the whole time and held my hand - it was an incredible experience that I deeply treasure.
A book I liked: Natural Child Birth the Bradley Way-- it helped me with the concentration and to stay calm and understand what was happening with my body.
*hugs*
Congrats on your new baby!

Hi Molly,
My son Joel was delivered by emergency c section, and I was sedated. I had a horrible recovery, and was terrified of birth. I really wanted to have a natural birth when I got pregnant with Miles. I tried for a vbac, and did a ton of research, and really felt good about the decision. I ended up having a second csection (it's always a risk) but I really felt so much happier and content, it wasn't scary, I knew about the possibilities for unfortunate outcomes and successful ones! I enjoyed my labor, and really had a much better experience. Good Luck to you, and happy mommying!
D.

I think a lot of it depends on the reasons you had the C to begin with. My hospital was extremely supportive of a vbac, they even had a class on weighing the options, etc. Some people are not recommended to have a vbac but because I had my C after my blood pressure dropped due to the epidural, I decided to go ahead with the vbac, with support from the hospital. It went incredibly well, with no problems or complications whatsoever!

My husband is a high risk OB surgeon, a VBAC needs to have perfect circumstances. You should do what your doctor tells you is best for you and your baby. Everyone is different! The most important thing is for you and your baby to be healthy and create a loving bond.

Best Wishes,
M.

Hello Molly,

I highly recommend VBAC rather than a C-section. I had my first child C-section and my second VBAC. Totally different
experience. Your recovery is 100% easier. You are back to normal unlike C-section, you can't even stand up straight and the pain was unbearable at times. The only thing that I ended up getting was hemorroids from pushing and if you do, purchase a innertube (the ones you would use for swimming) to sit on and ask the hospital for some tucks. You can enjoy your new bundle of joy rather than recieving help like you did when you had a C-section. Good Luck.

E.

Hi Molly,

I understand exactly what you are going through and what a difficult decision this can be. I had an emergency C-section with my first child after being induced and 8 hours of labor and really didn't want to go through this again for my second.

After months of indecision I decided to try for a VBAC and keep an open mind in case it didn't work out. I ended up going 2 weeks over my due date so my Doctor decided to schedule a C-section. I was surprised by how upset I was but I had to trust my Doctor and didn't want to take any risks - plus I was SO pregnant in the middle of summer and ready for this baby to come out! As it turned out I was in labor by the time we got to the hospital so they let me try for a VBAC. Unfortunately, it didn't work out, and just like the first time I ended up confined to the bed on oxygen with every intervention imaginable before having another emergency C-section.

I am sure there are just as many positive stories as there are negative and you just need to decide what's best for you. My only advice to you is to trust your medical team and keep an open mind. In my case, the baby was trying to come through my previous c-section incision which had begun to open up and could have been very serious.

The good news is, that despite being in labor first, my recovery after the second C-section was much easier.

Good luck with the decision, I'm sure everything will go well for you! If you have any questions feel free to PM me.

L.

Hi Molly -

Maybe I'm just old and jaded (grin), but I honestly think we spend a bit too much time worrying about HOW we have our children. In the end, you love them just the same, no matter how they got here, right? :)

I had a scheduled C with my second, because the first one ended up in an emergency C and my uterus is in shreds because of it. If there is a reasonable chance that you'll end up with a C section, for heaven's sake just schedule it and call it good.

By the way, there are some bennies to having C-sections as you get older...:)

Best of luck with your new one!

J.

Check out Birthways.org or visit their resource center at Waddle and Swaddle. There are classes, books, videos and other information about VBACs.
I hope this helps!

Hi Molly! A way to almost insure that you have a Vbac, is too hire a Birth Doula that specializes in Vbacs. It is really important to get a strong support team with you while you are in labor! And to practice, practice practice your pain coping skills. Also, having an epidural does increase the chance of a second ceserean, so you might want to maybe read about having a natural birth.

Hi Molly! I had a c/s with my daughter and am planning to VBAC whenever I get pregnant again :)
Here are some of the informative sites that helped me make this decision:
http://www.childbirthconnection.org/article.asp?ClickedLi...

and

http://ican-online.org/vbac/home

I hope that you will find these helpful in making YOUR decision!

Happy birthing!
A.

I am not sure where you live, however I found out during my last pregnancy ( after a prior c section), that in Sonoma County there are few docs who will even consider it and Sutter Hospital won't do it at all. Too much risk to both mom and baby. I was fine with that as I had both a vaginal birth and a c section and preferred the c section. It was a good thing too because when I was having the last c section, the doc discovered that my uterus had stretched so thin that if I had gone into labor it would have been a disaster for me and the baby- her words.
this is a very personal decision and I am only sharing what I found out about it. best of luck to you and whatever you decide.

Hi Molly - I just wanted to let you know I had a successful VBAC just this past saturday! I actually read all the responses to your posting in the days before my delivery and must admit i started getting nervous and cold feet reading from people with dire warnings, etc. It's easy to get wrapped up in worries. One thing that really resonated for me though is that every birth is different and just because one thing happened the first time, there is little to no chance the second birth will have the exact same set of factors. I also had a c-section because of a bad position, posterior presentation with my daughter's head tilted up instead of tucked, and dilated to 10 cm without my daughter coming down. When I started to swell and dilation decreased to 8 cm, my OB said we could either do a c-section now, or emergency c-section later. So i opted for the c-section. This second time around I went with a hospital midwife who was very supportive of VBACs and helped me to believe in my body's ability to birth a baby. It was good knowing too we were at the hospital with OBs on back up if a c-section became necessary. Incidentally this baby also came down posterior, but my labor progressed quickly and it took me only an hour to push him out. No drugs, no complications.

Just wanted to add one more story of a positive outcome. The difference in my recovery from this time and the first is like night and day and I am so much more able to enjoy my baby and this special time together, which means a lot to me. I feel so blessed!

HI Molly,
I had a VBAC and had a wonderful experience. I guess it all depends on the reason you had the C-section in the first place. My first child was in a breech presentation so I was a good candidate for a VBAC. I actually had a scheduled second C-Section (with the same concerns you have) but my water broke earlier and I was talked into the vaginal delivery. I am so glad I had a vaginal delivery. Much much easier and recovery is a piece of cake...plus when people say you are so lucky you had a c-section you could come back at them an say actually I've experienced both and tell them a vaginal delivery was easier. I have heard that recovery after the second C-section is a lot easier so from both sides things will be easier than the first whatever you decide.
B.

Definately find a Dr or midwife who is supportive. Women find out so often too late, ie: labor/delivery, how a Dr will handle their situation. You want a provider that will be fair, and that you can trust, so that if you end up with another C-section you're 100% sure that there was no other way.

Good luck!

Hi Molly,

I had a v-bac 6 1/2 years ago - shortly after the recommendation came that v-bacs shouldn't be attempted unless an anaesthecian (sp?) was on-call. I feel mixed about it. I really wanted to experience labor and I'm glad I went for it. I had a 24-hour labor, but was surprised when my water broke; I could have easily kept going. The hard part for me was that I started labor around midnight and didn't get into my post-birth room until mid-morning and then couldn't sleep so right away I missed 2 nights of sleep. I never was able to catch up because then I went home and if my baby wasn't keeping me awake, then my 2-year old was. I'm not a good sleeper, but if you are - go for it!

E.

I didn't have a c-section with my first child, but they did have to use suction to get him out. He was 23 3/4 inches long at birth (yes you read that right, darn near 2 feet!, and was 9 pounds, 4.6 oz), he broke his left clavical and developed plagio (sp?) which required helmet therapy. I don't know that I blame the suction on any of those things, but definatly think they all contributed.
After having a c-section with my second, and hearing everything that could possibly happen if I got pregnant again, my decision would be to do a c-section again.

Hope that helps
K.