V-back

Hi M.,

Well I had the same situation, I had my first by C-section for he ws breached too. I did try to have my second child via V-back, I was in labor for three days but finally I was tired and a doctor not an new fresh out for school doctor said that because I have had a child via-c-section that my hips were not going to take a v-birth. So once again I had a c-section and my son actually weight almost ten pds. But if I had to do it again I would try the V-back. So go ahead and good luck.

sincerely,
D. K>

Hi. I had a v-back after my first child, my first birth had to be a emergency c-section because my son was in distress. So I decided to have her regular and she came out and it was an okay experience but very tiring. After that I had my other two via c-section, thank goodness though because they were bigger then my v-back birth and 1st c-section. I would try having a v-back after a c-section just so you can have that experience.

I had a vbac with my second daughter and I'm SO happy I did. The recovery was peanuts compared to what I went through with the c-section. I was also able to enjoy my daughter the moment she was born, unlike with my c-section where I was throwing up and groggy. Talk to your doctor because every woman is different, but in general the chance of anything bad happening is incredibly small - half of one percent.

Good luck!

First was your c-section really an emergency? Was your baby in distress, or did you go into labor and they discovered the baby was breech and did a c-section?

Next, check with your doctor. Many doctors will not do VBAC's anymore due to liability issues. Usually MD's have to be in house if they're going to allow you to VBAC, but that could change state to state. If you have a MD that allows you to VBAC that's great since the reason you had a c-section was breech presentation. You'd more than likely be an excellent candidate to VBAC. Can I assume your baby is at least two years old? Most often docs want VBAC patients to go into labor on their own. If you needed Pitocin it would be monitored closely (it's always monitored closely) and chances are you'd have an internal monitor (IUPC) at some point to measure the actual strength of your contractions. Often MD's want you to get an epidural when you're in labor just in case problems arise. We always are concerned with the integrity of the old incision site. I work on a labor deck that does allow gals to VBAC and it's wonderful. Most are successful and are thankful to have a vaginal birth as the recovery is usually easier.

Good luck to you and I hope your doctor is able to support your choice to VBAC if there are no other reasons why it would be contrindicated.

Hi M.,
Under the advice of my Obstetrician, I had a v-back. My first daughter decided to come sunny side up so her forehead was hitting my pelvick bone~~they had to do an emergency c-section. Not exactly what I had planned, but everything went well. Our second daughter came 2 years 9 months later and she was in a hurry. Labor began at about 3am at home and she was born at 5:50 am~~no time for the good drugs even. It was a great experience. She was 9 lbs and I would do it again in a hearbeat!!! Trust your Doctor I guess is my advice. You can do it!!!!! Good luck, Christi

Hi M.! My son was a c-section and his sister was a v bac 22mos after his birth...and then surprise! my 3rd child (girl)was born v bac only 14 mos behind her....My dr was VERY cooperative as she's had a quite a few v bacs under her belt..She induced me at 38/39 weeks with my last 2 births so the babies wouldn't get too big and would come out easier...and I had ultrasounds right before the births to make sure the babies were positioned OK.. MY biggest deal with the v bacs was I really wanted that experience...and i;m soo glad i did it, but my vagina is a little stretched and scarred (from tearing) although things are shaping up down there...after all, I was preggo for practically 4yrs straight and my youngest is just 8 mos....OK with that said, my dr. mentioned insurance co's strongly discourage v bacs and many drs refuse to even do them because of the risks and insurance co pressure....please feel free to call me for more info...
N. Hodges ###-###-#### or cell ###-###-####...ps I gave birth to my kiddos in colorado

Hi there -- I am 40 and just had my second child via cesarean. I was attempting a vbac because the healthiest, safest choice for any birth (without strange complications) is a vaginal one. I had a cesarean delivery with my first son due to large fibroid tumors inhibiting the function of the uterus (after induction, being 3.5 weeks late, a great drug-free labor of 36 hours)so I was looking forward to a vaginal delivery this time. Sadly, again I had uterine issues that made it impossible -- not to mention my sons cord was in a truly amazing knot (a double half-hitch)and was looped around his legs like a harness.

Despite my problems, a vbac delivery is ideal. It sounds like it would be the right choice for you because you are 1)young, 2)had no real complications in your first delivery other than a doctor who doesn't deliver breech, and 3)you have the interest/desire to try for a vaginal birth. All those things make it probable that you will deliver vaginally -- the challenge is making sure you don't get into the hospital trap that often happens with vbacs. A lot of doctors/hospitals won't even allow it to happen, so I would seriously research your medical team and establishment.

Even though I am considered an "old" mom, and was attempting a vbac, I labored on my own at home for over 24 hours (my labor was very mellow, slow progressing)and didn't go to the hospital until I was at 4-5 centimeters and I had been in labor for 36 hours. Once I got to the hospital, everything stalled -- they wouldn't let me off the monitor to really move around, they wouldn't allow me to eat or drink (I did cheat and drank small amounts of water). For me, the cesarean delivery was probably likely from the start, but I would be sad to hear of a woman like you being pushed unnecessarily into a repeat cesarean.

Some good books are Birthing From Within, The Birth Book. I really cannot stress enough the importance of making sure your doctor or midwife supports vbacs. ASK THE TOUGH QUESTIONS -- how many vbacs do they do, are there hospital rules that you should know about, etc. Some of the most amazing vbacs I know of were home births with midwives -- close to hospital for back up which proved unnecessary. Best of luck to you. JP

M.,

I successfully did a VBAC two months ago. I absolutely loved the experience and would whole-heartedly recommend it. The challenge is finding a doctor (if that's the route you take) who also strongly believes that women's bodies are meant to work instead of the "precautionary" interventions that occur regularly and lead to C-sections. I interviewed 2 local doctors before finding Dr. Robert Biter (Encinitas, CA) who is wonderful (tho my recommendation comes with a warning - his practice is understandably full and you have to WAIT sometimes up to 2+ hours for your appointment). I would also recommend an experienced midwife who has a great relationship with a hospital (for backup). Good luck!

I, unfortunately had to have three c-sections. I asked my doctor after my first child was born what would happen the next time I had a baby, and he said that I'd have to have c-sections with each consecutive baby. I was bummed, but he said that it was much safer to have c-sections because your uterus can rupture where you've been cut, if you go through labor. No doctors in my city (Reno) will do a v-back as far as I know. Although I was a little nervous about the second and third c-sections, I can tell you that it was a little bit easier to heal each time. Good luck to you. :)

I attempted a V-Back with my son who is now 7 months but was unsuccessful. It was a big dissappointment:0( The hospital couldn't reach my doctor and the baby was in a little distress. The most important thing to know is that most hospitals and doctors will not support your decision. I had to search around for someone who would attempt it and even then, he couldn't put it in my paperwork because the group I was with, Facey, didn't do them as a policy. Unfortunately, I had an HMO at the time and my choices were limited. I knew if my doctor wasn't available there was no chance that any other Facey doctor would do the V-Back. Make sure you ask a lot of questions of both the doctor and the hospital where you plan to give birth. Even after the dissappointment, I have to say that my second C-Section was so much better than the first. The first was what the doctors call a "crash & slash" and this one was much more laid back, and I was awake. So, prepare yourself for the big possibility that you may have to have another c-section but put your focus into a successful V-Back. Good luck!

I had a completely natural VBAC 15 months ago. =-)

First, I would suggest you visit http://www.ican-online.org and http://www.vbac.com for accurate statistics, and until you have read studies with actual statistics, I would ignore statistics quoted by people who did not VBAC. I found during my research that people opposed to VBAC never seemed to have accurate numbers.

I researched everything I could get my hands on before my VBAC, and I can tell you that the uterine rupture rate is roughly .05%, so 1 in 200, but only a small percentage of u/r cases have any lasting impact on mom or baby. So 1 in 200 does not mean 1 in 200 babies dies or has brain damage. That is a common misconception.

Also, people opposed to VBAC love to gloss over the fact that uterine rupture can occur on an un-scarred uterus as well (although not as frequently), and there are many many other problems (placental abruption for example is 2-3% chance)that are far more likely in ANY labor than a uterine rupture is in VBAC, yet they don't expect every woman to have a c/s for that risk. They also forget to mention that there are great risks to mom and baby when performing a cesarean. Cesareans are not risk-free, and that point is ignored by a lot of anti-VBACers.

Also, the fact that fewer and fewer hospitals are "allowing" VBAC is not as much due to u/r as it due to high malpractice insurance costs caused by people who like to sue. In the case that a u/r happens and there are lasting injuries or death, then it's very easy to sue on the "what if we had tried a c/s" premise. It's not as easy to sue for injury during a cesarean, because a cesarean is seen as an attempt to "save" the baby, an it appears as though the doctor did everything he or she could.

I really don't have any problem with a mama choosing repeat cesarean, but it really burns me up that those seem to be the same moms who are all over the message boards throwing out ridiculously false statistics, trying to scare other women into c/s.

Good luck to you in whatever you choose. =-)

I had 2 v-back deliveries. My first boy was a footling breech so I had a C-section. With boys #2 & #3 I elected to try v-back. They watched me much more closely and had internal monitors both times. Of course my last child was born 18 years ago, but I think they do things just about the same way now. Vaginal deliveries are much, much faster to recoop from. If you have a doctor that will allow you to try v-back, by all means go for it. The biggest complication that can arrise is your weakened uterus can rupture. I think that's rare, but it does happen. Talk to your doctor about all of the risks.
As for me, it was well worth it. Good luck
L.

M.-
I'm in the same situation as you, except for the fact that I'm not pregnant yet, but trying...my daughter was born in an emergency c-section(not enough fluid)...and I was told that I could have a v-bac if I wanted. My concern is that when I was born, I was a vbac, six years after my mom had a c-section with my brother and her uterus tore open during labor...I do want to try v-birth, but am afraid...let me know what you found out and what you decided.

Hi M.,
I too had an emergency c-section with my first. I was disappointed with not having the whole birthing experience, and knew with my second pregnancy that I would have a new baby and 2 year old to take care of. So my husband and I opted for VBAC as well. My nurse practitioner was very encouraging about having a VBAC and gave me literature to read about the advantages and disadvantages. My OB/GYN was also encouraging, but met with my husband and I about all of the complications that could occur by not opting for a planned cesarean. We went for it, got through 24 hours of labor :) and then ended up with another emergency C-section.

In my case, my baby's heart rate kept dropping, we found out later that his cord was wrapped around his abdomen and both legs. Another shocker was during all of my contractions, my uterus opened up at the incision from my first c-section. It's a 1 in 200 chance, but we were that one. So it was a good thing that we ended up in surgery, because it could have been a lot worse. I don't say this to scare you, just to make sure you get all of your info first. The recovery wasn't as bad as I had thought it would be with my toddler. It made her feel like she was a big helper (which she was!) Good luck, and I hope all turns out beautifully.

Do you know about ICAN? http://www.ican-online.org/ or or http://wwwvbac.com

let me know if I can help you further...C. hartley, founder The Trust Birth Initiative
www.trustbirth.com

M.,
I have had 3 kids, 2 boys & a girl. 1st was vaginal, 2nd was C-Sect and last was a VBAC. I was very nervous about having the c-sect with my 2nd but like you my son turned just before he was due (about 4 weeks and never turned back), broke his own water and decended breech. When we got pregnant with our daughter I was persistant about having a vbac. I talked with my doctors and told them that is what I wanted b/c of the recovery time and I had done it before. There are a few tests you have to do to see if you can deliver vaginally, especially since you haven't delivered that way before. I had an awesome experience with the vbac and healed A LOT faster than a c-sect. I wish you the best of luck with getting pregnant and the vbac!!!! My hubby wants another kid but I don't think I could handle another one since my kids come out HUGE...lol. Any questions, please email me and ask!!! FEEL FREE! Good Luck!

I commend your decision to want a VBAC! :-) I would look into care providers who do this. I know the hospitals in the Temecula Valley will not do this, so you will either need to go to a hospital and care provider out of area, or find a mid-wife. Many reasons why you need a c-section for one, are not present in subsequent pregnancies, especially breech. However if you have some other problem, care providers may still not want you to try a VBAC. Get all you medical charts, and go shopping for either an OB/GYN who will do VBAC's or a midwife. Discuss what you want and then pick the one you feel is most suiting to your desires for your birth. Also, I would try to think back to when your daughter flipped into the breach position. Babies are very in tune with our emotions. They feel everything we do, but heightened. Was there something going on with your relationship? Some other stresser? Car accident? Many of these things can cause a baby to feel unsecure about the outside environment and turn around. If people are having arguments in their marriage, sometimes, just resolving them can make baby decide to turn back the right way. Or maybe your daughter just was being stubborn! :-) Either way, look into all your options, and be prepared to come up against some oposition. Know your facts, and the actual documented percentages of the complications that dr's are concerned about during a VBAC. When you are in control of your decisions, the birth experience will be yours, and no one can take it away from you.
Good luck on your VBAC, and look into possibly getting a doula in your area to help. The precense of one reduces the need for c-sections, unless medically neccesary.

Hi M.. I too had to have a c-section with my first baby and I was really looking forward to a v-back with my second. Maybe you will have better luck, but I was told by my ob/gyn that they don't do those anymore. There is a great risk to the uterus after a c-section. So, I wasn't allowed to have one. I hope you have a better experience, but the second c-section was fine. I recovered much quicker with the second one than I did with the first one. Good luck and congratulations.

Hi M.,

I had a VBAC 10 years ago with my second son. I was so happy that I was able to go VBAC. I loved the experience. I have since learned that doctors are more apprehensive doing this than before. Having a vaginal birth was very easy compared to a C section in terms of recovery for me. I was moving lots easier days after the birth than when I had a C section. If you have support from your doctor and this is something you really want to do, go for it.

Hi M.
My girlfriend did it and I was in the delivery room with her everything went great. The first one ended up as an emergency C and the second she was able to deliver vainal with NO complications and was much happier with the recovery time too. From what I understand the biggest battle will be with your doctor it seems most doctors prefer to do C sections now a days and if you already have one they will try and convince you to plan for another one. I would go to the library and check out some books and stand your ground that you want to deliver vaginal. Hope this helps.
Mom of three all vaginal with no drugs at all!!

Hi M. :)

I had a V-Back w/my now 19mo daughter. I was scared at first but I took a mandatory class at the hospital (military) and they gave us information about it. I was in the same situation as you. My second child, my son, was breached as well & I had to get an emergency c section. I didn't think I'd ever have another child the normal way; but I did! I'm so happy I was aware of this option & hope that you decide to go this route as well when you guys decide to have your next blessing :)

Hi M.,

I am so glad to hear that there are other women still having v-backs!!! I had a very similar experience to you the first time around. When I went into labor with my second one my OB was great..he asked me if I wanted to try again and of course I did...second time around no problem...three pushes and out came my second daughter!! I had no idea how rare it was until after delivery when the nurses would come in to check on me..they kept saying "oh, you are a v-back..WOW.." I guess it was because my doctor was so calm about the whole thing which made me calm and reassured me that I could do it!! It gave me the encouragement to try again!! Would I do it again, if given the chance???...you bet I would!! The healing process is so much shorter!! You are back to yourself so much faster!! I wish you lots of good luck!!

C. C. ...SAHM of two teenage daughters!

Hi M.,
I was on a board for natural childbirth (HypnoBabies-LOVED it)and many women reported having successful VBACs. They recommended checking out the ICAN network (think that's it-you can find them online). The site lists pros/cons of VBACs as well as other useful info.
Then (if you swing toward the natural)I totally recommend checking out HypnoBabies! At least check out the Yahoo group for HB, it is chock-full of POSITIVE birth stories and super empowering for women. So often people want to share their horror stories, which aren't in the least helpful, you know?

HTH and good luck! You can and will have the birth you desire!
E.

M.,

I attempted a VBAC with my second and unfortunatley after a very long labor, he just didn't want to come out. I would do it all over again if given the opportunity. I don't regret a thing and I am so glad that I experienced as much as I did.

Talk to your Dr. about it. As long as you are confident and have a Dr. on board with your decision than I say give it a try!

Best of luck to you,
M.

M.,

I had a vbac 10-14-06 with my second son (I had a c-section with my first son 9-11-03, he was breech). I would highly recommend the VBAC. The recovery was so much easier. I had my son at 4 a.m. and I was up and walking around at 7 a.m. I went home the next morning. Within a week I felt like I hadn't given birth (I was amazed at how not-sore I was even just a few days later). The recover was so, so, so much easier than with a c-section. My OB is Karen Dalley and I had my baby at Mt View Hospital in Las Vegas. I have high risk pregnancies and lots of preterm labor (both my kids were born at 37 weeks and both were almost 8 pounds - I bake them big! LOL). I consulted both my OB and my perinatologist (high risk pregnancy doctor) before deciding on doing the VBAC and both were really supportive. It was a great experience. I did have an epidural so the labor and delivery weren't painful either. I can't say anything negative about it at all.

I really did like the fact that I was coherent during the birth and mobile right afterwards. It made the whole experience so much better. I'd pick a vaginal birth over a c-section any time.

Lots of people talk about the risks of a vbac but the actual risks are pretty small. You (and your baby) are actually more likely to die during a c-section (people forget it is major surgery!) than from uterine rupture during a vbac. Your risk of uterine rupture during a vbac is only minutely higher than anyone's risk of uterine rupture during any birth. Many doctors will try to convince you to do a repeat c-section because they can schedule it and it is more convenient for them. Not because it is better for your or your baby.

:-)T.

Your first hurdle will be finding a doctor who supports VBAC - and unfortunately, they're getting harder to find. You should also look into ICAN (International Cesarean Awareness Network) which you can find at http://www.ican-online.org/ This is an international organization that advocates for mother's rights in childbirth as well as providing education and resources, including local support groups for VBAC.

Good luck to you!

Hi M.,

I delivered my second child, V-BAC. I needed to do it. I had this intense need to at least have a vaginal delivery, and natural if possible. I did get what I was looking for. I am happy to have had both experiences. I say, give it a try. The way I seen it was worse case scenerio I would have anouther C-section and a possibly a hysterectomy if I tore my scar. I really put the faith in Source(God). All went as it was supposed too. But, it was no easier to heal for me personally. About the same healing time, 2 months.

Hi M.,
I recommend checking out the ICAN website too.
Also, sounds like you would greatly benefit from chiropractic care during your next pregnancy. Sometimes when babies present in the breech position it can be due to imbalances in your pelvis, lower back, and also the ligaments supporting the uterus. If you decide, to look into this I recommend the website www.icpa4kids.org you can look for a chiropractor in your area that specializes in pregnancy care or the Webster technique. The website usually will indicate if they are Webster certified. Good luck and contact me if you have any questions.
In health,
C. Tanaka, DC
www.naturallifechiro.com

15 years ago I had a v-back. It all went well, and I suffered much less pain and healed much sooner than I would have if I had had another c-section. I was scheduled to have a c-section but I went into labor a month early. Those were the bad old days when HMO doctors were there to save money. They had recently finished analyzing the data and since most of the people who had v-backs were ok they made the decision for me. I wasn't that informed and trusted my doctor. It wasn't till after the fact that I learned the risks involved. Even after it all went so well, the risks I'd taken appalled me. The down side of this decision for V-back was too significant for me. Make the choise for v-back, one that is well researched. I think it's likely to turn out great if you do, but if I were you I would do everything in my power to minimize the risk. Don't just find a doctor who thinks v-backs are a better choise. Choose your doctor for his experience, ask him if he's ever seen this go wrong and what he would do about it if it did. Ultimatly that's what will be most important. Your doc has to be on top of any problems that could arise, if he's really able to do that then it might be a good idea.

I have seen the negative impact of a V-back with a friend of mine. Statistically speaking you have a less chance of anything going wrong than for something to go wrong. However, even if you had a 85 percent chance of nothing happening that still leaves you with a 15 percent chance or 15 out of every 100 women who deliver this way having something happen. I don't know the actual statistics as it varies from hospital to hospital, but it definitely has great risks.
It is ultimately your decision and you are doing the right thing by researching it first. The reason many hospitals won't do them anymore is due to the rates of uterine rupture. If this happens it is an emergency and in most cases during the time after the rupture until the baby is actually taken via c-section the baby is going without oxygen or with impaired oxygen to say the least. In my friends case this is what happened and now she has a beautiful baby with severe cerebral palsy. She too only had to have a c-section for a breech baby with her 1st child and had no other risk factors with either pregnancy. If you do decide to have this please seek a medical facility with the ability to perform an immediate c-section with oxygen available so that if anything goes wrong the baby will have medical help. I would recommend a doctor not a midwife in your case because a midwife is not able to perform a c-section if needed. I think midwifes are wonderful in many situations, but not when there are risks involved that may require services they can't render. I do realize many people have had good v-back experiences, but just be informed that many others have not. I don't mean to scare you, but I wanted to share the other side of it so that you can make an informed decision. Good luck with your decision and keep on researching it.

My first daughter was born vaginal and it took me 11 months to recover from the nerve damage. I couldn't make love with my hubby or even use a tampon for that long. Vaginal birth is not all it is cracked up to be. I think a lot of women who have their hearts set on a vag birth become devastated when it doesn't work out. Then they get their hearts set on a VBAC, which might not work either. My second daughter, after a uterine vein rupture and herniated disc during my pregnancy, was delivered by a scheduled C-section. It was not the traumatic and horrible event that an emergency C-section is. It was a bit scary because it is a surgery and you're not really sure what to expect. But, for a scheduled one at least, it is not the hurried and last minute event that your first C-section probably was. I healed incredibly fast from my C-section without any complications and would not have changed my decision to have it. I hope that whatever you choose you don't beat yourself up if things don't work out the way you planned. Good luck!

V- backs are being performed more now in most hospitals. But not all hospitals perform them, so look into that. The main risk in a v-back is uterine rupture. after a c-section the stress of labor can be too much on the uterine scar tissue. You will be considered high risk so you will be monitored carefully. I see them a lot as a L&D nurse, some successful and some are not. As with your first baby, the baby determines a lot of it. I had a C/section and plan to attempt a v-back with my second also. Good luck and talk to your doctors...

Hi M.,
You are me 5 years ago! My daughter was also breech in the last week and I had no choice but a c-section. At first I thouhgt it was fine because I experienced absolutely no labor. But as youknow, recovery time is a whole other story! So when I was pregnant with my son just 8 months later, I was going back and forth almost the entire time about which way I wanted to deliver. Ultimately, Ryan made the decision for me! I went into labor on my due date and had him through normal delivery. The hospital stay was less than 24 hours and I was at the mall taking his photos on his third day of life! With having a toddler, I would never reccomend having another c-section! The labor was intense, but there were no problems at all! Email if you want more details!

A.
____@____.com

M.-

I just had my VBA2C (after 2 previous c/s) on March 3, 2008. It was a wonderful experience, birthing our little surprise at home in the pool with my kiddos and husband around me. I found a lot of support during my pregnancy from the ICAN website and VBAC yahoo groups. I read LOTS of books with positive birth stories and tried to eliminate all negative influences around me. Though the birth was an awesome experience, I did rupture and did not know it till FIVE days after the birth. I was rushed into emergency surgery because I was bleeding internally and had to have a hysterectomy. I would never want my situation to scare someone away from doing what they feel is right for them and the health of their baby. I would also never tell someone they should do a VBAC. I think that decision needs to made on a personal level since only you have to live with the positive or negative outcome of that decision. Do your research, lots of reading, soul searching and then make the decision you feel is best for you and your family.

J.

Hi M.!

A friend of mine is a Physician, though not an OB/GYN.
After speaking to her own doctor and a colleague who is an OB/GYN she decided NOT to have a VBAC. If a uterine rupture occurs it can cause hemorrhage and other complications mentioned above. I, myself had always wondered "What's the big deal about a VBAC?" After talking to her I know the risks now, and it is a big deal. She told me that there has to be a whole team of doctors there at the ready just in case and the maternal and/or infant death rate is 1 out of 100. My jaw dropped! If this is a true statistic, it is like playing Russian Roulette in my opinion.

I am not trying to scare anyone. I was just truly shocked myself. If it were me I would naturally want a VBAC, but in light of the serious possible complications, would definitely have a C-section.

I hope this helps and good luck on your decision,
J.

i'm a l&d nurse, and the first thing you need to do is get an OB on board with your idea. most are very reluctant to do this anymore because of the possible complications. next, how far apart will your children be? if less that two years, you may want to consider waiting longer. this will lessen the chances of injury to yourself or the baby during delivery. if you really want your children to be closer together, i suggest a repeat c-section. it is just overall safer for everyone. but really scope out the OB's in your area and also the hospitals. many do not allow for this type of birth, no if's, and's, or but's, except in emergency situations, no matter the length between pregnancies. our hospital is one of them. i don't particularly agree with this, i think each pregnancy should be determined if safe by a variety of factors and that the option should be there. but as i mentioned, its not at many places. good luck, and i hope you end up having a safe, vaginal delivery.