Successful VBA3C!

Tina - posted on 08/06/2010

thank you for sharing about your vba3c! congratulations!!! i hope to have a vba2c in march if i can find a doc to do it! thanks really, this is so encouraging!

Julie - posted on 03/20/2010

thanks. I have a while to think about it! Thanks alot.

Rebecca - posted on 03/20/2010

I'm so sorry about your doula; that is too bad! And I feel for you with the long labors, ugh. Your decision is totally understandable! And, you'll know what resources to look for if you feel differently in a few years. That'll be plenty of time to make peace with your decision either way :)

Julie - posted on 03/18/2010

I would love to try again but I am just so afraid bc my labors are soooo long, my 1st was 24hours and my 2nd was prolly 48 hours! That is just so ridiculus! Other women go in for there 1st and there done by 15hours max! Thats so not my case! I just dont know anymore... I did hire a doula but we let her go right before labor, she wouldnt answer her phone so we were afraid to pay her anymore bc of that. The hospital I was at was very awsome, they let me walk they let me labor without pitocen for the first 4 hours to see if I changed on my own, and in the end I chose the have to section just bc I wasnt progressing fast enuff and they had a shift change coming up and didnt want to leave me with my water broke for that long. I think we did everything possible to have a vaginal birth but my body just dont cooperate; Idk, Where I am going NO ONE does vbacs and the 1 dr that might is about 40 mins away from me... I so wish I could but I think its gonna be to much trouble then its worth.. I sux my labors are so long. Thanks for all the good and nice things u said :-)

Rebecca - posted on 03/17/2010

Don't be daunted! No doc is going to recommend you have a VBAC after more than 1 c/s. It's just too much liability for them as it is not commonplace. It is highly unlikely that you'll sue them for a c/s complication, as those are just "routine" surgical complications, and obviously you won't sue them for complications in future pregnancies, but it is highly likely someone will sue for a uterine rupture if things aren't handled right. So for them, it is way easier to schedule a c/s than babysit through a "risky" labor. I was "allowed" to labor, and just barely. That's why I recommend really thoroughly researching. . . because if you aren't totally convinced, you probably won't have the perseverance to make them give you permission, ykwim? They use all kinds of scare tactics, unfortunately. And that is just based on the general recommendations put out by ACOG, not on their own thorough research into the topic! The doc who evaluated me when I first came to the hospital started chewing us out, actually. My husband - no kidding - told her he was sick of people playing the "dead baby" card. NOT trying to make light of the possibility, but we had thoroughly researched the risks and knew it was the right choice for us, our baby, and our future children.

I totally get what you are saying, and my heart goes out to you for that super-long labor!!! I really really would look into hiring a doula, as they could be with you during early labor so you could eat and deal with things better, and then at the hospital help you through the tougher times and help you naturally move labor along. Seriously, I really think this would make a HUGE difference in labor. I totally regret not hiring one this time around!

I am totally with you that c-sections are scary! I hate them!

And don't be too discouraged that you needed a c-section this time. Just go back and read about all that stuff you went through for your darling baby :) Clearly you are a loving mom, and remember that you gave him all kinds of hormonal benefits by going into labor naturally!

Julie - posted on 03/17/2010

I talked to my mid wife an the dr and they both said they wouldnt recommend me trying for another vbac, There is to much risk involved... I honestly dont know why I didnt have this baby natural, We did everything I wanted during labor and like u I was starving so I just got the epi! I agree about doing whats right by letting myself go into labor and that being best for the baby, I wonder if there is a way for my 3rd if I could just go in when I am in labor... Idk. but I dont think my body is built to push out a baby... I wish it were diffrent i really wanted a natural vaginal birth, c sections are just sooo darn scary!!

Rebecca - posted on 03/17/2010

Hi Julie!
My first c-section was because after the day of labor and 1.5 hours of pushing, his head didn't make the tiny last turn to lock into my pelvis and he was having some heart rate decels (both things likely due to me being on epidural/pitocin all day long). I got the epidural as soon as I could and of course they then started me on pit. I didn't know at the time, but NOW know that epi/pit was probably the source of the problem. I couldn't change positions due to the decels and the epidural, so I had to push on my back which is not the most effective.

My next 2 c-sections were just repeat c/s. My 2nd child was only 11 months after my first, so we thought there would be an increased risk of rupture. My 3rd was simply because we didn't know VBAC was an option after 2 c/s.
So, I had a total of 3 s-sections, not 2.

We decided to VBA3C because I know I am strong and healthy and c-sections just take me out for months. We heavily researched, and since we will likely have more children in the future decided the risks of a voluntary c-section were too high. Each c-section increases the risks of your future births (placental problems, etc.). Even after multiple c-sections, the risks of uterine rupture are very small. We were adamant about not having pitocin, etc.

My labor was very long. Not as long as yours, but over 24 hours and I was in the hospital for most of it. Things worked out, but barely. I was SO exhausted (I know you understand!) that despite my determination to go all natural, I finally opted for an epidural because I needed to either sleep or eat before pushing and since they wouldn't let me eat. . . I went for the epi. I slept from 7-10 cm and woke up to push. It was a good thing I napped because I pushed for THREE hours, ugh. Finally they got out the vacuum and then he popped right out on the first try!

As far as your failed VBAC goes. . . what you did for your child was still wonderful! I'm sure it was a difficult experience but you gave your baby the benefit of your body going into labor on its own. That gives both of you lots of really helpful hormones!

Next time, I'm definitely hiring a doula. I didn't know my labor would be long (the first wasn't and the second was progressing quickly by the time I got to the hospital) so I wasn't very well-equipped mentally to deal with it.

If I were you, I would do lots of research (ICAN is a great resource) as you get ready to have your next one in a few years. Then, find a supportive doc (might be difficult) and hire a doula.

I hope this helps and let me know if you want to know anything else!

Julie - posted on 03/10/2010

my point for posting was to hear why you had 2 csections then a vbac and what your thoughts were.

Julie - posted on 03/10/2010

VERY interesting! I just tryed for my vbac this past febuary and it was a failed one.... My water broke at 38 weeks and 4 days I got sent home bc it wasnt ferning, then again at 38 weeks and 6 days it broke and it turns out even then it hadnt broke all the way which we didnt figure out until I was a good 24 hours in labor, so I went a total of about 48 hours 5 cm and wasnt progressing fast so I ended it bc I was tired and scared of failure so I just faced it and my baby came out 9lbs 7oz!!! I dont know if I would be a good candidate to try for a VBA3C and I am scared of failing again... I dont know but my next baby wont be planed for another 4 yrs lol

Ruth - posted on 02/10/2010

Congrats....just the thing I need to hear.....fantastic to read. I'm trying for VBA4C, due May 3rd 2010

Rebecca - posted on 11/07/2009

Thanks! The research is out there, and it is most definitely on your side! We believed the doctors too, up until now. We would not have chosen to VBA3C had we not been sure we were taking less risk by doing that than by choosing a repeat c-section. And my husband has a degree in math/stats :) OBs are just very prone to malpractice lawsuits and don't want to do anything outside of guidelines.
Best wishes for your VBAC!

Kimberly - posted on 11/06/2009

Congratulations! I'm new to this group, but expecting my 2nd son - hopefully via VBAC - in mid-December. Sometimes it seems that all the statistics, warnings and cautions shared, even by my midwife, make it seem like an unreasonable goal. Your story makes me so happy, as I'm sure it does for you! :) Congrats again.