VBAC SUPPORT

All the best Joybaby and Lee-Ann. Here is to beautiful, healthy babies for each of you, regardless of how they may make their entries into this world (HUG)

@Joybaby & Lee-Ann F: It breaks my heart that you would feel apprehensive of coming onto this thread because your chances of having a vbac are diminishing. I think we all understand that, at the end of the day, we must do what's best for our babies and ourselves. When I say, get the right/best caregivers , that doesn't necessarily mean that all gynae's have bad intentions. If you feel that your gynae is the best caregiver FOR YOU, then that is your "right" caregiver, and then you have to trust in him/her...If that makes sense.

Please keep us posted on your progress and let us know when those little ones are born!

Hi JoyBaby

I think you are making the right decision for you and for baby. That is in fact all that matters in the end. I share your anxiety of posting about my probably imminant c-sec on the feed and I guess it comes from our own disappointment but in the end I honestly believe all the ladies will only but wish you a happy and healthy birthing experience. Not all of us are fortunate enough to have VBAC no matter how hard we pray for them.

I went to see the gynae yesterday and my hopes for a VBAC are diminishing fast. He found sugars in my urine and my baby is already weighing 3.2kg at only 35 weeks so there is a very real fear of pregnancy induced diabetes, I will be seeing him again next week and he will test if the patern persists and if so then I will be having my baby out pretty soon as well via C-sec as the risks are just far too great.

I know there are a lot of negative things said about gynae's and their reluctance for VBAC but having had a long chat with mine yesterday I understood his reluctance a little better. In his 36 years of practice he has had 2 uterine ruptures occur and he said the last one was such a dramatic and devastating event that he would never forget it and it was enough to make him realise the dangers. It is not to say it would happen to anyone of us but his last patient lost her baby - a healthy baby weighing in at 3.8kg, because of a J uterine rupture and the mother had to get a full hysterectomy - before age 30. So this doesnt mean that VBAC is not possible but I understand why my own gynae is so scared of them. Despite all this he STILL said to me it is entirely my choice as I take the risks but I need to understand he will do what he needs to save me first not the baby as I am his main concern. Having said all that should the diabetes be a real threat little Connor might be here before we know it and I will then happily have the C-sec if it means saving mine or his life.

Dont be hard on yourself, today I am quite down having realised that my campaign for VBAC is diminishing but at the same time I am relieved that it is not the ugly elephant in the room anymore. If I go into labour naturally before the 12th Nov and all seems fine my gynae will support me, if not Connor will be here in the next 2 - 3 weeks via CSec.

Shed your tears and come to terms with anything that bugs you about this and trust your own instints, no matter what advice any of us give you it is still your body and baby! And you never know, little one may surprise you still and drop and give you the VBAC you wanted. Never say never!

Good luck and all else failing I hope you have a fantastic experience on Friday when you welcome your darling baby into the world - which is after all the most important part.

Hi all

Sorry for my lack of update!

My CSEC is booked for this coming Friday 19th Oct. I will be 39 weeks.
Had my last appointment with gynae this past Friday and it did not go well.
Unfortunately he does not want me to go into labour if she has not engaged before hand, due to risk of uterine rupture, and the closer it gets to due date the more chances I go into labour, while she is still very high.
I did speak openly and honestly about the fact that I feel taking her out at 39 weeks stops her chances of engaging prematurely, and so we dont really stand a 'chance' at a natural birth. But he would here nothing of it.
If she drops this week still and I go into labour, he will allow for it, but otherwise, Csec will be on Friday as 'scheduled'.

It took me a few days to get over it, as I had really expressed my desire for vbac from the word go, and we spoke about it every month.
I have decided I will not let this get to me. My daughter was a csec birth, and in the end all for a good reason, her heart may not have handled a natural delivery.
As long as she comes out healthy, I do not want to have this bad memory hanging over the day of her birth.
My husband supports me, and we want to make this as memorable as possible as it may be our last pregnancy.

I must be honest I've been a bit reluctant to come on here. Because I know there could be lots of comments about gynae's and their leading on about promises of vbac etc. But truth be told, I love my gynae for many reasons. He has been there since I got married and had my first pap at 21, helped my SIL and close friend with fertility issues, is fantastic at endometriosis and other aspects of obstetrics and I do trust him. And I knew the shortcomings of gynae's and csecs when we stayed on with him when I fell pg. So I cannot hold this grudge.

So either way, baby will be here Friday.
I had a relatively good experience with Kaylee's birth. The pain on days 2 - 7 was awful due to a nerve being caught in the stitch. But I have reminded gynae of this so hopefully it wont happen again.

Elamsmom - I have goosebumps from head to toe after reading your story - even being a doula. What an inspiration you are. I love how you refer to your body knowing exactly what to do and when. That's what seems to have been forgotten somewhere along the line. Our bodies are amazing!! Thanks So much for sharing.

I am so happy for you Elamsmom!!! Congrats on your new bundle!
What an amazing experience - I am so glad everything went to plan, and you did fabulously mama!!!

When Xoli said she could see the head, I pushed with all the energy I had left and in 2 pushes, the head came out. Next push and the shoulders came out then the rest of the body!

I must say, after the baby came out, I had a few seconds where it’s like my mind didn’t register that I’d done it and that it was over. I just sat in the bath with a glazed, kind of vacant expression. I was holding the baby but everything felt a bit unreal.
I got the injection for the placenta to come out and it came out immediately. Didn’t even feel a contraction. It was like it just fell out (sorry for tmi). Then Xoli checked me for tearing but thankfully I hadn’t torn so didn’t need any stitches. I must be honest, I had had more than enough of being poked and prodded and injected for one day! But I imagine that I would have had to endure a lot more of that in a normal hospital.

All in all, the experience was amazing! Painful, but soooo exhilarating and empowering at the same time! Also, I found the things my body was just doing automatically as the labour progressed, so fascinating! I think I still can’t really really believe that I did it. Like it hasn’t sunk in. Apparently I have an “amazing” uterus that gives very strong contractions but then also gives enough time to rest in between. Xoli says I had such a textbook labour and that my body responded so well to everything.

I hope that I can be an inspiration to other Vbac hopefuls. It is SO possible. Just find yourself the RIGHT caregiver/s. That is more than half of the battle won already! The rest is your belief in your body’s ability to do what it was meant to do. My belief in my body did waver slightly after 40 weeks in the frustration of waiting and waiting, but deep deep down, I never once considered going for an elective c-sec. Fortunately, by the time I was going insane with pain asking for an epidural or anything to make the pain stop, I was already 9cm’s and couldn’t have changed my mind even if I wanted to *wink* I’m sure God designed it that way. Heeeheee

Baby is absolutely gorgeous (in the mother’s humble opinion). And quite a peaceful baby. She actually sleeps at night! She hates bathing and screams her lungs out whilst bathing, but other than that, she’s really been quite an easy baby. The hardest part about having a 2nd child is the effect it’s had on our toddler. Shame, poor little thing. But, we are taking it one day at a time. She does love her baby sister though and gives her (not so gentle) hugs and kisses and when I fetch her from school, asks “mommy, where’s Baby???”