VBAC SUPPORT

Hi girls

I just wanted to say regarding baby's weight.
I asked gynae at my last check up (33w) if he can estimate weight at full term and he said he cannot as the scans are quite accurate at the time of taking the measurements provided baby is lying right, but that baby has growth spurts and drops all the time and there is no real way of being able to predict birth weight.
At 33 weeks she was 2.4kgs and was on average with all the detailed measurements.
To think that my first LG was 2.8kg at birth - 38 weeks - this ones looking to be quite a bit bigger.
I can definitely feel she is long as I feel as much movement under my ribs as I do on my hips. I am really enjoying my bump and the movements but can feel she is definitely restricted by space.

Next scan is on Friday, I will be 36 weeks then. I have no clue how she is lying or anything, so will see what the scan says.
I must be honest I'm rather blaze about it all. I am not taking any extra measures to induce labour naturally or prepare my cervix etc. I'm quite happy to let nature take its course May just increase in the bedroom department

hi ladies! i havent been on this forum for almost two years, and here i am back at the VBAC thread.....

i'm not pregnant. will be in a year or so. but i am going to literally become a midwife in this next year while i really study vbac and everything it entails.

i was horribly let down 21 months ago at VP with my third child (hoping for vbac1). first child was natural with epi.

i had contractions from 38w due to overdose of castor oil (but also prodromal labour)..... lol.... girls be careful with that stuff. take a little at a time instead of overdoing it. quite funny now that i look back.

anyway, i had cx all day and eventually went in just after midnight to VP. my gynae is Douglas Dumbrill and he is an absolute angel. however, he was not there obviously at that time of night. i had nurses to deal with.

my cx were off the chart great stuff. active labour here we come. the nurse noticed my previous c-section scar and then totally changed her way with me. she became short, agitated and they were all whispiering VBAC CRAZY WOMAN etc. i then got terribly scared. she wouldnt say how far dilated i was but rather spoke down to me as if i was a naughty child.

ladies... word of suggestion to you... if you do not have a private midwife goign to work with you in the labour ward, you will be "assigned" one. i strongly suggest that you lay the cards straight down on the table before she even touches you. i WISH i did. i would've told them that if they are not going to support my TOL, they can remove themselves from my care and get me someone that will. the nurses are the ones that are with us during the labour, not the dr, so in this critical time, i felt that his support was not enough. we NEED the nurses and midwives soooo much more.

i ended up in c-section and i regret every single second of that night. i will post a picture and you can see that my face said it all.

i will hopefully falling preg again in a year or less and this time i will be prepared in every sense of the word.

well done and good luck to all of you.

marijke, [please find your phone. need to chat about something asap.

Hi Lee-Ann F!

I'm 35 weeks now and my gynae also told me at 31wks he's ESTIMATING my baby boy at 1.8kg's and he's very sure it's more accurately only 1.6kg's. Don't worry about the weight and please don't be bullied into a c-section because the docter THINKS your baby will be too big - there is no way they can tell for sure! I'm also attempting VBAC and the docter said that even if he estimated correctly and the baby will end up being 3.6kg's we won't do a c-section because of that. I follow a hypnobirthing group on Facebook and there was a lady with a successful VBAC the other day with a baby of over 4kg's..!

I also have until 12 Nov, but things are looking good as my boobs aren't supported by my tummy anymore and I don't think we'll have to wait that long! Have started taking EPO and my raspberry leaf extract is on its way - someone I met on Facebook and who's following my pregnancy (and on my support team for VBAC!) was kind enough to post me some as I couldn't find any myself! Will rope in a friend who does reflexology if nothing has happened by 39wks and I'll be abusing the use of my husband, which I'm sure he won't object to!

@ Elamsmom, read up on evening primrose oil and maybe get some asap! Also, make use of hubby - apparently once a day might not be enough though...

@ Joybaby, looks like we're also very close together with our due dates - I'll be on the lookout for your story! The internal is not too bad, so don't worry!

Hope things work out for all of you guys !


Good luck!

Hi there Ladies

I have to agree with MissesMom regarding the accuracy of the weight - even my gynae himself said that one can normally deduct about 200grams from the estimated birth weight to get to about what the birth weight would be...

Just thought i would add my two-cents worth

hasie - not taking it the wrong way at all, sorry if my reply seemed short, was in a rush and just wanted to let the ladies know why I had suggested it. I suppose with all remadies its also best to chat to your own Dr about it.

Lee-Anne, why is the weight an issue? Firstly those scans can be horribly inacurate. We had a couple who were told there baby is going to be huge, and the Dr induced her at 35 weeks... - 1.8kg baby....
Sorry, the "big baby" excuse bugs me a bit.
But good luck either way, as long as you are happy with your choice that is all that matters

Hi there Everyone

It has been sometime since my original post when I joined this group.

Not too much has changed, although I have decided that if fate will play along Im more than happy to proceed with a VBAC.

I will be 33 weeks on Monday. My last visit was almost 2 weeks ago and baby Connor was healthy but already weighing in at 1.834 kg so he is no small boy thats for sure.

My gynae is happy for me to try for natural provided that my baby boy does not go over 3.5kg so lets see what happens, at the moment it looks like he will be in the 3.6 - 3.7kg weight area but I will remain optimistic that he will come in under.

I basically have until the 12th November to see if the little man appears by himself and within the weight zone provided by my gynae or if I seem more destined for a 2nd c-sec.

On the plus side I have made a decison to come to terms with whatever my fate may or may not be and leave it in God's capable hands to make the decision for me. All I really care about is delivering my baby safe and sound and breathing into this world and couldnt be bothered what anyone else thinks or who judges me.

Missesmom, I'm not trying to start an argument at all, so please don't take it the wrong way.

I chatted to my homeopath about the Arnica thing, she says if you are prone to bleeding, then stay away form it during pregnancy and it should be used with caution during the latter stages of pregnancy. After birth, its great to use as it helps heal the bruising / stop bleeding. But if you have any history of easy bleeding before, then you would stay away from it during pregnancy.

Interesting thing about it, and that's why I started researching it, is that a friend of mine went for a face lift, and the doc told her to take Arnica AFTER the surgery, but not before. He said that taking it before would be dangerous as it can cause you to bleed during the operation, but afterwards it will help stop bleeding and promote healing. Thats just how homeopathic stuff works.