childbirth options....

[mammamia]

Good thread ladies. Also had emergency c/s with no.1 and am currently mostly trying not to think at all about which option I'm going to go for - in an ideal world - with no.2, due in November

I kind of feel some sort of vague moral obligation to at least give vbac a try, but like others mention have the fear that I will end up with c/s anyway, having put myself (and everyone else) through potentially long & tiring labour and then still have the c/s recovery.

Elective is sounding attractive as a controlled and hopefully more straightforward experience this time, aswell as providing luxury of being able to 'plan' care for no.1 whilst no.2 is making their entrance. But also have 'guilt' that this is maybe a bit if a selfish option....with the added bonus of potentially longer recovery.

Kind of hoping bubba 2 decides for us & decision taken out of my hands.

Anyway, raising my head marginally more out of the sand to think about the options, but still a scary prospect either way!

[chantelle]

i've found this all interesting, being pregnant with number 2 and torn between pushing for elective c-section or giving another shot at vaginal birth after a traumatic first time that could not have been any less "natural." i later needed surgery to fix the damage and for other various reasons a c-section might be my best bet this time around.

i just wanted to point out one thing though - if vbac has only a 70% success rate, keep in mind that is just about the success rate for any birth. c-sections still make up 25% of UK births, the vast majority of them emergency.

[cff9]

that's a good point Chantelle. I guess when Grotty said that I attached to the fact that I was 3-in-10 times likely to get another c-section which seems high. I'm sure I knew those stats the first time round, but not having any experience then, and with a huge amount of optimism that it would all go swimmingly, (I even remember saying at one point that the women in my family have been having loads of babies no problem for centuries, so what could go wrong for me!) it felt like there was a good likelihood that I'd have a straightforward natural birth.

Amazing how one's experience can skew how one feels about it all so massively.

[mrs f]

Cff9, another thought, if it's possible is to get a community midwife, that way you will not be left whilst you are in established labour, you will receive constant care from the beginning of your pregnancy & will go into labour with someone who you know & hopefully trust, who knows you & your fears etc... & will not walk off to help someone else in the hospital

Depends on you gp I believe???

[CMF2009]

I really personally believe (and know from friends experiences) that you can have a wonderful vaginal birth despite having had a c/section with no:1. If it is your personal anxieties getting in the way ONLY, I would highly recommend visiting www.natalhypnotherapy.co.uk and maybe look into purchasing the CD's and consider hypnotherapy. A friend had the most horrific experience with baby no:1 which lead to c/section and very long recovery. She really wanted her second to be a better experience and to give birth naturally (she's a bit of a hippy too :-)) but had tremendous anxiety and flash backs and had (want seems to me) the same concerns that you have. She did hypnotherapy and had no: 2 with no complications in hospital with not even gas and air. She said the whole experience was truely amazing and very calm. I am due in 3 weeks and purchased the CD's myself and feel much more empowered and ready for baby no:2 which I am intending to have at home which unfortunately couldn't happen first time round due to length of labour and waters having been broken for long period of time.

Good luck and do what 'you' feel best for 'you' and 'baby' :-)

[Ruth_Baldock]

Susy, I called up Kings PALS and asked for the appropriate form to get my notes, which was emailed to me. I printd it out and walked up there with a cheque to cover the costs on the same day I was emailed the form and collected my notes a few days later. It was most enlightening! DYING to see them this time round, I kept trying to look over the Drs shoulder when they were writing in them...

[Otta]

My wife was induced at 42 weeks with our first child, and it all git rather drawn out, and ended up in theatre.

Our second was born recently by planned c section, as a result if a late diagnosis of diabetes. Although a bit scary, everything was very calm and smooth, and my wife said she'd take that option straight away if she had another one.

Also, as well as getting your notes, after our first, my wife had an appointment with a consultant obstetrition (this was at Tommys), to discuss exactly what had gone on. She found this very helpful in getting her head around what had happened to her.

[MrsC]

Hi Ladies,

I'm due with our second in April after an Emergency CS first time round due to Fetal distress and trying to make a final decision on what route I'm going to take this time round.

Midwives (Oakwood - had them last time and thought they were great) are very positive that I can achieve a VBAC but cant help having niggling doubts that I should put some more thought into having a CS as if I'm honest my main drivers for wanting a VBAC are based more around me than the baby (although I am also fully aware of the benefits to baby of a vaginal birth), i.e wanting to avoid surgery again and being able to experience a 'natural' birth.

Would be really interested to hear what decisions all the ladies in the original thread made about their births (although appreciate this is a very personal choice and may not want to do so) and also any other advice from those who have experienced the same dilema.

Many thanks

[MrsLL2b]

Hi all,

Sorry to resurrect this thread again after months and months. You're probably all sick of discussing your birth stories.

I am in the same position, basically identical first birth to cff9 and the same mixed feelings about whether to have a VBAC or c-section. I only know one friend who this happened to, she did manage a VBAC but ended up with a horrible forceps experience and very bad tearing. So that hasn't really given me confidence, as she really regrets not having an ELCS. However logically I know that could happen in any labour (it isn't VBAC specific) and I suppose I have no valid medical reason for choosing an ELCS other than the control factors others have mentioned.

I have the added bonus of being due 20th Dec so am ELCS means I could choose to avoid Christmas day in theory!

I'd be really interested to hear how those who had a CS, either elective or emergency, found their recovery having a toddler around.

I have received a copy of my notes but as far as I can see there is no detail about why I ended up with a EMCS last time apart from feral distress. Ie no details on the baby's positioning etc.

I have also now moved out of London so haven't got the option of registering with any of the great midwife groups down there.

I was booked for a home birth and had got quite into the Hypnobirthing etc last time so in a way feel I'm 'owed' a good birth but I think if I attempted VBAC and it ended in EMCS or a really bad birth I'd be really disappointed.

Aaaagh decisions decisions! Met the consultant yesterday but he just said to keep an open mind til I'm about 34 weeks

and then we can decide. So no pressure either way yet, although I did notice afterwards he circled VBAC in my notes!

Any advice or just stories on how you came to your decisions would be gratefully received.

[Etoile]

Hi there

I know it's a hard thing to think about and tough having to make that big decision.

I had an ELCS first time as I was in hospital with pre eclampsia and she was breech to boot so that was that. Second time around though I managed to have a VBAC and to have it at home, which I know is not everyone's thing but it was great. Needless to say I had to do a lot of standing firm on my belief to take this route and I had a great group of midwives (Brierley). I'm sorry that you haven't found any where you have moved to. Where abouts are you?

Also really sorry you have moved away as I now run a VBAC Support Group through the NCT, 4 times a year, in my home in Sydenham. Then next one is on Tuesday 11 September, 8-10pm so if by any chance you are in London that eve, you would be very welcome! The group is there to explore the whole topic and to learn from each others experiences, so in addition to pregnant ladies and those doing research before having another one, we also have ladies who have had one or more VBACs there to share their experiences. If anyone is interested, please message to get my address etc.

What I also found of HUGE help was the VBAC support group on Yahoo. Can't seem to paste link here but it's yahoo health groups slash ukvbachbac

It amazed me the amount of personal support I got from others, even having phone chats with other ladies who had been in my situation, whom I had never met!

Anyway, I hope this is of some help and good luck with it all. Do message me if I can be of anymore help.

Best wishes

V

[MrsLL2b]

Hi V,

Thanks for that. I hadn't thought of groups where I might be able to discuss it with others in the same boat. I might see if the local NCT do one here. I'm in Cheshire now, halfway between Manchester and Liverpool.

I'm impressed you managed a home birth after a previous section, well done!

Thanks again Louise