Due Date Is 4/24. Planned VBAC May Become Planned C-section

The goal here is to have as healthy a child as possible.
And I don't care how it's done, there is no 'missing out' as long as that goal is achieved.
My son was 9 lbs 1/2 oz. Born vaginally after 36 hrs of labor.

Many different routes can lead to the same destination.

As for the "birth experience"...I have O. child and I pushed AND puked my way through about 2 hours. Not exactly rainbows and daffodils. But that's what it was and all that matters is a healthy baby.

Since you have an issue that's given you a 30-40% chance of delivering vaginally, I'm a little shocked that another person would advise you to try a natural birth. That's how babies (and mothers) die. Thank God for medical knowledge.

ETA: This is obviously not a case of a woman who "prefers a C-section" or a hospital "trying to raise revenue"! This particular woman has physical issues preventing a vaginal birth success...people, THIS is WHO C-sections are for! Geez.

Carrie B: Is this your same midlife who was late for/no show for your first two appointments?

I really hate it when people bad mouth a doctor because they recommend a c-section. Acting as though every time a pregnant women walks into their office all they see are dollar signs.

If you trust your doctor, go with her opinion. Woman 'are made to have babies' but women in the past also DIED trying to do what 'they are made for' because we didn't have medical capabilities like we do today.

End result healthy baby and healthy mom is what you are aiming for. A planned c-section will allow a safe and controlled birth rather than going for a VBAC and ending up with an emergency c-section and a stressed baby.

Good luck!

Updated

I really hate it when people bad mouth a doctor because they recommend a c-section. Acting as though every time a pregnant women walks into their office all they see are dollar signs.

If you trust your doctor, go with her opinion. Woman 'are made to have babies' but women in the past also DIED trying to do what 'they are made for' because we didn't have medical capabilities like we do today.

End result healthy baby and healthy mom is what you are aiming for. A planned c-section will allow a safe and controlled birth rather than going for a VBAC and ending up with an emergency c-section and a stressed baby.

Good luck!

Women's bodies may be made for childbirth, but if we let nature take it's course, a lot of mothers and babies would die in childbirth. The odds seem to be against it being a safe option for you and baby.

Hi! I just wanted you to know that I was in a very similar position to you. My first baby was a c-section after 72 hours of induction and labor. My doctor told me that I had a very narrow pelvis and a large baby, so that I likely could not deliver vaginally. I never dialated past 4cm with my first, in spite of 16 hours of pitocin. When I became pregnant with my second, I had the same doctor at first. She said that she would not recommend even trying a VBAC given my history, and tried very hard at two different appointments to convince me to schedule a c-section.
My first c-section went fine, and my recovery was not bad at all. But I know EXACTLY how you feel about "missing out." I felt like nature had selected me not to have children, since I couldn't deliver without surgery. So I chose to do everything in my power to give myself a vaginal birth. That way, I would know that if I had a c-section it was because that was the only option, not because I had "screwed up." I changed doctors to one who was very pro-VBAC. I hired a doula who believed that I could deliver a baby. I consulted with a midwife for a second opinion, went to a chiropractor, took Bradley classes, and went to ICAN meetings. I was focused on my goal and would not be talked out of trying. I opted not to have any pain meds, not out of some sense of moral high ground, but again because I wanted to do EVERYTHING I could to have that birth.
IT WORKED!! On September 28th at 11:58am, I delivered my 9lb 1oz baby boy, vaginally and drug free. I cannot put into words what that felt like. Forget the pain...delivering a baby hurts, no matter how you do it. It was amazing. The feeling of my baby being placed on my stomach, still wet from being born, is something I will hold in my heart forever.
If you have to have a c-section, you will still have a wonderful new life. But do not let anyone discount the feelings you have about your first section, or the joy and healing that a VBAC can give you.
Statistics are so unreliable. Overall, VBAC's are 70% successful, while first time moms are at as low as a 56% vaginal birth rate nation-wide. I had a perinatologist tell me that I had a 70-75% chance of success and an OB who told me 20%. Take the time to educate yourself, talk to another doctor. Talk to a midwife and ask them to recommend a doctor who is truly pro-VBAC. If all your professionals come back and say that you should stick with the section, then you can feel confident in that choice.
Very best of luck to you!!!!!!!

I think that your doctor has changed her mind about doing a VBAC for safety reasons, and not for the reasons Carrie B. hinted towards.

I know that it's upsetting to think that you're missing out on something, but the safety of you and your child are much more important than the experience of pushing the baby out.

You should trust your doctor's opinion, and plan a c-section.

I was in your shoes 9 months ago. Planned vbac but my baby was estimated at 9 lb and I was only 2 cm dilated and he could not feel the babies head at all. We ended up with a planned csect because my dr felt sure I would have a long labor and still end up with a csect. The planned csect was a Piece of cake compared to the emergency one I had 4 yrs prior.

As an ALACE trained birth assistant, I have to agree with Carrie B. here. I strongly recommend that you contact your local International Cesarean Awareness Network (ICAN) http://ican-online.org/chapter/search and inquire about tilted pelvis. Sounds as if your OB is securing her financial future by making you believe you're not a candidate for a successful VBAC. She can make predictions but it doesn't necessarily mean they will occur.

The feelings you're having are not silly. They need to be validated and what ever route you choose at least you know you were in control of those decisions.

I would suggest seeing a chiropractor that has experience with pregnant women. Chiropractic adjustments are beneficial for pregnant women as they help to align the pelvis and get baby in the optimal position for birth.

Best of luck to you TMomma.
Peace & Light,
J.

I am for natural birth.

I have a midwife, Lennon Clark, who writes about VBAC's after a c-section. I wish I could relay what she's said.

please, do more research about birthing your baby. Woman are created to be able to do this.

There are COUNTLESS articles about hospitals revenue being directly related to c-sections... the rate declines, so do their profits.

The goal here is to deliver a healthy baby SAFELY, not to appease your sense of loss because you had a c-section. Trust me, I've had two c-sections, and I can totally empathize with your feeling of loss over having never given birth vaginally, but I have two very happy very healthy little girls, so in the end, where is the loss?

Do what is BEST for you and your children- listen to the doctor, have another c-section.

Good luck and congratulations on your baby!

If you trust your doctor's advice then a planned c-section is probably going to be better than struggling through labor to end up with another emergency C-section. I am very much for natural birth but as others have mentioned some vaginal births can be traumatic as well. The key here is how much do you trust your OB's advice ? There are many trustworthy OB's that practice evidence based medicine and others that put their own fear of liability and their own stubborness over the health of mother and baby. If you feel comfortable with this doctor, and feel she does not have an excessively high C-section rate (unless she specializes in high-risk obstretics) I think most moms who have had both types of C-sections would say planned is way easier.

TMOMMA,
How you deliver does not determine what kind of Mom you are/will be . You seriously aren't missing out on a thing, (other than some serious PAIN, LOL) by delivering by C-section , (I can say that comfortably, I 've done it both ways). You're ultimate goal is to have a healthy baby and take care of yourself ! I had 2 vaginally and the 3rd was Breech , so Csection it was, even if he was 4 weeks over due. Handling the other 2 after I went home home wasn't so bad, but, if you can get even some help, take advantage of it ,for your own sake. Try not to do too much , too fast and you'll all be better off ! Best of Luck to you and yours, C. S.

Yes, women are 'made' to produce children... BUT some women have more issues than others. My SIL has an enlongated/tilted pelvis. She was in labor for over 48 hours, when the baby started to have issues so they did an emergency c-section. It turned out that her baby was 10 lbs, 9 oz. After that is when they found out about her pelvic issues. As it turns out, if she had pressed on with trying to deliver vaginally, it would have killed her baby, and possibly herself. She had another baby, sceduled c-section with no issues.

My own DD was 9lbs 12oz. I delivered her vaginally. Her clavacle was broken during delivery because her shoulder got hung up on my hip. I had a severe postpartum hemmorhage, and lost over 1/2 my blood volume. I was having other issues as well, so while I got to 'experience' childbirth, I missed out on the immediate bonding afterward because I was too weak to hold her. I was in the delivery room for 3 days, because they couldn't get me stable enought to move into a recovery room. Even after being moved to recovery, I was in for another 2 days before I could be discharged.

Childbearing can be dangerous, even if that is what we are 'made' for.

In your situation, I would go the safer route. So many people are so worried about making everything 'natural' that they don't prioritize the safety of the child... You are going to love this baby no matter how it comes out, so why take any chances?

If the doctor is recommending a c-sec, I think you should go with the c-section. Why take the risk?

My first was born vaginally, and the 3 that followed were all c-sections. What you feel like you're missing out on, IMO, really isn't worth all you'd be going through, especially since you're pretty likely to wind up having a c-section anyway.

On the bright side, you'll know what day the baby will be born, and so will whoever you plan to have care for your 1st child. You won't already be exhausted from 20 hours of labor- having a newborn is exhausting enough ;) Yes, the recovery is a little longer, but my recovery from my 1st child's delivery was no picnic either. I had a LOT of swelling, and stitches from a 3rd degree tear. Not fun :( At least when you have a c-sec, you're not sitting on your stitches- lol

Congratulations!!! :)

I had a vbac planned which turned into a c-section. I was nervous only because my first had been a terrible experience and recovery, and now I had an older one to take care of afterwards. However, my belief is to get the baby out in any way that will secure the health of both baby and mother. I don't feel, in any way, that I missed some experience, or that I failed in childbirth just because I had to have a six-inch incision rather than a "natural" birth. I know some moms are very concerned with the method of delivery, but in my opinion, the health of the baby who has his/her entire life ahead of them is way more important than the mom's emotional needs for a certain way of delivery.
I don't know if these moms still feel like they missed out on something a few years after the birth of their child, but now that the delivery is over a year back, I don't really care how they came into this world. The fact is that they are both healthy, happy kids, and that's what I care about most! Congratulations to you on your new baby!

In your shoes, I would probably get a second opinion from a doctor who has more experience with successful VBACs. And I would be asking questions about why this doctor wants to schedule a c-section instead of waiting.

At the very least, I would wait to go into labor on my own and see how things looked then instead of scheduling ahead of time.

I planed a vbac with my second. But decided to keep a scheduled C on the calendar and left it to providence that if I went into labor before the secluded c I would try VBAC. It ended up a scheduled C and I could not be happier. Baby had a double nucal cord and Dr. said I would have never delivered naturally. It would have been another emergency C. Recovering from the scheduled C compared to the emergency C ( 24 hours of labor and two hours pushing) was the difference between running a mile and running a marathon. I was pleasantly surprised with my painless and easy recovery. I'm very happy the way things worked out for me.

I think you should get your records and x-rays, CT scans or whatever they have for you and take that to a free standing Birthing Center where they employ CNMs - Certified Nursing MIdwives - which are also Nurse Practitioners.

Get a second opinion RIGHT AWAY from someone not in the medical model of pregnancy and child birth care. The medical model has routinely put Mothers and babies at higher risks due to their slice happy and greedy tendencies. Never forget an OB is a SPECIALIZED SURGEON, not someone trained in the course of normal child birth.

No, not all OBs are like this and yes, some fight to preserve a Mother's right to less intervention and surgery - but they are the minority. I don't know your OB, but I can tell you were hoping to at least have a trial of labor. Looks like with your current OB - you will not get that, nor will she allow free movement, squatting and other absolute things you need to have gravity and your body work together to get that baby out.

I am having a VBAC in July at my HOME with a Midwife ASSISTING. My first was a traumatic birth at the best OB hospital in my county. As a Nurse I went back and read my file - they are lucky the statute of limitations ran out or else I would have sued for creating the situation in which a cesarean became necessary where it was not when I first got there. Also - Check out the movie Business of Being Born - with Rikki Lake.

If the doctor was open to a VBAC with you in the first place, even with your issues, then they probably aren't the type to "push" for a c-section for no reason. I'd trust your doc.

I was in a similar situation with a planned VBAC. But, I always knew if the babe was a week late, we'd be going in for a planned c-section. I ended up with the planned c-section when I was one week late. Emergency c-sections are more traumatic on your body, making it more difficult to recover.

Good luck!

The decision is yours and your doctors. In VA, husbands don't have a say, but after 26 hours of labor you feel like you missed out on something? You are a stronger woman then me!

Every 'MOM' type in nature sometimes needs a hand in delivery. I had both of my deliveries as regular deliveries. The first one was much more harsh then the second, even with an epidural, which fell out!, at one point I begged for a c-section! Just get him out!!

The point of being a mom is to make a choice that is right for your baby and not focus on what experience is being skipped. Even if you plan a c-section, you can request that you be allowed to experience some of the labor.

Good luck.
M.