Vbac after emergency section

[mrs_b_x]

Hello!

I am due to give birth to my second baby in feb 2016 after having my first in feb 2014. I was induced after my hind waters broke Friday, followed by my normal waters early hours of Sunday. Induction started Sunday late morning and over the course of two days I had a stupid amount of the hormone drop and an epidural. I wax stuck in the bed due to monitoring and at 8am Monday they called time and I had an emergency section after getting to 9.5cm. He was 8lb15, I lost a lot of blood and due to him being so low down had a lot of bruising from them diggin him out! I had to have two blood transfusions and was weak etc and didn't get my catheter out til weds so didn't walk until then either.

My midwife us keen for me to try vbac because my pregnancy was fine and I did get to 9.5cm last time. I was initially keen on giving it a go, then changed my mind back to elective section and now I'm starting to think of trying a vbac again. I have a consultant app next week and vbac clinic 15th oct so hoping to get more info at both of those.

I wanted to hear from both vbacs and elective second sections after emergencies to hear about other peoples experiences. Things like recovery, healing, how the recovery pain of a vbac compared to section (I'm worried about having another section with a toddler and a baby... But will a vbac actually be easier in that sense?!)

Sorry for the long winded post, my confusion is probably coming across in my ramblings lol

Thank you

 

[first_time_mum]

I will be following this post as like yourself I got to 9cm with my little girl and then she got into an awkward position so had to have an emergency c-section, she too was 8lb 15. It's frustrating trying to figure out the right thing to do isn't it xx

 

[Nutsyputs]

http://www.pregnancyforum.co.uk/pregnancy-chat/476087-vbac-after-c-section.html
Check this thread out. There's been a few others too.

 

[mrs_b_x]

It definitely is!

Thanks for posting that link, some of those responses are really encouraging! X

 

[kanga86]

I had a emcs at 40+11 in July 2012 with my first baby. Got to 8cm before his heart rate dropped and stayed at 50bpm so was rushed off to get him out sharpish. In Sept 2014 last year I had a very successful vbac at 40+2. I did get a second degree tear and had a retained placenta but emotionally I recovered 1 million times better than my emcs. It was painful to sit and move about for a few weeks due to the stitches, but nothing like a section.

I would always chose vbac over an elective section and for me the emotional scars from it still remain. I needed to have my vbac and know that my body could give birth naturally and think it helped me to not get pnd this time around. xx

 

[Ella1979]

It's such a difficult decision. I was still trying to make my mind up VBAC vs elective section when I was told I had GD and polyhydramnios and that I'd need to be induced at 38 weeks or have a section. Given my bad experience of induction (they had to whip the pessary back out as my contractions were harming my baby), I went for the elective section (which ended up being done at 37 weeks). I seriously still don't know what I would have chosen if I hadn't developed the GD. I think I might have liked to have experienced a natural birth, but I don't particularly feel I've missed out.

My daughter was 21 months old when I had my second section. Ignoring my bp issues, I found the elective section a really positive experience. Pain-wise I only had paracetamol. I was able to mobilize quicker than after my emergency one. I won't lie, it was difficult getting in and out of bed and up and down the stairs at home, but otherwise it wasn't too bad. My OH had 3 weeks off, 2 weeks paternity, 1 week annual leave. By the time he went back I was ok dealing with both of them by myself. I suppose I was quite lucky that both times my scar healed really well without any problems. Emotionally an elective is very different to an emergency section. You know it's going to happen, you walk into the theatre, you can hold your baby straight after and you still feel way more in control than you do in the emergency situation. I'm still dealing with the emotions of my emergency section, but my elective one went a long way to helping me confront things. I definitely chose the right thing for me.

In the end, VBAC is the natural way of doing things so should be the better option. It is a really tough decision xx

 

[Pumpkin9]

I'm in the same boat wih trying to choose vbac vs elective. Even though I had a emergency c-section my experience was pretty positive. I don't feel any trauma from the experience and my recovery was quick and painless.

My main concern is still that I have a boisterous what will be two year old and ideally I think I'd like the chance of having a quicker recovery from a natural birth. The problem is there are just so many unknowns with a "normal birth" whereas with an elective you know what your dealing with. It's so confusing

 

[mrs_b_x]

I think that's what it is, my birth was bad, and I guess it couldn't have been further from what I expected. I think I had a lot of trauma after it, which I'd like to think I'm over, but sometimes if I think about it too much I'm not? but I healed well and if that's worst case and an elective will he familiar but not as bad then it pushes me towards that... But a quicker recovery and a more positive experience really appeals to me. I think I need to write lots of questions for the consultant!

 

[littlemonkey]

I had an elective with my second baby after an emergency with my first.

The elective is totally different from an emergency. I liked knowing for certain what would happen, and my recovery was a million times better and quicker than my emergency, even with a two year old to look after.

If you haven't already, ask to speak to the vbac midwife who should be able to go through your notes from last time and explain properly what happened and why. I found this a huge help in making my decision.

You don't have to make your mind up for certain until nearer your due date. I was given the option of booking my section for 42 weeks, letting me have the chance to go naturally before that, although I ended up booking it for 39 weeks in the end cos I was so huge I didn't want to go over. I also had the option of if I went into labour naturally I could either continue and try to have him naturally or just turn up at the hospital and say I want a csection.

Just be prepared for things not going to plan. I ended up having my baby at 38 weeks because of my blood pressure.

 

[littlemonkey]

Also I get what you mean about a second section bringing up things from the past. I was worried about how I would cope second time around because I was mentally, physically and emotionally a mess after my first section. But I found the whole experience quite healing and helped me make peace with what happened with my first baby.

 

[Goat]

I had an emcs with my first due to a period of reduced movement and her being in distress and very poorly so I didn't even go into labour. I experienced nothing of normal childbirth and that really stuck with me for ages. I'd get really sad reading other people's birth stories as I couldn't relate and felt as though I had missed out of a female rite of passage. I was so determined to have a vbac second time round I was almost obsessed with it.

Second time round came and I still was so desperate for a natural birth. Then I got to around 35 weeks and started panicking about movements and suddenly I no longer cared whether or not I had a natural birth so long as she was born healthy. It was as though something just suddenly clicked and the 'birth guilt' spell was broken. I then scheduled to have her delivered by c-section at 39 weeks but was born earlier as she was showing similar signs to my daughter but thankfully she was healthy. Since she was born 10 months ago I honestly haven't thought about the birth, I was expecting ia section and whilst I know I will probably never experience natural birth ever, I don't care at all as I have two healthy girls. So I cut myself a break!

As for recovery second time round, I personally found it much harder as I had a toddler to look after, the scar took a bit longer to heal, I was generally more tired etc. however after the first 4 weeks were over there was no difference between the first time I had a section to the second.xx

 

[Orion]

I had the least emergency, emegency c-section possible. It was all relaxed, there was nobody in distress, I just wasn't progressing fast enough after my waters broke naturally. I already had the epidural line in, so they just wheeled me in when everyone was ready.

However, although my scar healed quickly and without any trouble, the muscle pain from getting up out of a chair, or picking up baby, was something that I suffered through for weeks. Yes I managed on paracetamol, but I'm not sure how I would have managed alone with 2 kids in that state.

It was 3-4 weeks before I could cope without my OH, but i wasn't doing anythung too strenuous until after 6 weeks.

I think just like natural birth, it's easy to forget how tough it was. I think it's easy to forget how much you use your core muscles for simple everyday tasks like making a cuppa, or lying down, or putting your socks on!!

Of course it depends on the details of your labour and why you needed a c section, but I'd choose to try naturally if I could purely for the quicker recovery.

I know a neighbour gave birth naturally and was out walking baby in the pram 3 days later. It took me almost 3 weeks to get to the stage of going for a short slow walk.

 

[Pumpkin9]

I had the least emergency, emegency c-section possible. It was all relaxed, there was nobody in distress, I just wasn't progressing fast enough after my waters broke naturally. I already had the epidural line in, so they just wheeled me in when everyone was ready.

However, although my scar healed quickly and without any trouble, the muscle pain from getting up out of a chair, or picking up baby, was something that I suffered through for weeks. Yes I managed on paracetamol, but I'm not sure how I would have managed alone with 2 kids in that state.

It was 3-4 weeks before I could cope without my OH, but i wasn't doing anythung too strenuous until after 6 weeks.

I think just like natural birth, it's easy to forget how tough it was. I think it's easy to forget how much you use your core muscles for simple everyday tasks like making a cuppa, or lying down, or putting your socks on!!

Of course it depends on the details of your labour and why you needed a c section, but I'd choose to try naturally if I could purely for the quicker recovery.

I know a neighbour gave birth naturally and was out walking baby in the pram 3 days later. It took me almost 3 weeks to get to the stage of going for a short slow walk.

This is exactly it for me in my head. I know I recovered well from my section compared to some, however I on,y hand a newborn to care for and I can remember struggling to lift and move with him, to get up from sitting and I was shocked at how long it took me to walk any distance without feeling exhausted - for me this is best case scenario for a c-section as I was fairly active by 4/5 weeks. What if it takes longer 2nd time round!?!

I suppose worst case scenario I try for natural, it doesn't pan out and I get a section again!

 

[JJ Mum]

Ive had no natural births, but just wanted to say after 6 sections - remember each birth is different, so some of my sections have been really great recoverys and some awful. Two were emergencys but not desperately emerg ones !

I did end up in a right mess two days after birth this time from a paralysed intestine after it froze from being touched in theatre! And trapped wind/reffered shoulder pain is worse than the section tbh a couple of times.

I got over not having a natural birth after the 4 th baby but sometimes peoples commentsxare hard to take about being to posh to push etc!

Id love a natural, however hard myself, but appreciate it's a difficult decision.

 

[littlemonkey]

JJMum, I'm the same. Both mine were sections and my second was most definitely my last, so I've never known a natural birth, nor while I.

I hate people making out that csections are the easy option and all the bad press they get. If people only knew the half of it!!!

 

[mrs_b_x]

C sections are defo not the easy option.

I think for number two it seems easier because il know when it is for planning my boys child care etc, and it eliminates risk of getting to emergency c section but the recovery is really starting to out weigh that for me. I get that vaginal births aren't necessarily a walk in the park in terms of delivery or recovery but it's certainly seeming like the better option! Ultimately il do what's necessary for LO and me to be safe n healthy but I think I'm now thinking vbac.... You watch the consultant say no on weds now lol

 

[Orion]

Remember - the only plan that matters is to get baby out safely for you and them. If that means c section, so be it. But if I had a chance at a more natural delivery, I'd take it, purely for the potentially faster and less debilitating recovery.

 

[Orion]

I had the least emergency, emegency c-section possible. It was all relaxed, there was nobody in distress, I just wasn't progressing fast enough after my waters broke naturally. I already had the epidural line in, so they just wheeled me in when everyone was ready.

However, although my scar healed quickly and without any trouble, the muscle pain from getting up out of a chair, or picking up baby, was something that I suffered through for weeks. Yes I managed on paracetamol, but I'm not sure how I would have managed alone with 2 kids in that state.

It was 3-4 weeks before I could cope without my OH, but i wasn't doing anythung too strenuous until after 6 weeks.

I think just like natural birth, it's easy to forget how tough it was. I think it's easy to forget how much you use your core muscles for simple everyday tasks like making a cuppa, or lying down, or putting your socks on!!

Of course it depends on the details of your labour and why you needed a c section, but I'd choose to try naturally if I could purely for the quicker recovery.

I know a neighbour gave birth naturally and was out walking baby in the pram 3 days later. It took me almost 3 weeks to get to the stage of going for a short slow walk.

This is exactly it for me in my head. I know I recovered well from my section compared to some, however I on,y hand a newborn to care for and I can remember struggling to lift and move with him, to get up from sitting and I was shocked at how long it took me to walk any distance without feeling exhausted - for me this is best case scenario for a c-section as I was fairly active by 4/5 weeks. What if it takes longer 2nd time round!?!

I suppose worst case scenario I try for natural, it doesn't pan out and I get a section again!

I recovered well too. I was discharged from hospital after the first night because I was up eating, using the loo etc. I moved as much as I could at home to build up my muscles etc but without overdoing it. My scar closed within a few days. But even then, it knocks you in your butt for weeks and weeks.

I also had a lot of help to care for my baby which is an emotional hurdle - it's tough watching someone wash and dress your baby because you can't lean over them for that long. And that's coming from someone who had a positive experience despite it being a c section, and suffered no pnd.

I'm sure a natural birth comes with pain and healing for weeks, but as far as I can see, most mums can go back to their normal lives in less than a week.

 

[littlemonkey]

How far along are you? I really didn't have to make a final decision until about 32 weeks. And even then as I said before, I was given the choice of booking the elective for 42 weeks in case I went naturally.

I know what it's like to feel like it's hanging over you the entire pregnancy, but it really isn't a decision you have to rush into.

 

[mrs_b_x]

I'm only 18.5 weeks at the mo so plenty of time but like u say it's just dominating my thoughts at the moment! And it's all anyone asks as most people know I had a section. I'm hoping after seeing the consultant they will say a vbac is ok (midwife said there's a chance he may say no as he will have more info on why I 'failed to progress' (wonderful term) last time!) and then I think I will be happy with that and can stop obsessing