VBAC vs C Section

[purpleisa]

Hi

I think we may have been here before ... so apologies if I'm covering old ground here.

Anyway story is I'm off to a consultant appointment on Tuesday where I have to decide (assuming no health probs etc) whether I want to have an elective section or attempt VBAC. My choice. Great! Except I have no idea what I want.

The background is that DD was born after a couple of days in labour by Emergency Section due to failure to progress (never dilated past about 5cm) and back to back position.

So far my pro/con list looks a bit like like this...

For VBAC:-
Faster recovery
Sense of achievement (I felt a bit of a failure for having a section)

Against VBAC:-
It might go wrong again and I may have to have a section anyway
I'm scared I can't push hard enough (I'm sure everyone feels like that that!!)

For ELCS:-
I will know when the baby's coming - great for planning childcare for DD, (unless the baby makes it's own arrival early!!)
I've heard lots of positive stories about ELCS - very organised, calm etc etc
I know what to expect with a section so it's less scary.

Against ELCS:-
Can't drive for 6 weeks (this will make nursery run very difficult)
Can't lift anything heavier than the baby for 6 weeks

Would love to hear from anyone in the same boat and if i have missed anything important from my list!!

I have totally lost my ability to make any sort of decision due to pregnant brain and i wonder if there is really any point (i.e. knowing my luck baby will attempt to show up early before any planned section or any attempt at VBAC will end in section anyway!!)

Sorry for the length of post - look forward to hearing from you

Lx

 

[Emmamb]

Hi,I'm havin hopin for a vbac this time but the only reason I had a section last time was that baby was undetected breech,I've already had 2 natural births so in a bit of a different situation to u.

At the end of the day u have to go for what's best 4 u and what u feel happiest wiv...personally I'd want to try for a vbac 1st xx

 

[flexilexi394]

Hey, I don't have any experience with this personally, butthe way I look at it is if I were you, I'd go for a vbac because I'd want to try it! And the good thing with that, if it ends in a section at least you've tried it, and like you say, if you achieve it, you'll probably feel better, and it is a quicker recovery. At least you've tried. If you go into labour and it doesn't happen for you, then you'll just have a section like last time and you will know what to expect. Id go for the vbac option! X

 

[KatieB]

Hi I can completely understand where you are coming from. As soon as I found out I was pregnant I was asked to think about what I wanted. I see my consultant roughly every 2/3 weeks and was told I would need to have made my decision by 30weeks. One of the doctors that I saw wanted to book me in for section but I still was undecided. I didn't have my moment of clarity until about 3 weeks ago, I'd wake up one morning in one mind and wake up the next feeling the complete opposite. I suddenly decided one day that I wanted the excitement of my waters breaking, or timing contractions and didn't want that taken away from me by planning a section and knowing when she was going to be arriving. If I end up having an emergency section then at least I'll know what the experience of labour is like. That's no disrespect to anyone who chooses to have a section just I would personally like to give the vbac a go and what will be will be. Good luck with your decision xx

 

[JJ Mum]

I agree totally with Katie B - I would love the VBAC and choose it every time. I'm sure normal labour is awuful and scary as I have never experianced it, but having only had 3x elective sections, (no choice due to previous surgery), I would love the chance to have a vbac and just try it. I appreciate if you end with another section, you will be very tired etc compared with planned section, but worth a shot, you never know how good it might feel to achieve that delivery.

See what the consultants say, ask lots of questions and try to take hubby with you to help decide - Good luck with making your descision

 

[xxClaire_24xx]

I think that its totally upto you and what would be best for the family.

i had a planned section this time and I hated it it all went wrong so next time I would fight for a VBAC, although I did recover really quick from the section, I had the section hte Sat at 12,30pm and was in high dependancy til midnight then the follwoing morning around 9am I walked to the neonatal unti, 10 min walk, to see Ellie, I was home day 4, done the school run walking day 5 and went home and done the hoovering before getting the bus to the hospital, OH had to work that day, and 5 weeks on I am back at the gym xx

 

[lealea85]

What's a VBAC?? Sounds painful

 

[JJ Mum]

What's a VBAC?? Sounds painful

Lea Lea you made me chuckle then!

VBAC = Vaginal Birth after Ceasarian!

Claire I went back to ice hockey after 3 weeks too, all fine , but couldn't get up from the ice when knocked over, as my leg muscles had forgotten what to do! ha Think a good turning point for me after a section is 2 weeks

 

[xxClaire_24xx]

yeah JJ mum I feel great health wise after the section, considering it went horrendously wrong (sorry I keep going on about it but it still haunts me lol) xx

 

[evie_smith]

I've had one section got to 3cm wouldn't go Thurther and two vbacs wouldn't choose a section ever! Lol but that's just me labour isn't that bad really it's so elating


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[lealea85]

Looooool oh shame......I feel so stupid now lol

 

[xxClaire_24xx]

yeah Evie my 1st daughter was born after and hour 18mins no pain relief and this time Ellie was born by planned section, NEVER again worst experiance ever xx

 

[purpleisa]

Thanks for the support everyone! I will let you know what I decide (if I ever decide!)!!

Clare - I take it this was at Xhouse - please don't tell me what went wrong (at least not until after my baby is out!!) Lol. Glad to hear you made a good recovery even though it was a bad experience.

Lx

 

[flexilexi394]

Lol lea lea I guess you could argue that it is painful - as it's normal labour x

 

[xxClaire_24xx]

yeah it was at crosshouse but honestly it was nothing to do with the care I got its just the spinal block never took to me and I started feeling it all half way through and had to be put to sleep, so was just one of those things lost near 4 pints of blood and woke up in high dependancy but the care I got was 1st class and the care that Ellie got there was golden!!!

are you getting section at crosshouse then, try for Dr Gibson he is the only one that gives staples and a drain there but the scar I have is tootsie and not swollen at all xx

 

[purpleisa]

OK - had the apointment today and I have booked a date for C-section but it is not until a week after my due date so I'm giving myself a reasonable chance at VBAC. I also read that failure to progress is more likely to happen after 41 weeks (and if baby is not out by then I'm happy to have my planned section because they won't induce me anyway). Lets just hope baby puts in a timely appearance before that anyway!

Thanks everyone!!!