VBAC

Thinking of second baby although not TTC yet. 

My daughter was born by CS after she started showing signs of distress.  I got to about 6cm after approx 6 hrs of labour and I already had an epidural in place.

My question is.... what sort of restrictions do they place on women during VBAC?  Like can you go in the pool, move around, have all the pain relief options etc - or do they strap you to all the monitors?  How can they tell if you are going to tear across the CS scar?  (another worry)

I'm thinking for my second birth I would consider elective CS.  Having already had a CS, I know what's involved and am comfortable with the process.  Another reason is that recently I found out that I got a brain injury from my own botched birth. 

Would the hospital let me do this or force me to undergo a 'trial of labour'?  I won't be devasted if I can't get a CS, but at the moment it stands as my preference.

The hospitals are normally quite strict with their VBAC protocol...

For example at North Shore Hospital they will push you to have a VBAC (if medically possible) but will put a time restriction on you ie once you arrive at the hospital in labour you have 12 hours to deliver and if you havnt they will call a section.

They will want to put a lure in as soon as you arrive and will want constant monitoring.

They wont let you in a pool but you can go in the shower and you can move around (as long as you can get thde portable one ...).

That said, if you have good mw who is well respected by the hospital team they can usually push the boundaries. Ie my mw has already told me unless medically needed I DO NOT have to be on the monitor all the time and I can spend the whole time in the shower, she will make a call at the time as to whether I can use the pool and if I want it and she is ok she will demand it.

She WILL NOT let them take me for another section based on time.

So if you want a VBAC it might pay to start asking around now (I rang some CBE's and Birthcare) for mw with good reputation with colleagues and versed in VBAC.

I understand the elective thing, I think to myself geez... at least I know the recovery and what I am in for with that but.. I really want to at least give my body the chance to do what it was designed for... And you can call a section at anytime... 8cm dilated and dont want to do it anymore... tell your mw and off to theatre you go.

The chances of uterine rupture only a couple of percent more with VBAC than a natural birth.. I will dig out the link after dinner....

I was told I would be allowed in the pool and the OB would just have to deal with it. (my mw was pretty straight to the point) she just said I would need to keep getting out to be monitored. As it turned out the last thing I wanted to do was go in the pool. I did use the shower though and until the epi was put in I wasn't monitored constantly. I was monitored when I first arrived at the hospital and then I was free to walk around, go in the shower etc. I was also encouraged to stay home as long as poss so laboured for 5 hours at home before I felt I needed to be at the hospital. I had an epi after 9 hours of labour cos I was totally over it then. I also tried gas, I was never told I couldn't have pethidine so that should be an option as well if you wanted it.



All up my labour was 14 hours and they let me push for just over 2 before helping him out with the vontouse, mw said given another hour I could have pushed him out myself but we were running the risk of him going into distress, plus I was pretty keen for them to get him out by any means necessary at that point.

If it ruptured then you would know and if you have an epi on board then the baby is being monitored and they would know cos the baby would go into distress.

I had pain whilst pushing and even though my mw didn't think it was scar related she still got someone in to check it asap, they won't mess about or put you at risk, although the risk is miniscule anyway.

As for choosing a c/s, once you have had a c/s you have the right to choose another because there are risks to a VBAC so they can't force you to try (although they may strongly encourage that you do), my mw said to me as well that at pretty much any point during the labour I could call it quits and ask for a c/s (well within reason, cos obviously if you are pushing I don't think they would let you unless it was medically needed).

A friend recently went into labour (four_eyes from on here) 3 days before her elective was booked and she ended up labouring 5 hours before getting her c/s cos of what else was happening at the hospital at the time. So that might be something to bear in mind as well.

Have fun TTC

Waves to Sarah. We miss you.

No advice to offer but good luck with ttc. Have fun

I would imagine (and its only my thoughts) that if the labour was otherwise normal that you should be able to have a VBAC and labour in the pool etc but get out for monitoring. I think the risk of a scar rupturing is very very very low so I wouldnt be concerned about that. I guess it depends on who you have looking after you.

My OB mentioned to me at my 6 week check that she could see no reason why I wouldnt birth naturally next time (should there be a next) although we dont know why James got stuck and its possible another big baby would do the same but I got the impression it would be business as usual unless something indicated we needed a c-section.

I am happy for monitoring during labour.....although not continuous unless absolutely necessary. With James I was in the pool for 4 hours and my MW listed to him whilst I was in the pool. I got out for internals and then hopped back in ( I timed it with needing to go to the loo).

If you are at the hospital I cant see the difference between being in the pool or the shower...but like I said, thats just the way I see it.

Thanks everyone for your replies.   Hi Jan 09 Mums!

One of my main worries too is pain relief.  I would find the whole thing traumatic if things got out of control.  And in hospitals sometimes it can take the epi man a while to turn up!  At least with a CS there are very few variables. 

However I don't want to just discount the natural method of giving birth, afterall that's what millions of women have done for millenia. 

So still I have a foot on either side of the fence!