Fear of c/s

The time period (18 months between births) is more for VBAC. They want your uterus in tip top shape, and to further reduce the chance of uterine rupture. If you are going from CS to CS it matters a little less.

Spinals are awesome!

I think I'm swaying more towards a VBAC at the moment, but have my elective C/S date booked in for between 38 and 39 weeks so it's very uncertain now

shadowfeet, what is your reasoning for swaying towards a vbac?
After my dreadful labour first time around it is almost a no-brainer for me to have an elective, even though I am terrified.
I don't really know much about it, does the likelyhood of a difficult labour increase with previous bad experiences?

I had a spinal with my elective c/s, they put it slightly higher in your back and I believe it's also a stronger dose as it's really intended for your bottom half to be totally dead and you not feel anything, not like with an epidural where they normally like you to have some sensation and a milder dose so they can let it wear off for the pushing stage. I had an epidural for my VBAC which didn't work properly, but the spinal I had for my c/s there was no issues with.

If you are swaying towards a VBAC then you might like to know that at any point during your labour you can ask to go to theatre if you are not happy with how things are going. I found knowing that really really helped with my VBAC as I knew that it wasn't choose a VBAC and that's it you would be forced to do it. Short of the baby crowning you can change your mind at any time and ask for c/s. I had also decided I wouldn't be induced and would only go for a VBAC if I went into labour naturally.

Peytons mum, it really depends on the circumstances of what happened first time around, but often problems that arise in one pregnancy/labour don't happen in another.
Women that have laboured and had emergency c/s normally have more success with a VBAC than women like me who had an elective first, this is because your body has laboured once before even if it didn't finish it and second or subsequent labours normally go much faster/easier than first labours. It's hard though cos until you are in labour you don't know what sort of labour you are going to have.
With my first my waters broke at 35 weeks, I went into false labour and my baby was breach, he continued to monkey about and I spent 3 weeks in hospital being monitored (increase risk of infection due to ruptured waters, and danger of cord prolapse cos of constant false labour could become real labour drama) until he was delivered by c/s at 38 weeks. Second baby was head down from 28 weeks, engaged at 32 weeks and I went into labour naturally 4 days overdue and my waters didn't break until the mw broke them, so totally different to first time.

The elective dates then because of other complications so am happy with having an end date anyway. 39 weeks is the optimal cut-off time for diabetics, and baby is looking really big already.

I think I'm just really anxious about an epidural. Most of the anxiety from last time is from the induction but really the epidural.

Seeing my midwife for the first time in 6 weeks tomorrow so have a big list of questions, and birth plan stuff to discuss.

You dont get an epi with an elective - they give you a spinal block which is miiiiiiles better!

MW has said we can try for stretch and sweeps from 37 weeks if I want a VBAC when that time rolls around. Also, they can now take hospital beds into the neonatal ward rooms so if DS does end up there I could see him get settled in at least if I had a c/s.

Emmi_ It's not 6 weeks between check-ups, just had to see a specialist last week and one next week too so trying to schedule MW appts that don't clash seems to be difficult

Id heard that ingesting sperm is more effective than having it on the cervix... no idea if thats an old wives tale tho!

Yeahhh... I'd say that was a cheeky comment by a male IMHO haha!! I was having a laugh about that with my midwife and she said it's definitely not the best way to go! I was desperate to try anything to get #2 out but there are boundaries right girls?!!