VBAC

Big to you Glow.

I had an emerg CS after "failure to progess second stage" I got to 9.5cms.

I'm not much help to you as I have already decided to have another CS if/when I have another baby, but it will be an elective that time

I had an emergency C/s with my first baby and was offered an elective one with number2. I decided to for a VBAC as my surgery and recovery was horrible after c/s. I felt sliced from here to Africa (and I was literally) as well as my wound opened and took months to heal (scares me just to think about it). I went on to have 2 VBAC births. Just dogged a c/s with #3 thou, he turned his head and got stuck (didnt help the cord was around his head twice . Goodluck with what you decide Glow

Hi,
Years ago when i had my daughter Kelly (aka caitlynsmygirl) there were Ceasarean Support Groups in Auckland, Waikato, Wellington and I think Christchurch.
The Auckland one no longer exists but I dont know if the other ones do.
We used to have coffee mornings and had a library of books which is somewhere in the Auckland area, I am not exactly sure where.
May be there is a need for a group such as this to be set up.
Also Toni, I have got the Ceasarean Support Booklet that we used to have photocopied for you and will post it just havent gotten round to getting an envelope as yet.

It would just need capable people to set up a group in Auckland if it was needed and we had people in our group who had VBAC after ceasarean, I was one who had three ceasareans and we had two people in the group who actually had five ceasareans

Thanks for sharing & well wishes everyone

busymum how did you recovery after surgery? What did you prefer, c-sec or natural?

All but 1 mum in my antenatal (9) had c-sec

i just read that last sentence back.......i do actually mean that

i wis i had a reason for my c/s
i got to 10cm his head was there the midwife couls see it i pushed with everything i had times 3 had a vontruce times 2 nothing and had a c/s under genarl they knocked me out as i had had anuff i didnt even hear my sons frist cry lucky my mumwas there to hold him my midwife and student midwife stayed till i woke up and i will nevr get to have vbac its on my file must have a c/s with anyouther baby

Glow wrote: busymum how did you recovery after surgery? What did you prefer, c-sec or natural? All but 1 mum in my antenatal (9) had c-sec

Maybe we need some VB support groups

Glow I preferred the VB recovery all in all, the recovery is very different though. Going into a VBAC labour is very freaky because you have a fuller idea of all the "what ifs" and my word, I'd far prefer an elective c/s than emergency. I very nearly went for elective just so I'd know what would happen! I prefer the VB because I recovered so much quicker, could up and shower and all that stuff same day (by myself that is) and had a choice about how long I stayed at the hospital afterwards. Sex afterwards isn't so pleasant though, but that's probably only because I had stitches (x2 births). I was ready for it twice as fast after a c/s than episiotomy lol.

A big plus for VBACs is that the meds are always very cautious about inductions etc. Even when my waters started leaking for Krystiana, they still gave me a good 48 hours to go into labour where usually they would only allow 24. And it went fine, no probs, no infections (even though I had strep B).

It's a big decision! Go with your gut

I had a c-section after failure to progress and in some ways i'm a little disappointed but we did say our only rule was "healthy baby healthy mum - what ever it takes."

I know my GP/LMC wants me to have an elective next time though I do have reoccuring dreams of having a VBAC which do make think it would be good to go for one. I think in the end I'll discuss it with Monique and go with her suggestion. I was close to rupturing last time apparently and that worries me more than another c-section to be honest.

My CS story (very long (16 hours approx) cut short)

Got to 9.5cms at home, thought all was going well, got in birthing pool (had only gas to help pain) and then contractions all stopped after a couple of hours, then Caitlin got stressed and passed thick meconium, got back onto bed, had epi as needed to kick start the contractions (with syntonin?), I went through 3 bags of saline for energy (nada worked), then her BP and mine went all over the place, eventually the Obst came back and agreed with my MW that I needed help (bubs was stuck and posterior), Obs tried vontuese (sp?) twice which failed (obviously), then had CS. Declared failure to progress advanced 2nd stage.

My reason for wanting another CS is that I would not want to put another baby or myself through that again. I was lucky that I had a good recovery and lots of support.
I did go through a bad patch where I was questioning the MW & Obs decision to do the CS as I had done all of the hard bit (got to 9.5cm at home) so was blaming myself for not being able to go the last 0.5cm. I met again with my MW and also requested my labour notes as I needed to know what went wrong, what could I have done differently etc, was assured by MW that there was nothing anyone could have done to prevent the CS.

I'm a strong beliver in what is meant to be will be. This is totally MY personal view and has helped my deal with what happend, I know a lot of people will disagree but I feel that the labour and birth is the shortest part in the whole event of motherhood and the baby's life and I don't think it is that important how baby gets here as long as everybody is safe.

I think the CS support group is a good idea, but due to there being so many different reasons and view points on Elective CS Vs VBAC I don't think it would help me, I can only see it dragging up more bad feeling etc again.
But I hope it does go ahead as it would be a fantastic place to talk to other people that have been through the same. I would have definitely used the group though when I was going through my bad patch.

thanks for sharing Toni, and sounds like what you went through is similar to how I have been feeling, and why I want a vbac.