r/vbac

Are they any facts or information that made you feel better?

I had a C-section June 2024 due to breech, I never went into labour on my own. I am due my next baby November 2026. So it was a 21 month gap from pregnancy to pregnancy and it’ll be a 29 month gap from birth to birth

I really want to try for a VBAC this time round but the fear of death has me reconsidering and I’m really disappointed with this feeling.

Part of it stems from me being scared to death of leaving my son and husband behind.

I know the risk is 1% but I read a post on here where a doctor said to a patient the risk was actually 3-4%

Any advice if you felt this way? Any fact sheets or information that calmed your nerves?

My hospital said they do continuous monitoring patients attempting a TOLAC and I was wondering what other people's experiences have been!

When I asked my midwife about it at my last appointment she said if things are going well they would potentially take it off for 15 min so I could use the shower etc. I think they have wireless but not waterproof. I'm going to get more clarity at my next appointment, but it sounds like it would make laboring really difficult. ( For reference I had a scheduled C-section because my first was breech so I never labored).

I also have placenta previa this time so if that doesn't resolve I'll need a repeat C-section but I'm trying to see if I should switch hospitals to somewhere more VBAC friendly if I'm able to have a TOLAC.

Needing some encouragement pls vba2c

First birth 2019 failed induction turned emergency c section after 36hrs

Second birth 2020 attempted vbac induction with Foley balloon and low dose pitocin - csection called after slipping on my waters and them worried my scar had ruptured due to hip pain (severe spd/pgp)

3rd baby currently 40+2 have been getting push back every step of the way from hospital now they're saying they refuse to induce at all the only option is scheduling a csection (declined) or travelling to a bigger hospital 4hours away that have also said they may not allow induction.

Constantly being told of risks and mentions of still birth and baby death every appointment.

Previously they had mentioned possibility of induction if labour doesn't begin naturally.

I'm honestly lost after today's appointment I don't know what to do at all - baby has to come eventually right? I've been crazy emotional and having Braxton hicks but no actual regular contractions - i have been trying everything to get it started but nothing seems to be helping- only 1cm and baby is sitting high - I'm honestly feeling like my chances of a successful vba2c are disappearing by the second

Please any encouragement would be helpful

Hii I am currently 29 weeks pregnant and today in my scan my baby was measuring 31 weeks 1 day.

Is this normal??? I mean in my previous ultrasounds I was lagging for 7-8 days and now I am 2 weeks ahead.

Even my EDD changed.

Hii I am currently 29 weeks pregnant and LSCS thickness IS 2.9mm.

Is it possible that I can opt for VBAC. Please I need advice. I know this thing should be discussed with my doctor but I just want to get the opinion.

I am 1 week out from a VBA2C. Was so ecstatic to try for a vaginal birth this time. Of course all precautions were taken - I was delivering in a great hospital with all the interventions and specialists needed should a complication arise. Of course with any VBAC one risk is uterine rupture. So my mind was focused on that and didn’t even think about postpartum hemorrhage from other causes. The delivery itself went well albeit very quickly (water broke, had labored naturally but wasn’t having cervical change for 12 hours so started the tiniest dose of pitocin which took me from 3 cm to complete in 1.5 hours). I had gotten an epidural about 30 minutes before it was time to push. My son came out with his hand up by his face (compound presentation), which they are assuming is what caused the issues. They said they saw a lot of bright red blood right before I pushed him out, and after the placenta was out and they confirmed my uterus was clamping down normal , they went to look at my tears. I had a 2nd degree perineal tear, some superficial labial lacerations and when they were trying to stitch the 2nd degree tear, they kept seeing more and more blood coming from the vagina. Due to being unable to see well, they rolled me to the OR and eventually found 2 long sulcal tears (deep tears along the sides and top corners of the vaginal wall). These are apparently very difficult to manage because they are hard to see, and there is a ton of blood flow to that area. It took them needing the help of a urogynecologist, over 2 hours of time, lots of stitches, a clotting agent tons of surgical packing in the canal, and 2 units of blood plus fluids and blood pressure medicine to get me stable. I lost over 2.5 L of blood. I also got an iron infusion before discharge. It was very scary and I’m thankful that they were able to get everything under control. That being said, I feel so run down on top of being in pain from all the tearing. I’m trying to breastfeed but understandably my body just went through trauma so I can’t produce as much as I need right now. It’s all just a lot. I’m blessed to have my mom and husband helping so much. We have 3 other kiddos so that is an added amount of physical and mental exertion. Just wanted to share here to help me process everything and also let others who may have gone through something similar know they aren’t alone. One day at a time. We will make it.

Can’t believe I get to share this as my story. I feel so lucky in how my second birth unfolded.

First birth: spontaneous labour at 40 weeks, labour stalled at 5cm after 24 hours. Baby had heart decels and c section followed. Couldn’t hold or feed baby for the first 5 hours due to medication/ exhaustion. Recovery was long and hard.

Prep for VBAC: podcasts, private midwife, books and yoga. Had a crisis of confidence in the last month, totally doubted I could do it.

Second birth: 39+5 had a ‘period’ like feeling all day then at 11.30pm baby did a big kick and I felt a pop. My waters had broken! Contractions started right away. I tried to rest but they came on strong and fast, I couldn’t connect with any of my hypnobirthing tracks or meditations as the waves were just coming too strong.
Husband called our private midwife, she came over at 1.30am, I was worried it was too early (they can’t be with you for more than 12 hours and my labour was very long and slow previously). She did a cervical check and I was 3-4 cm.

I got slight relief being in the shower but it didn’t last long so I got out. I put on the tens machine and that stayed on for the rest of my labour! The midwife detected some decels in the baby’s heart rate on the Doppler and was concerned. She offered another cervical check even though it was just an hour later to see if I had progressed fast and that was the cause of the decels. Turns out she was right! I was 7cm! No wonder things felt intense.

We got to the hospital at 4am. The check in midwife ticked early labour on my admission form and my private midwife corrected her and said we needed a birth suite asap! I managed to walk myself up to the birth suite and felt the fetal ejection reflex in the lift! I got into birth suite and the hospital midwives were frantically trying to track baby’s hr with the CTG due to the decels I had at home, but they couldn’t find it, turns out baby was too low in my pelvis!

Just 17 minutes after getting into birth suite I pushed my baby out. We had skin to skin for hours and we were discharged the same day!

My recovery has been so smooth. I was aiming for a better birth no matter what eventuated and I feel so proud of myself and lucky that I got to have my VBAC.

Thanks to everyone who shared their stories in this group. I found them so helpful in my prep. Wishing everyone the outcome they hope for!

38+3 currently. No signs of labour yet but I still have time. Have been given the all OK to have membrane sweeps from 39 weeks to encourage vaginal delivery. I have agreed with my consultant I will consider an induction at 41+5, I’d really hope that I don’t need an induction and will go into spontaneous labour before then but I’m trying to be realistic that I may need an induction.

Anyway - has anyone got any positive induction stories? Consultant has explained they’d start off with the dilapan rods as they don’t have any hormones in them, then potentially break my waters but things can change as needed. Pitocin would be a last ditch resort if other induction methods haven’t worked

For info: First baby born Sept 2023 by EMCS, waters broke spontaneously at 35+1 and baby was frank breech.

No other risk factors that reduce chance of successful VBAC

Hi everyone it's my first time posting here and I need some advice! I'm 28yo and soon to be STM, had my first son 09/2021 via C-section due to "failure to progress" aka I was naive and let them pump me with pitocin, break my waters way too soon, and do all the interventions on me which of course led to baby getting stressed out and pooping inside so they rushed me to a C-section which was insanely traumatizing and took me years to recover from mentally even with the help of antidepressants. But with my first I did go into labor naturally and had a very low risk boring pregnancy and actually had pretty easy contractions getting me to 4cm at home before we went in.
So that's the story of my first, now I'm due any day with my second and my current Dr has been very supportive of me wanting a VBAC. She checked all my previous notes about my low transverse incision, plus having 4+ years in between pregnancies, having zero health issues and a very low risk boring pregnancy again said I'm a good candidate for the VBAC. However my due date was set as 5/5 and I guess their office automatically scheduled me for a C-section on 5/4 which I did not go to bc I wanted to give myself more time to go into labor naturally so my Dr said we can wait until 5/8 which was yesterday and again I did not go to that one either. I know it sounds bad to cancel 2 C-sections but I'm at the point where I fully believe that they got my due date incorrect due to me having irregular cycles thanks to pcos. With my first I knew the exact date of conception bc I was tracking and he was born 39+4 (labor started 39+3). With this one I wasn't tracking my cycle well and I didn't write down which day we had intercourse either however we only did it once mid August (yes only had sex one time that month) which could put my actual due date mid May. Another reason I believe they got my date wrong is that now at supposedly 40w I'm having all the signs of labor starting soon that I had at 39w with my first - baby dropping this week, feeling a ton more pressure, loosing pieces of mucus plug, soft stools every day. I went in yesterday for an NST and ultrasound at the hospital and they said that baby looks fantastic (perfect heart tones, head down, practicing breathing, moving a ton, good amount of water, placenta looking good) and I'm also good (125/85 pressure, zero issues) but the Dr at the hospital told me I should just do the C-section anyways to which I told her that's not what I'm planning for and I see no reason to take baby out who isn't ready yet. I have another appointment tomorrow with my regular Dr and I'm already betting she's gonna start pushing for the C-section too and might not listen to what I have to say about the incorrect due date. I just hate the idea of them trying to forcibly take the baby out when he clearly isn't ready yet and my body is doing all the things to get ready for labor any day now. I went into labor naturally the first time, I know it will happen this time too. I feel like I'm supposed to be relaxing and enjoying the end of my pregnancy now but bc of all these things I'm getting so stressed out and panicking which isn't helping either. Anyways, thoughts? opinions?

My first child who is now 11 I was induced and had via vaginal delivery. My second is now 2. I had him via emergency c-section due to heart decelerations I believe were related to my severe preeclampsia and possibly all of the magnesium drips they had me on. I was on three In a week because my incompetent doctor sent me home. He also has IUGR but that wasn’t severe. In due in December with a new team of Doctors and right now I’m undecided on whether o should attempt a VBAC or not. This practice won’t induce for VBAC so I have to go into labor on my own. Any thoughts or experiences with VBAC without induction?

I am 36+1 today. I am starting to have Braxton Hicks contractions pretty regularly, especially at night. Throughout my pregnancy I have experienced some uncomfortable itching/slight burning along my incision that usually subsides after a few minutes. I’ve been told that this is probably just scar tissue/adhesions loosening up as pregnancy progresses.

Last night when I woke my scar was very, very uncomfortable. The burning was much more intense, and it lasted for two hours. If I moved a certain way, I would feel a slight, sharp pull at times as well. I took a warm shower, and that allowed me to find a comfortable enough position in bed to fall back asleep. Today it just feels dull and achey. Baby is moving just fine though and heartbeat sounded good at my scheduled 36wk check this morning. My belly does look noticeably lower this morning, and I’m wondering if that pressure is what’s causing this? I also probably did a bit too much yesterday (in full blown nesting mode)

Has anyone experienced this before though? It’s starting to make me second guess if a VBAC is a good idea for me.

I had my baby 11 days ago via VBAC I was 39 weeks 4 days and my water broke. We went into L&D they said that if after so many hours I didn’t progress in labor by myself they would have to start pitocin (which I had been trying to avoid) due to risk of infection. Eventually pitocin was started and it took around 18 hours after the pitocin was started before I vaginally delivered my daughter. I was only given pitocin and an epidural everything seemed normal I didn’t even tear. We took her home the day after 4 days after being home I was still in so much pain having sharp pains in my abdominal until I couldn’t handle it anymore and went into the ER. My uterus had ruptured along my previous c section scar during labor and no one had noticed it created infection in my stomach and my appendix was removed as well. They were able to repair my uterus and I spent almost 4 days in the hospital after on antibiotics. I am home now still on antibiotics healing from basically a c section scar and having my appendix removed still in lots of pain. I feel so lucky to be alive but so defeated by the whole situation I don’t know that anymore understands how traumatic it is to be in pain for this long. Has anyone else ever had a rupture they went home with and didn’t realize?

4 years ago, I had a C-Section because my daughter was "sunny side up".

I'm pregnant with my second baby, and my OB states I'm a great candidate for a VBAC and seems to learn more towards me having a VBAC (been awhile since my c-section, went into labor on my own with first, etc). Obviously she is okay with whatever choice I decide on.

My OB is also pregnant and will not be there for the delivery, but states the ones stepping in during her absence tend to lean more pro vaginal birth as well.

I would love to attempt a VBAC and rather not have surgery again if I can avoid it- but everyone in my family has had to have C-sections for some reason or another (usually something happening first time around and electing C-section the next birth; no one has attempted VBAC). I also have family in my ear nervous about me attempting VBAC due to uterine rupture risks, etc.

What is other people's experience/thoughts ? I'm halfway through and don't have to decide yet, but I'm stressed out.

at 37w+, while exercising, i strained my abdominal muscles - there was a sharp stinging pain, i heard something like "snap", which led to extreme cold sweat and i was brought to my knees in undescribable pain. thereafter, i was in absolute pain, lying down nor standing up can help relieve the pain.

afraid it might have affected my previous csection scar, plus the pain that kept me up all night thereafter, i decided to head to the hospital for a check.

they found that i was actually having contractions every 10 mins and 1cm dilated, with baby's head at a low position in my pelvis. after more than 24 hours, my abdominal muscle pain remained, i couldnt even use the washroom as getting up was extremely agonizing. turns out the contractions stopped after 24 hours, but the abdominal pain remained.

i was discharged on prodromal labor but afterwards, i continued to feel extreme pain. in the end, i succumbed and requested to get a csection tomorrow, as at least i can have the baby out and stop it from further straining my abdominal muscles.

i feel like such a total failure. right after scheduling my csection for tomorrow, i suddenly felt less pain on my abdomen. is it god's will for me to go via csection again? is my body never meant to give birth naturally? why did i have to exercise and strain myself? im such a failure...

Hey so I've been lurking here during my pregnancy as I was hoping to have a VBAC with my second child.

My first labour was spontaneous at 40+5, dilated at home to 4cm, got to 7cm in the birthing pool at the hospital and then began to hyper-contract. They were coming with only about 15 seconds in between each one so I asked for the epidural. Progress stalled and I had ARM, but baby was in a poor position and high up so after my waters were broken he landed in a rubbish position and no progress was made for another 12 hours, so after a lot of crying I was taken for a section. I'd been in labour for 31 hours, I hadn't slept or eaten and was both terrified and distraught about the section. I was so out of it when he was delivered I didn't even want to see him.

This time I worked hard to try and get baby into a good position and to descend prior to labour. I felt like it wasn't really working as she felt in the same position as my first, but I had read all the hypnobirthing and knew I could navigate position during labour etc.

Was on a walk at 40+3 and started to feel intermittent pains, when I got home I went for a lie down to see if they would settle and they immediately became 2 minutes apart and pretty intense. I had planned on trying to stay at home for a bit but I was a bit freaked out because it had gotten so intense so quickly, so we ended up going in after an hour. In hospital I laboured for a few hours and again got to 7cm, my waters were bulging but not breaking. I then started having the fetal ejection reflex and was pushing involuntarily with every contraction. I thought I must've progressed from 7 really quickly and thought for a second that it was going to happen! After a few of these I told the midwife that I didn't feel like anything was moving when I pushed, so asked her to check. Turns out I was still 7 but the bag of waters was coning through the cervix and stimulating the push sensation. I then decided that we probably did need to break them to stop the cycle so I didn't exhaust myself (I really couldn't stop the pushing!). However, after breaking my waters the pushing just continued even though the head was still at a -1/0 station and after a few of these my cervix had become so swollen and angry that i was now about 5cm.

The midwives were really good, she was happy for me to either continue on for a bit whilst baby was happy to see if anything sorted itself out, for me to go onto the hormone drip to see if we could force some more dilation or for me to elect for a c section.

I told her that, realistically, a swollen angry tissue was not going to unswell unless it was left alone and that simply wasn't going to happen. I'd also rather avoid a repeat of last time where I went into surgery completely on my knees. At this point I'd only been in labour about 9 hours and was feeling much more physically resilient. She seemed to really agree that it was a good time to cut my losses and although obviously I was disappointed I really felt ok with my decision and at peace with what was going to happen.

I felt so much better going into surgery physically and psychologically and the whole experience was a million times better. It was oddly healing to repeat all those awful experiences from the first time, but have them be pleasant and relaxed instead. I spent a lot of time after my 1st birth blaming myself for all the things I could've done differently to prevent the outcome, having it happen in a similar way a second time, even with tons more knowledge and preparation, has kind of brought with it a sense of inevitability that has made me feel better about both experiences.

I'm mostly posting this because I know that in the run up to delivery, more so than the idea of a section itself, I was scared of the emotional impact of "failing" to have a VBAC and how I might react or feel having invested so much into it. I just want you to know that there's a good chance you will be ok, and just because the outcome might end up the same, the emotions don't have to. :)

Best of luck to you all, I hope you all have the experiences you're hoping for 🩷

Currently 35+2 (although EDD could be a week off, original due date was 6/3, but baby measured a week behind on initial scans, changed due date to 6/10, now baby measuring 2 weeks ahead).

First pregnancy ended in c-section Sept 2024. Induced at 41weeks due to low fluid. 2 doses of cytotec given, labor progressed with no further intervention. Waters ruptured spontaneously, baby was having decelerations on and off during induction. After about 20 hours, stalled at 8/9cm, 0 station. Contractions started to spread out and become ineffective. Got an epidural after about 30 hours unmedicated to try pitocin. Baby had cat 2 tracings, stopped pitocin and went for c-section after 36 hours.

Team is very VBAC supportive. Midwife does not feel post date low fluid is a reason to induce or increase monitoring this time around. I’m starting to get worried that I’ll end up needing to be induced post date and baby won’t tolerate labor again. Especially with the discrepancy with my due date.

Would you take the chance of waiting for spontaneous labor or opt for an earlier induction between 40-41 weeks?

I am wondering what people think about this. My son was born via c section on 6/1/2024. I believe he was OP but I stalled out at 7cm from 9pm to 1pm the next day. Baby did descend from -1 to 0 during that time.

My doctor thinks him being 8lb 10oz and having a larger head as well as being OP is likely why I stalled so she has been thinking that preventing this baby from being super big would be a better chance.

She recommended induction this weekend at 39 weeks with foley bulb and low dose pitocin if needed (she said they don’t go above 20). She is not pressuring me at all and said it is my decision and I can wait if I want, but her thought is that my VBAC success may be higher if I give birth to a smaller baby.

What do people think of this? She’s also on call this weekend which would be nice to know she’d be who I’d be with.

Again, she’s not pressuring and said it’s ultimately my decision, but this is just her thoughts.

FYI I am 1CM, but starting to efface and am more effaced than last week which was 20%. Baby was -3 last week and is still a little high.

I had my first baby six months ago via C-section. The day before my due date, I got a full body massage and a few hours later my water broke. My husband and I then went to the hospital where they asked if I wanted to go home or stay. We opted to stay an in turn I got my epidural way too early. I was honestly more scared about the epidural than anything else, and the nurse that I had kept telling me that the longer you wait the harder it is for the epidural to take. Sometimes people are in so much pain that they move around too much and it takes multiple attempts. So I said OK, let’s do it. I keep thinking that this slowed everything down and ultimately resulted in my C-section.

Throughout pregnancy, I didn’t take one birthing class, with the mindset of whatever happens happens. A C-section never crossed my mind. I always thought I would deliver vaginally. My baby was heads down for months and I had a very healthy pregnancy. I blame myself for being so arrogant.

24 hours after I got my epidural I finally met my doctor who told me the baby’s heart rate was decelerating during contractions. My water had also been broken for a while while at that point & I was only 4cm dilated.

After a small mental breakdown about accepting the C-section, I agreed and an hour or later my son was born. The procedure went as well as it could have, except I didn’t realize how traumatic it would be even though it was something I agreed to. I didn’t get to hold my baby until two hours later which I understand is routine/typical, however I keep kicking myself for not having a birth plan - that if I did end up in a C-section to not give me fentanyl and for the baby to be placed on my chest.

I still can’t look at photos from the hospital without bursting into tears. I understand that all that matters is that myself and the baby are healthy but, two things can be true at the same time and I still mourn what could’ve been.

My husband and I definitely want more than one and I can’t determine if a VBAC for the next baby is worth it. A part of me thinks it’s vain and selfish to try for one, to put myself and the baby at risk. But a small part of me so badly wants to deliver vaginally especially, if we want a third. Since I didn’t dilate over 5cm, I wonder if I will have failure to progress the next time.

Another part of me wants to play it safe and just have another C-section, but I already feel like so much of motherhood is giving up yourself, and I feel like two or three C-sections will just absolutely destroy my body. I have a small frame and I’m worried what that will do to my abdomen. But again, it feels so selfish to even have those thoughts about what I will look like and feel like when starting my family is the most important thing right now.

So what do we do? I’ve made so many pros and cons lists and can’t figure out if I want to wait two years to conceive and try for a VBAC or just get pregnant when we get pregnant and have another C-section. I don’t know what is more important to me. Our age is another factor, we are in our mid 30s.

Has anyone had a similar experience, if so how did it pan out for you? Any advice or words of wisdom to help me decide what we want is appreciated.

(I completely acknowledge that some C-sections are more traumatic/people go under/or babies end up in the NICU, etc. I am very grateful for how my C-section procedure did pan out however it is still painful.)

Hey guys, I had the foley balloon placed and my water broken. They broke it 6 hours ago. I’m dilated to a 3 or 4. Baby boy is very low… they just aren’t sure why I’m not dilating. I’m on 12 mg of pitocin. Having a hard time right now… the docs are getting ready to come in and discuss the options. Has anyone experienced this and still had a successful VBAC??

I’ve always been told uterine ruptures do not happen unless you are in active labor. My plan for my VBAC was to labor at home for as long as I possibly could. With that being said, I’d hate to be home too long and miss any signs and lead to a rupture. My doctor and I already talked and he said he’s okay with me laboring at home and when I get to the hospital it will be him or a colleague only watching my monitor for signs. Any advice/ tips are appreciated idk how to lower my fear.