Pregnancy Info HOME

Don't worry about your uterus rupturing unless you had a vertical cesarean. If you doctor says it's ok be grateful he's supportive, as a v____al birth recovery is much shorter & unless there are major complications it is much safer for you & the baby. There is ALOT of information on the internet about VBAC, do some research so you understand the pros & cons to help with your decision. Personally I will ALWAYS opt for a v____al birth over a c-section as the positives far outweigh any negatives.

I think if it is what you want to do you should go for it. I think the risk of rupture is very low, like 1%. I'm surprised some hospitals and doctors won't do them no matter what. I had a c-section with my dd 10 months ago (breech baby). When i saw my doctor for one of my post-partum visits i asked her about a v-bac for next time i was pregnant. She was not opposed to vbacs at all but she did tell me this, if i were to have one at the first sign of labor i would need to come in (no walking around the house for hours) so i guess that could lead to a lot of unnessary trips to the hospital, but that is not all that bad i guess. She also told me I would need an epidural right away in case something went wrong and i needed an emergency c-section, she also said i would be hooked up to internal monotors to make sure the baby was alright. I'm not pregnant yet but i do know i would like another eventually. I feel torn b/c that is not really the type of labor i wanted (i want to be able to walk around as much as possible and use the birthing ball and stuff like that to move things along and i wanted to hold off on the epidural for as long as possible). My c-section went really smoothly and my recovery was good but i was still in pain for a while and it was hard to walk for the first week. So i would ask your doctor how they would treat a vbac labor compared to a regular one. It's something to consider.

This decision was a really tough one for me too. My first was an emergency c-section after three hours of pushing, the vacuum, and baby heart decelerations. There was nothing joyous about that experience. All turned out well, but I still don't know why baby couldn't come out the old fashioned way. It was either the cord wrapped around his neck, or he was just too big. Anyway, recovery for me was awful and I dreaded nothing more than another c-section this time around. I had every intention of trying for a VBAC this time, until I talked to my Doc (who happens to be very supportive of VBAC's). She informed me that I only received a single-layer sutur instead of the normal double with my first (different doc). The risk of rupture for me is now about 15%. She also asked me if I would be more bummed going through labor all over again only to end up with another c-section, or scheduling a c-section knowing that I didn't even try. Tough question. The answer is never black and white. VBAC's and repeat c-sections are both risky. It is very possible that your first was simply too big to fit. Subsequent babies are often (not always) just as big as the first, if not bigger. I would definately turn to your family for advice on this one. Funny how the men in my family all said "What are you nuts? Go for the c-section!" I definately think there's some sort of motherly right-of-pa__sage thing with the desire to have a baby v____ally. We somehow feel cheated when it doesn't work out that way. I was finally able to decide when I took away all of the emotion and looked only at the risk related facts. It was a bit riskier for me to try for a VBAC. I'm just not ready to take that gamble, especially since I already am a mom now. My c-secton is scheduled for July 28th. All that really matters is the end result. Yes, recovery sucks. And you should also be fully educated about how repeated c-sections can increase risks in additional pregnancies and how scar tissue can haunt you for the rest of your life. But ultimately, the choice is yours. It is true that a VBAC labor is treated differently than a regular one. The whole natural approach is basically thrown out the window. Chances are you're already slightly leaning one way or another. Read everything you can on the subject (be careful of your sources) and then go with your gut.

I chose a second section although my doctor was open to whatever my choice was. My choice was based on what was LESS risky for the baby. I know the recovery is difficult, but the baby's safety is my first priority.