VBAC - Also schedule a C section?

[Anonymous]

Hi! I'm not asking for advice about whether or not to go for a vbac, I know I want to try (my first was a csection only because she was breech, so I think I have a decent shot). However, I know that you cannot be induced for a vbac. For those of you who did a vbac, did you also get yourself on the csection schedule in case the baby decided to stay put for a while? And when did you decide to do so?

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

A good friend of mine scheduled one for around 40+3 and ended up having to use it. The doctors gave her that deadline.

[Anonymous]

My doctors gave me a deadline of 40 weeks because I had GD (managed only through diet) but said I could schedule as early as 39. I think it was maybe a month before the due date that they wanted me to get on the schedule. I scheduled for 39 only because I went a little past due with my first DS and it was clear my placenta had started crapping out. I didn’t want to take the risk. I ended up having the c-section as I did not go into spontaneous labor. Obviously the longer you can wait to schedule the more likely you’ll go into labor! Ask your doctor what their policy is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: However, I know that you cannot be induced for a vbac. For those of you who did a vbac, did you also get yourself on the csection schedule in case the baby decided to stay put for a while? And when did you decide to do so?

First, did your OB tell you that you can't be induced for VBAC? If you didn't hear straight from your OB, then ask. It's definitely not a universal hard line.

Second, I did not schedule a c-section. My first VBAC was 10 days early, my second VBAC was a day overdue. If my OB had advised me to schedule a c-section based on either my medical history or based on what he saw at appointments, I would have followed his advice. But there was no reason to do so in my case.

Like you, my first was also a c-section due to breech and I scheduled that c-section for 40+1.

[Anonymous]

You can be induced for a VBAC depending on your provider. They won't use ALL the same techniques but they will do most, again depending on your provider. Pitocin, Foley bulb, breaking of water are a few I know.

[Anonymous]

Is your hospital super busy? I wouldn't bother scheduling, personally -- I'd just want to know how long it was safe to wait, so I had it in mind, but I wouldn't care whether I was on the schedule yet. And I wouldn't induce for a TOLAC even if my OB approved it, because I'm not comfortable with the increased risk of uterine rupture.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is your hospital super busy? I wouldn't bother scheduling, personally -- I'd just want to know how long it was safe to wait, so I had it in mind, but I wouldn't care whether I was on the schedule yet. And I wouldn't induce for a TOLAC even if my OB approved it, because I'm not comfortable with the increased risk of uterine rupture.

You're right that the risk is higher, but it's not drastically high especially if the cervix is already ripe (the exception is cytotec - that has an unacceptably high rupture rate). Low-dose pitocin is generally considered safe to use in VBACs.

[Anonymous]

I was due Nov 6 and got on the c section schedule in July for the first appt in the morning two days after my due date. (I wasn’t planning to mess around with going late.) My baby ended up being IUGR so I had a c section at 37 weeks. (Baby was measuring very small and small babies don’t tolerate labor as well so I didn’t want to risk another emergency c section.) But because that was scheduled last minute I got the last c section of the day (3pm) and it was delayed until 7pm which is very common but it meant I was beyond starving and thirsty by that time I had surgery and I had no idea you can’t eat right AFTER surgery so I went about 36 hours without food. Schedule it.

[Anonymous]

Unfortunately the reason for your c section does not up your odds of having a successful vbac. You have never given birth vaginally so your odds are the same as a first time Mom but minus the ability to try a full induction. I read extensive literature and it's all about dilation and if your body is ready. If your body isn't ready then you are more likely to have a c section.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately the reason for your c section does not up your odds of having a successful vbac. You have never given birth vaginally so your odds are the same as a first time Mom but minus the ability to try a full induction. I read extensive literature and it's all about dilation and if your body is ready. If your body isn't ready then you are more likely to have a c section.

Odds of having a VBA1 or 2C is 60-80% (lower if there are various factors like AMA). Induction lowers those odds, but there is no reason for someone who is low-risk to expect needing an induction, especially if they're comfortable waiting longer to go into labor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately the reason for your c section does not up your odds of having a successful vbac. You have never given birth vaginally so your odds are the same as a first time Mom but minus the ability to try a full induction. I read extensive literature and it's all about dilation and if your body is ready. If your body isn't ready then you are more likely to have a c section.

Actually the reason DOES up her odds. It's not like she had failure to descend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately the reason for your c section does not up your odds of having a successful vbac. You have never given birth vaginally so your odds are the same as a first time Mom but minus the ability to try a full induction. I read extensive literature and it's all about dilation and if your body is ready. If your body isn't ready then you are more likely to have a c section.

Actually the reason DOES up her odds. It's not like she had failure to descend.

Yes, this is what I was told, that my odds would be lower if there were a reason that could repeat itself, like failure to descend. However, since this would be my first attempt at a vaginal birth, my odds aren't as high as they would be if I had a "proven pelvis"

[Anonymous]

'Proven pelvis' is horse crap. If your pelvis is that of a healthy adult woman it can birth a baby. Lying immobile in a bed is what effs with giving birth, not the size of a woman's pelvis - which is only relative to the position you're laboring in since the pelvis can widen substantially during labor in certain positions. Really wish people would stop perpetuating these lies!

[Anonymous]

Really PP? Women can have narrow pubic arches or poorly positioned babies or immobile and unbalanced pelvic floor muscles and different pelvic types that make vaginal birth hard or impossible. It’s not just a matter of, you own a vagina so you can therefore birth a baby vaginally. There is a massive range of pelvic anatomy as well as tissue mobility, labor types, baby sizes and baby positions. Stop promoting magical thinking. https://spinningbabies.com/learn-more/birth-anatomy/

[Anonymous]

I scheduled my c-section for 41 weeks but ended up going into labor 4 days earlier. My midwife suggested scheduling it ahead of time so that I would be assured a good time slot (early morning).

FWIW, I had pitocin during my VBAC and all went well. My water broke, but I needed pitocin to get contractions going because of Group B strep. All the literature makes it sound like everyone is just rolling the dice, like, "hey, let's just try this pitocin and hope your uterus doesn't burst!" But they are are doing A LOT of very sophisticated monitoring during your VBAC to make sure the pitocin is going well.