Has Anyone Out There Had a VBAC? (Vaginal Birth After C-section)

I had 2 c's after vaginal; but two friends had vbacs and said they'd have preferred not to. Vaginal birth is not fun. Neither is a c-section; but at least you can calmly deliver. Wish you the best...

hi, i delivered with a mid wife and she can do the vbac. not that you neccessarily want a mid-wife, but she would be a good person to talk to, she does a for lack of a better word, get to know you session, she might be able to help you in the right direction. ###-###-####.
C. W

I have not had a VBAC but I am hoping to for my next child. It is very hard to find a provider and hospital that will do VBAC, and you have to be willing to fight for one. I found only one doctor in my area who was willing to consider it. If you haven't already, google the ICAN network - that's the International Ceasarean Awareness Network. They've been very helpful for me - good luck.

It may be because of the scar on your uterus. Is it horizontal or vertical (NOT the one on the outside but inside)?
Very similar circumstances for me. My outer scar is vertical but my inner scar is horizontal. Therefore, I was able to have THREE VBAC's. If your inner scar is Horizontal then I HIGHLY recommend a VBAC! IT was SOOOO much better than the c-section.
Check on the position of your inner scar and if it good I would fight for a VBAC.

I understand that there are times that a c section is needed but this is ridiculous. Doesn't anyone realize that drs make MUCH more money from c sections? It's surgery, it's serious business and they make a ton of money. Families become scared b/c they obviously want the safety of their innocent child and drs bank on that fear. The medical profession wasn't interested in birth until they saw that there was money in it so they took it away from midwives, who have been birthing since the beginning of time. My money is with the midwives. Someone here put Connie Mullen's phone number she was my midwife too and boy is she fantastic. She's professional, kind, dedicated and just the best person to have when you're giving birth. Birth is not an illness, it's a wonderful experience not intended to be hooked up to machines.

Breach baby does NOT mean c section, there are herbs one can use to get the baby to turn and the baby can manually be turned around too albeit painful but a heck of a lot less painful than having your stomach cut open and your baby pulled out in an unnatural way and then being stapled back together.

We, as a society, have become so lazy, microwaves, formula and now scheduling when to have our baby so it's convenient. This is sick really...

I had a VBAC a month ago. My first child was born by C-section after he wasn't tolerating labor (heart rate fell during contractions while I was only ~4 cm dilated). He had to be induced about 5 weeks early because I had eclampsia.

As long as they did a low transverse incision (low bikini line), you should have a very low risk of uterine rupture.

I wanted to try a vaginal delivery with my second child, and my OB was fine with that, especially since the reason that the first went C had to do with the baby and not with limitations of my pelvis. The birthing experience was a lot better for me this second time. I was completely present in a way that I couldn't be with a C-section. And the baby nursed on the delivery table. I ended up with a 2nd degree tear, but that has healed pretty well. Overall the healing is easier with vaginal delivery, since you're mostly stretching rather than cutting into major abdominal surgery.

Since you are physically fit, I would think that you would do great with VBAC.

Here are a couple books that will give you answers in greater depth:
Magnus' "Pelvic Health and Childbirth"
http://www.amazon.ca/Pelvic-Health-Childbirth-Magnus-Murp...
Franklin's "Pelvic Power: Mind/Body Exercises for Strength, Flexibility, Posture, and Balance"
http://www.amazon.ca/Pelvic-Power-Exercises-Strength-Flex...

OMGOSH!!! Okay I am 36 and have 4 children. My son who is now 17 was born emergency csection as well, due to my placenta tearing away and my son's heart beat dropping unexpectedly as well. My 11 yr, 3 yr and 19mnth old ALL VBAC!! The 11 yr old and 19 month old were induced... all successful!! My personal opinion is your dr is LAZY! Unless you have a medical reason that your body cant withstand a VBAC or your baby is in danger, I see NO REASON why you cant try it. if you are near Jacksonville, Fl I will be happy to refer you to an amazing group of doctors that would be happy to help you!! Otherwise I would recommend you research new doctors in your area! Having a child is a personal and private experience and you have every right to at least try it your way!! You should not have the possibility of having your child vaginally stolen from you by a lazy doctor! If you have any specific questions please dont hesitate to message me! I would LOVE to know how this turns out, please keep in touch! GOD BLESS YOU!! I am very passionate about this subject so my prayers are with you!!

Lisa,

Yes ... my situation was similar to yours. But I was lucky who had a doc who would let me try .. but she did warn me that if she saw any complications, that she would take him "c". Just let your doc know that you really want to try, but you are understanding that if you have having problems, then go for the "c" .. but you would like that chance to try. If s/he says no ... speak to the hospital legal (or similar) see what your options are from there. Best of luck!

I am 30 and had my first baby 7 months ago by emergency C-section. I went to the hospital because my water broke, but I didn't even go into labor. Her heart rate was so low that they rushed me to the OR and did the C-section under general anesthesia. They didn't even want to wait for the epidural or spinal to start working.

I plan to have at least one more, maybe two. I looked into it already, although I don't plan on getting pregnant for another year. I really hope to avoid another C-section - my recovery was awful. I work in health research, so I did some research of the medical literature. I think the doctors are making a big mistake when they won't try a VBAC. C-sections are generally more risky than vaginal births. There is a higher rate of uterine rupture with a VBAC compared to a normal vaginal delivery. But the risk goes from less than 1% to 1%. But there are more complications and problems in general from a C-section. So my question was - which is riskier as a whole? If a C-section gives me a lower risk of uterine rupture, but a higher risk of infections and other complications, which is better? In the end, most studies found that attempting a vaginal birth is less risky. The WHO recommends that almost all mothers with a previous surgical birth attempt a vaginal birth in subsequent pregnancies.

If you have a vertical scar, they will probably recommend a repeat C-section. The might also recommend a repeat C-section if you had a C-section for some reason that is likely to repeat itself (low heart rate is not one of those). The doctor or hospital may also have some additional rules for attempting a VBAC, like continuous internal monitoring. They should NOT deny any woman pain relief during labor and delivery. Some doctors thought you should avoid an epidural that may mask the pain of uterine rupture, but that is NOT recommended. You may want to ask your doctor that question though.

I will definitely try for a VBAC in my next pregnancy. I can't imagine being as incapacitated as I was after the last one with a toddler. Also, I feel that some experiences I expected to have were taken away from me. I didn't hear my baby's first cry. I didn't even see her for hours after the birth and I barely remember the first couple of days due to all the medications and anesthesia.

The only thing that makes me want a repeat C-section is that I don't want to experience the emergency C-section I had last time. If I could see the future and I knew that's how it would end, I would opt for another c-section. Because I can't, I'm going to try for a VBAC.

Hi L.,

The information that you got about the cut of the incision is all correct. I also had an emergency C (cord around neck) and have done tons of research (I mean probably 100 hours or more) on this since I'm in Ft. Lauderdale and my doctor told me the hospitals here don't do them. Well, she lied, that is totally not true and she is no longer my doctor.

I don't know where you are in FL but basically, the situation is that the doctors don't want to have to be in attendance for your entire labor and the insurance companies require that. So as a previous poster said, birth centers are a good option. Otherwise, visit the International Caesaran Awareness Network website:
http://ican-online.org/

I would be happy to tell you that my new doctor, Dr. Gil Aronson, in Hollywood, FL is VBAC supportive and has successfully delivered via VBAC several of my friends and acquaintences.

I can also send you some other names of VBAC friendly doctors if you are in SE Florida.

I will also tell you that my sister had an emergency C for her first child, in WAshington DC) and then had a VBAC in Honduras (husband had been transfered). Recovery and pain she said was much much easier with VBAC and she had no medication at all for it!

Good luck! C.

When I first read your question, I was sure there would be tons of moms responding saying your doctor had misinformed you. I'm a little disheartened at all the stories of women who wanted a VBAC and were refused. That's insane.
VBAC is absolutely something you should try for. I had my first child, emergency c-section, in 1998. In 2001, I had a successful VBAC. 2004 another successful VBAC with a 9lb 9oz baby. The last, in 2007, was delivered c-section, but only because I also opted to do a tubal ligation and didn't want to have to recover from that surgery seperately. I could have had another VBAC that time as well though.
Look around for another doctor. Many times, these days, they are trying to cover their own behinds because it can be a risky option, but surgery is actually more risky. You have to have anesthesia, cutting, risk of infections, etc. It takes longer to heal from a c-section than it does for a VBAC. The doctors don't want to put themselves in a situation where they aren't in complete control. In surgery, they control what happens. But there are loads of successful VBAC stories out there. I, however, do NOT suggest attempting a birthing center instead of a hospital. You will need to be in an environment that would allow for medical intervention if necessary. They will use both the external and internal fetal monitors. The main risk of doing a VBAC is uterine rupture. So they will monitor the level of intensity of your contractions from the inside. I know you're more than half way through your pregnancy now, but please look into speaking with different OB's until you do find one that is at least willing to let you try a VBAC.
As a couple other moms mentioned, the only way it would be a definite no no is if you had an incision going down the middle of your belly instead of across the bottom. There is lots of hope for you to get what you want. Even with the paranoid docs giving you bad advice in their best interest instead of your own. Call the offices around your area and speak to the nurses or OB's. Good luck!!! You can totally do it!

I didn't read all the responses, but I'm sure you got some good advise there. I am a mother of 6 children. We are a blended family and I am raising my step son too and gave birth to five of the six children. My first baby was natural birth/vaginal birth, no meds, then baby number two was an emergency c section with the incision being on the bikini line, baby three was a VBAC which I opted not to have pain meds so I could be more alert and feel if there was a problem like uterine rupture, since then there had been more complications with VBACS so hospitals were getting a little more uneasy about things, but I found a doctor that would do another VBAC with baby number four. I should note Dr. Hunter Hammill which is nothing short of amazing and like a nicer version of a HOUSE MD in real life delivered babies number one three and five with me (the only reason I didn't use him for baby number two or four is because of insurance, and I couldn't afford to go out of network). Now since I had two VBACS under my belt, it was very likely I could try to do another VBAC with baby number five. He tried everything he could to give me the VBAC I wanted, but because I had been in the hospital on bedrest for five months already, (I had pneumonia that triggered pre term labor so I was in the hospital FOREVER) and my body was so weak, when the baby was 36 weeks, they stopped my treatments to stop the labor and it wound up being an emergency c section because of the baby's heart rate dropping. With all of that said, grammatical errors and all- she was born healthy and didn't even have to spend a moment in the Neonatal ICU.

I say, go for it if you feel you have a doctor that is confident in VBAC and knows of the warnings to look for in labor if you are headed for trouble. I can understand your concerns about doing the VBAC, and while there have been some that have really gone wrong, the risks are higher for having a c section actually in many cases.

I don't know the pain toleration level that you may have, but if you can do it with minimal medications and definitely opt not to have an epidural, then it will give you the upper hand in knowing how your body feels during labor and can help foresee any problems.

I will say a prayer for you, I wish you luck!

Find your local ICAN group. Most areas have a Yahoo group and a local chapter but here is the main website:
http://www.ican-online.org/advocacy/home

They are focused on helping moms avoid unnecessary c-sections and are great at helping you find resources for a positive VBAC outcome. :)

Good luck and don't give up!

Hello L.. I have been in your shoes before and I know how frustrated you must feel. Most doctors are hesitant to do a VBAC. They can be difficult and risky. Have you done your research? Find out as much as you can so you will be more prepared if you you do find a doctor willing to work with you. Also, have you ever taken any birthing classes? The breathing/pushing lessons you learn in there will help your VBAC go more smoothly. I have difficult pregnancies. I delivered my 3 yr old via C-section at 29 weeks. With my second, I was seeing a specialist who refused to even talk with me about a VBAC. However, my regular OB agreed to do a VBAC with me if I made it to at least 32 weeks. The catch? I would still have to have an epidural in case something went wrong and all emergency personnel would have to be available. I was blessed to make it to 39 weeks and while waiting for the emergency standby people and the anesthesiologist my baby decided she wanted out. I didn't have to have the epidural since the baby was already coming. I paid attention to my body and breathed and pushed when I was suppose to and things went smoothly.
I hope this encourages you. Good luck finding a doctor to help. Perhaps you can find a doctor with a midwife?

Hi L.,

It looks as if you've received some good advice already, along with some "not so good" ;) But I would like to send you another endorsement of Dr Delisa Skeete-Henry in Plantation. I had my second child naturally, via VBAC with her in January of 2008. I was so so happy with her. She was absolutely wonderful, and I recommend her to as many mamas as I can! She is very supportive of your individual wishes and will work with you to give you the birth that you deserve! Please, please don't feel pressured into another c-section. There is really NO NEED at all for it, other than for doctors and hospitals to cover their a**. VBACs CAN happen in this c-section crazy state, you just have to be determined! Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or need to talk. ____@____.com I wish you the BEST!

-M. T.

Please do not do it! My OB said there are so many risks involved and if anything happened during the vaginal delivery it is almost instant death esp. to the mother. You would lose too much blood too fast. My family practice dr. told me the same thing and that the Ins. co.'s are the main ones promoting it for $$$ reasons. I had to have a c-section with my first (she was breech), and I did think about a VBAC for my second baby. But after talking through it with my OB, there was no question that I would have another c-section. As with any delivery there are risks, but I would never gamble with the odds over my own health and ESPECIALLY not my childrens! It' just not worth it. A plus...c-sections can be scheduled and that's good planning for the care of your first child while you're having the 2nd. Good luck with your decision and I know your dr. will guide you in the right direction for you.

I had an emergency c-section with my daughter. When I got pregnant with my son my doctor advised me that we would be having another c-section. Some of my husband's family pused me for a VBAC. I'm glad I had the second C. When my doctor opened me up he found that the incision site from the previous C was extremely thin. If I had labored there was a very good chance I would have had a rupture. As it was they had a hard time stopping my bleeding. I know alot of people are pro-VBAC and there is nothing wrong with that just realize there is alot that could go wrong. Good luck!

My first was a C section.I was told that did not mean the next would have to be. But it ended up being a C section due to diabetic complications. Both kids were Premies.
Your doc probably affraid the same will happen, so they want to preset a C section date instead of an emergency one. Ask the doc why he wants a C section.It all depends on why you had the first C section. My blood pressure went sky high to a possible stroke killing me and the child.

I am 4 1/2 months pregnant and had a c-section with my first. I think it depends on which direction the incision was made. The issue with a VBAC is that there is a risk of your uterus bursting during pushing and delivery. This can be life threatening for both Mama & Baby. My Dr. has not said I HAVE to have a 2nd c section but does recommend it. I guess for me it is more about keeping my baby safe as possible. The same reason I don't drink alchohol or smoke or do activities harmful to my baby while I am pregnant is why I will have the c-section. I don't see any reason to put my baby's health and life at risk or mine (I also have a 2 year old depending on me)just to say I delivered at least 1 baby vaginally. There are success stories & there are horror stories so only you with the help & advice of your Dr. can make the best decision for you & your baby. I don't feel "robbed" that my child was delivered via c-section. I don't care how they get here as long as they get here safe and healthy & I am safe & healthy so I can be their good Mama! For me, I don;t want to wait until my baby or myself is at risk while trying to have a VBAC to end up with a c-section anyway. My heart tells me to have the "c" so you need to listen to your heart and your Doctor. They really do want you & your baby to be healthy. If you do not have a good trusting relationship with your Dr. - change Dr's. I trust mine & know he has my & my childs best interest at heart.

Wow, its kind of late in the game here, but look for some other doctors. I don't know any here in JAX, but when I had my daughter four years ago elsewhere, they were refusing to do "automatic" c sections just because a woman had one before. The doctors I saw said that about 75% of women who had an emergency c section prior could give birth naturally if they and the baby were both healthy.

Hi L.,
I don't know where you live, but I'm a birth doula in Brevard County and I have had several clients who had VBAC's with doctors in the south part of our county at Holmes Regional Medical Center. If you are near and would like the doctor's names, just email me.

I have not had a VBAC, but a friend of mine did...we both use the same dr, so I know it's a great group. OB & GYN Specialists in Winter Park. They will let you attempt a VBAC, and my friend was actually successful with it. They deliver at Winnie Palmer. I know it would be hard to switch dr's this late in the game, but your dr sounds very close minded. GL!

I had my daughter by C-section and then when I had my second child my doctor tried to talk me into trying to have a vaginal birth. In the end I ended up with the C-section because I ended up with gestational diabetes and it would have been too dangerous to wait until my due date because he was very big. I probably would have ended up with a C-section anyway. I am not a doctor but from what I understand, it can be dangerous to have a vaginal after a C. Definately do your research and if you are not satisfied with your doctor, maybe go for a second opinion. I would think being a pilates instructor, you are definately fit enough for it.

I have not had a VBAC, but I know you can. You can still search for a Dr. that will help you deliver naturally, but no matter what professional you choose, they will need to look at your individual situation to see what is needed.

You will have a greater chance of VBAC if you have your baby at a birthing center. There are licensed midwives that are AWESOME! And if there is any chance of you having a VBAC they will let you know. I imagine that when you were in labor the first time, did you have induction/epidural? Without anymore details on your labor, it sounds like a classic case of what a medicated birth can do to the baby. They do affect baby's heart. Most do turn out just fine, but as may have happened in your case it may have affected baby's heart rate, thus causing the need for a c-section. Whatever happened...at least your baby is ok :) That is what is most important.

I don't know if this is why it happened in your case, but I do know that is a common reason for c-section when induction/epidural is used.

Do what you can to research the effects of these drugs on the baby...if you do want to increase your chances of having VBAC, I would highly recommend no drugs at all as this will increase your success rate immensely (again depending on your personal situation). The only ones that can tell you if you can have a VBAC is likely a OB that is ok with doing VBAC or a midwife at a birthing center.

I had my baby in a birthing center 2.5 years ago in Winter Garden and they said had I been in a hospital likely I would have gotten a c-section for my circumstances as they would have been worried that I was going to tire out after 32 hours of labor lol...but at the birthing center as long as I was willing to keep going and baby was just fine, they let me and I was able to deliver naturally :).

I hope this helps with what you are looking for :) GL!

Your situation sounds so much like mine. I tried so hard to have my first vaginally but dropping heart rate forced the emergency c. With my second son they really tried to wait it out but I couldn't hold a contraction and they also said it wasn't unusual for this to occur. (this was Kaiser in Downey, Ca) same place octo-mom's kids were born. But they did try b/c I wanted wait but he didn't want to come that way. So it may be just from experience also that they are suggesting it. A doctor can't force you to have a procedure their way I agree with 1 poster who said let them know you understand that you may have to have the c but you want to at least try vag first.

I don't think it's a matter of doctors being lazy but it is a matter of the doctor's policy and medical opinion along with that of their insurer. VBACs come with risk, minimal or no-depends on how you look at it. That's one of the biggest reasons docs stay away from them. They don't want the risk to mother or baby. Their primary responsibility is to ensure that baby gets here healthy and well and mom is healthy and well. Do your research and ask questions of your doctor to make an informed decision.

hi there, it will be very hard to find a doctor to help you deliver naturally (especially in c-crazy florida...they love to cut you here!). however, you'll have better luck going truly natural at a birthing center. i'll be delivering in a few months at the miami maternity center, and i know they have delivered successful vbacs. keep your chin up & don't let the docs make you feel like there's something wrong with you performing a perfectly natural body function! i had a yucky overly-medical first birth experience too, and have found a lot of strength in books like "ina may's guide to childbirth" (from the nation's leading midwife) and "hypnobirthing". check it out & enjoy your second birth :)

I had my first child with a vertical (up and down) cercerean because of the baby being stressed out. It was the most horible experience that I had ever had. I had 4 children after my first child (cecerean) vaginally. I did all 4 naturally, no epidural. Epidural can slow down the process of labor and make you go longer and it can cause you to be paralized if 1 movement is made the wrong way. I'm currently pregnant with #6 and I plan on have another vaginal. I went through enough with the cercerean, that I don't want to do again. I do know that people talks about a uterine rupture. I want to lay it in God's hands. My doctor said that I should be okay for I had my other 4 naturally after my first. There are doctors that will do vaginally after cecerean. The doctor that told you there isn't more than likely don't want to deal with you have a natural baby. I had one doctor tell me that I had to do it their way or I do it on my own. I mean that's stupid for they aren't the one having the baby. So, I would recommend you to try it naturally. Your body is in alot more tormoil with a cecerean. My aunt had nothing but cecereans and she wished she didn't. The scarring of mine hurts during the cold weather or rain, Imagine having it more than once. So, good luck to you and your baby.

L.,
I had to have a c with my first as well & are pg with #2 & are having another c. Your doc is right, there are very few OB's out there that will allow you to attempt a VBAC. And the ones that do, usually charge $5,000 out of pocket that your insurance doesnt pay, just to attempt. My aunt in a nursery nurse at a local hospital & she does NOT recommend it due to the risk. They had 2 uterine ruptures at her hospital recently. Both Moms & babies survived, but she doesnt know the long-term effects on the babies b/c they were transferred to another hospital.
For me, the risk is too great. I have a 17 month old to live for. In saying that, I do know many women who have successfully had VBAC's. It seems the OB world goes in phases with this. And right now, unfortunately for you, they are not in favor of it.
One other thing, you also have to find a doc that delivers at a hospital that allows a VBAC.
My doc told me that if I wanted to do one, that I could stay at home & then show up at the hospital when it was too late to do a c-section & they would have to deliver vaginally. But as a non-OB person, how would we know when that time was??? And that means no epidural...YUCK!!!
Sorry for the novel that I wrote.
Good luck with your decision.
H.

I had a Tricare (military) nurse tell me because the civilian doctors will be sued if something goes wrong in the VBAC. They would rather take their chances with the c-section than the VBAC, which makes no sense to me. If it were me, I would push for a VBAC. That is totally your decision.

Good luck and God bless.

I don't know where you live, but inTallahassee we have 4 or 5 doctors that do V-BACs. You sounds like they'd accept you as a candidate. I found out which doctors by asking the local midwives at the Birth Cottage. Ask your local midwives.

Hi L.,
My daughter in law had to have an emergency c section with our first grandchild but then 3 1/2 years later had a normal vaginal delivery with no complications. Hopefully your doctor will give you the option if there are no medical reasons not to. My daughter in law's doctor saw no reason to have to put her through a c section again.

If you had a classical incision, the vertical one, you can't have a VBAC. If you had a bikini line incision, it depends on what else the doctors observed. Your OB should be able to give you a detailed physical reason why you don't qualify for one, and if s/he won't you can find another OB.
I am a mandatory second C-section, and in my case it's because the bony structure of my pelvis is too narrow. I was at 10 cm for six hours before we did the C-section, and pushed for about four of them. I had to stop for a few hours in the middle because my daughter's heart rate dropped too. It recovered when I quit pushing, so I didn't have the emergency situation you did. Of course, it dropped again when I started pushing again, and when the doctor said it just wasn't going to happen I believed her, so ended up with the C-section. It sounds like you got the classical incision, and that's probably your limiting factor. A friend of mine had the same thing and that's why she can't do a VBAC.
There are real physical reasons why in certain cases VBACs aren't possible, and you deserve your reason. I do believe you should get a different OB if s/he won't explain to you why your case isn't suitable for a VBAC. You may find you can do it after all. Good luck and I hope you get the chance to try for one. I would have loved to try, but instead I just have to accept my genetic inferiority and be thankful for C-sections that let the mother live.

If you live anywhere near Jacksonville, try Dr. Kimberly Vanscriver. My friend went to her to do a vbac, and she was more than happy to. Of course, if something goes wrong, she'll do another csection, but as long as things go well, she'll do everything she can to help you do a vbac. She's really great!

My first was delivered by C-section. Then I had the next 4 VBAC with no problem. It could depend on the type of C-section they did because with some they say you can't or shouldn't have a VBAC. Ask your Doctor what type of c-section you had and have him explain why you shouldn't go VBAC. This may help you understand his reasoning for wanting to do a C-section.

I hope this helps. Good luck.

W.

yes i did. my first son was breach so i had to have a C-section. but my second son born 6 years later was a vaginal birth. you can only have a vaginal after a c-section depending on which was you were cut BOTH inside and outside. i was cut bikini cut BOTH on the outside od my skin where i can see and on the inside layers. if you are bikini cut on the outside but your inside layers were cut up and down then you can not have a vaginal next time they told me.because too much strain on your stomach muscles. but the doctors sjould be able to look at your old doctors records from first baby to see which way you were cut inside.hope this helps you.good luck either way hon.

Hi: I'm in very much the same situation as you were, including the hospital and would love to hear how the birth went. Congrats!

Updated

Hi - in a similar situation (would like to deliver at Mt. Sinai via VBAC). How did it turn out for you?

Hi L.. I hate to tell you but this is nothing new. My son was a "c", then five years later I was getting ready to have my daughter. I had been disappointed that I had not experienced the whole range of giving birth with my son so I was hoping that I would be able to have it with my daughter. My water broke, I had contractions and was off to the hospital. It never occurred to me that I could not have a natural birth. But at the hospital they told me I had no choice and that every birth after a "c" would have to be a "c". I was told it was a safety issue not only for the baby but for me. That was 25 years ago. I do recall hearing once since then that a woman was able to have a natural birth after a "c" but I can't tell you any details. I know that doctors stick together and change is slow. Good luck.

Good day,

My first son was breach, I had a vbac after a c-section. My doctor suggested it without hesitation. Things went really well, learning how to push was something. I informed the nurses about the c-section and not knowing how to push and they were so supportive of me doing the right thing. My recovery from the vbac was wonderful, did not take as long as the c-section.

I was able to experience both sides of the spectrum, and that was priceless. I was also able to experience breastfeeding with the second child, which was also priceless. My doctor did the bikini cut for the c-section. I would check with your doctor again about the vbac. My sons are currently 21 and 18, soon to have birthdays this year.

My understanding is that it's an insurance issue and it's the hospitals that now frown upon it because of so many doctors and hospitals getting sued because of complications that occured. My 11 year old was an emergency c, my almost 10 year old (16 montsh apart) was a VBAC. But for baby #3 who will be 3 in August, I was told the hospital would not allow a VBAC anymore. I was fine with it, really. I was able to schedule the c which was soooooo nice instead of being surprised and having to scramble around securing last minute care for my other 2 kids. I was able to pick my child's birthday. I scheduled it for a Friday so my husband could take a 4 day weekend and have less sick days to take from work, and by the time he went back to work I was home and ready to be waited on by my other family and friends. Sounds odd, I know, but I loved having the longer recovery time where I didn't have to do laundry and cook for anyone!! I felt so cheated when I had that VBAC and I was up on my feet so quickly after having the baby!! haha! Seriously, though-- instead of searching for another doctor, I would first call the local hospitals and see if they have a policy on it.... I had an emergeny c, a VBAC, and a scheduled c. Given the choice to pick in the future, I would pick scheduled c in a heartbeat!

I recently had a consultation with a Dr. Delisa Henry Skeete; she was wonderful and I would love to switch Dr.s but I really like my Doctor; he said that his lawyers won't allow his practice to do VBACS. He did them for 18 years. She feels that you should try for a VBAC; I'm still undecided but as I said I really like my doctor; She is in the Fort Lauderdale area off of 441.

My pregnancy is very intense and I have had terrible morning sickness for 9 weeks now. I am still breastfeeding; which is another issue for another discussion; however, I am quite tired as I have a very active almost three year old. I would not change this but it makes for a tired mama. Two years ago, I wanted to have a VBAC very much if I got pregnant sooner than now but I like the fact that I can plan as most of our relatives are out of state.

It's a choice only you can make.

G-D Bless,

R.

it depends on the type of c-section they did. I'm talking about the incision on your uterus, not the one you see on your skin. Sometimes when they are in a hurry, they cut the uterus open from top-to-bottom instead of across. If this is done, no doctor would attempt a VBAC the next time because the risk of uterine rupture during labor (and of you and the baby dying!) is higher!! Please listen to your doctors and do what they advise. I'm sure it's all in your medical records. VBAC is for people that have had a c/s done in a different way.