VBAC Supportive Caregivers?

Hi, I also am going to try to have a VBAC I am due at the beginning of March. My doctors practice is very supportive of it and actually asked me if that is what I would like to try for. I go to Women Gynecology and Childbirth Associates. It is a practice of all woman and they also have midwives as well as ob's. Good Luck to you, I know that I am very nervous!

Hi. I may not be much help in this particular area. I had c-sections with both of my kids. The first one was unplanned and I felt like I had been run over by a truck when my son arrived. It was 3 days past my due date and they had to induce me even though I had been in pre-term labor 3 weeks prior and was 3cm dilated. Then I went through 24 hrs labor, pushed for almost 2 hrs and he still wasn't even doing more than a little "molding". So, they took me to the OR. He was 9lbs 10oz. My daughter was a planned c/s because they knew she was going to be large also and I wasn't up to "trying" for nothing. They scheduled me 1 week before my due date and everything went quickly and smoothly. I went in that morning, and less than 2 hrs later I was holding my daughter (who was 8lbs 9oz) and felt wonderful. The recovery time was drastically different as well. I was up and around within a day or 2, as opposed to almost 2 weeks with my son. Being a nurse myself, I understand your point about the body knowing best. However, sometimes nature isn't the right way to go. I have no regrets about my decision to plan my 2nd section. I hope things work out for you though. I also went to Women Gynocology and Childbirth Associates. I highly recommend them. They were with me either way and supported my decisions. Good Luck!!

You are not alone. I changed provides at 30 weeks. I had a successful VBAC at Highland Hospital with the Strong Midwifery group that you were talking about. I highly recommend Highland, as they have the most successful VBACs in our area. I was also very pleased with the midwifery group. I was 1 week, 6 days late with my son and not pressured to move him along. They told me when he was due that I could discuss being induced at a later visit and schedule it for the 42 week mark incase he didn't come by then. We were in the hospital a day and a half before the scheduled induction and he was born on the day I would have been induced! (LOOONG labor, which often happens after a c-section when scar tissue can hinder your uterus from strong, regular contractions.)

The main reason I would recommend the Strong Midwifery Group is one of them is guarenteed to be in there with you in 24 hour shifts. You could make plans with your own OB and express your wishes, but more often than not in any other practice your doctor will not be the one on call when you go into labor. That's what happened with my first son. He was a c-section because the doctor on call probably wanted to make extra money that day... He was worried about my son's heart rate, which ended up being fine and was also something my own doctor had been monitoring. Once he broke my water, he said the heart rate was fine, but he pushed us for a c-section anyway. By that point I was so emotional and couldn't think clearly, so I agreed. I decided I didn't want to take the chance ending up with a doctor who didn't know me and didn't respect my wishes. At Strong Midwifery Group they really do support whatever decisions you decide to make.

I attempted a VBAC with my 2nd pregnacy. First pregnacy was an emergency c-sec because we lost his heartbeat. He was 8lbs. (Umbillical cord was wrapped around his neck). My OB/GYN was very supportive of the VBAC. However, my 8th month of pregnancy I started swelling up like a balloon. I had gained 12 pounds my first 7 months, and gained 30 in my 8th month alone! I wasn't pre-eclampsic(sp?) though, I didn't have the protien problem. My bp was sky-high. Dr. then decided that if she didn't come by the due date, he would do a repeat c-section. She didn't come on her own. Recovery from that c-sec was rough, because of all the swelling. She was 10lbs at birth! When I got pregnant with my 3rd, we decided with my history of big babies, and they get larger as you have more (supposedly) that a c-sec was the best way to go.
The third c-sec was a breeze! He ended up only being 7lbs, 9oz, so he probably could have been born natural. However, recovery was easier than the other two "unplanned" ones, and I was moving around almost normally by the second day.
My doctor belongs to the Unity OB/GYN group.
Good luck!