MORE READER COMMENTS
Before reading these, please read the first batch of reader comments HERE.
We are presenting letters from those for and against home birth / VBACs here. Readers need to know all the facts before making a decision to attempt VBAC and/or home birth.
BRIGID SAYS:
Hi Angela,
I had a VBAC with my second child. It went very well.
I had had a very long labour with my first child, Robert, who was a large and healthy 9.5 lbs. The c/s was done because after almost 48 hours of labour, including 12 hours of pushing, he just didn’t come out. (Our local hospital can’t do c/s, so I had to be transferred to another hospital during labour once it became clear I wasn’t going to have a straight-forward delivery.)
I was given a very poor chance of having a successful VBAC, but couldn’t stand the thought of a second c/s without even trying.
My second labour lasted 6.25 hours in total. I dilated to full in 4.25 hours – where previously that had taken 36 – and spent about 1.75 hours pushing, until my 8.5 lb daughter popped out. It was marvellous, and best of all, once the labour was over, all the pain just stopped. Like flicking a light switch, went from ON to OFF. As opposed
to post-c/s when I felt (and looked) like the living dead for most of a month thanks to blood loss and so on.
Any rate, all the best and however your birth goes, may it produce a lovely baby for you to cherish.
Hugs,
Brigid
KAREN SAYS:
Hi Ang,
Love getting your newsletter each week. It rocks!
I have no info. to order on VBACs, but I had a c-section with three years ago and I’m not interested in doing THAT again, unless absolutely necessary. The gas pains two days after the surgery were horrific. I can understand why you wouldn’t want to endure another surgery like that. I am rooting for you that all goes well and you’ll have great info to share with us after the fact. On the flip side, I have heard of people having successful VBACs so I don’t doubt that you will sail through it with flying colors. I wonder, are the doctors all just trying to scare the you know what out of us or is there really a huge risk involved?
When I was pregnant with the twins, my one son was lying in the head down position, but the other was breech throughout the entire pregnancy. My docs wanted me to try and give birth vaginally. Mind you, I had a rough pregnancy the entire 37 weeks, and by the time I was ready to give birth, I didn’t have the energy to move let alone push two out. Plus, I knew my odds were that one would be born vaginally and then I’d have to deliver the other via c-section because he was breech anyway so I actually demanded a c-section. My drs weren’t too happy with me, but I know in my heart that I did the right thing — I think going vaginal for one and then c-section for the other would have been too awful to think about.
Good luck to you, Ang!
Karen
ANGELA REPLIES:
Hiya Karen,
You just reminded me about something!!! I didn’t have gas pains, but
I did have other, severe bowel problems (no “movement” down there if you know what I mean!) for 5 full days after the surgery! That in itself was very uncomfortable. My mom was feeding me laxatives and more. Gads, it was horrific!! And, I couldn’t come downstairs for an entire week because of blood clot worries.
The pain meds they had me on knocked Max out because I was nursing. In fact, he didn’t really wake up completely until I stopped taking those. I realized, on day 3, that I was the reason he wasn’t waking up. I stopped taking the meds, switched to tylenol, and he was alert and quite active and noticeably happy by that evening.
Nobody ever told me that taking the meds would put the baby to sleep for days on end. And, I was supposed to take those for a week?!? So much mis-information and lack of information coming from the medical community!!!
I have to agree with you that you chose to do both by c-section. Geez, what woman wants stitched in her gut AND in her bum? Ouch!!!
I’m opting this time for no episiotomy. I had one with all my vaginal births and, honestly, those hurt like hell when you try to go to the bathroom after giving birth.
D. SAYS:
Hi, Angela,
Just wanted to let you know I had a successful VBAC eleven years ago in a hospital in Philadelphia. My female doctor seemed confident all would be well. I was shocked to watch baby descend in the normal fashion. But after a difficult C-section eighteen months earlier, the vaginal birth of my second child was a great experience.
Also a big thank you. I make the bulk of my writing income from creating greeting card copy. In the issue before this one, you listed a company looking for a greeting card writer. I applied, but would have never found the opportunity otherwise. Fingers crossed.
Thanks for all you do for writers. And best of luck with your pregnancy and
delivery.
D
C. SAYS:
Hi Angela:
Had to respond about your planned VBAC. I had a C-section w/my first pregnancy because the baby was breech. No complications and very simple recovery. Not bad at all. For my second child’s birth 20 months later (in 1994 when VBACs and one-night hospital stays were all the rage, thanks to the insurance companies), I had a VBAC. I wish I hadn’t. Along with that delivery came a 4 degree tear which has since caused problems. You don’t want to know the details, but if I’d had more of a choice I would have had a C-Section instead of the VBAC. Also, since I had such a brief hospital stay we didn’t realize right away that our daughter had jaundice until a day or so after we should’ve had her back at the hospital.
So, for whatever it’s worth, I’d recommend a C-Section in a hospital. Regardless, good luck and hope all goes well with the rest of your pregnancy!
C.
CS SAYS:
My sister was fortunate in that her hospital allowed her to have an “after Casearean” birth in the hospital, using a nurse/midwife. She had no problems except for some bleeding, and the nurse/midwife took care of that. She was exhausted after the birth, but otherwise fine. The midwife was terrific.
READ MANY MORE READER COMMENTS HERE.
