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I might as well chat at you fools here, too.
I wrote a post on the VBAC board, but would love if anyone had any input or advice here, too. And sorry to bog down the board with all these pregnancy issues, it's just my life right now, I guess.
First pregnancy: (Pit-) Induced at 41 weeks with no dilation and not
much effacement. 36 hours of labor, pushed for 1 1/2 hours, his head
would come down while pushing, but go right back up after stopping.
We're not sure he ever really engaged. Anyway, I pretty much gave up
and we did a section. After birth and for weeks later, he had internal
bruising on both upper arms from, what docs think, being stuck in birth
canal. He was 9 lbs. 12 oz. and over 22" long. My recovery also sucked big time.
This pregnancy:
I'm 32 weeks and baby is measuring, via u/s, large. Head, belly and
femur, measuring multiple times/ways are all measuring 3-5 weeks "ahead"
and weight is estimated at 5 lbs. 3 oz. And again, I should have 8
weeks to go.
My care providers (midwife, supervising OB and PA) seem to be truly supportive of having a VBAC and right now, my plan is to go for the VBAC if labor happens spontaneously. If I end up like first pregnancy (closed up tight at 41+ weeks), I'll do a RCS.
Last
appointment (a few days ago), PA suggests that, because of this baby's
(estimated) size, I may not be able to push him out, either, since I
wasn't able to with my first. There was a term she used for this and
it had an acronym with it, but of course now I can't remember it. CPM?
CMP?
Anyway, I'm afraid she could be right but I also feel that there are many women out there that push out ten-pound babies, too.
She thinks we'll have a better grasp on size and can better determine what to do in a few more weeks, or closer to full-term, and can make a better plan of action then, but I can't stop thinking about what I should do.
Any advice? Anyone have a similar "set-up?"
Re: I might as well chat at you fools here, too.
http://www.americanpregnancy.org/labornbirth/cephalopelvicdisproportion.html Sorry It's not clicky
Happily Married Since 11.29.02
Brayden Kenneth born 3.27.06
Blaire Kay born 7.10.10
From the reading I did, I would bet that being up and walking around as much as possible during labor would be very beneficial. Let gravity help you as much as you can to get that head engaged. This would also allow baby to turn and adjust several times as he descends which would also be helpful for the shoulders. I was told that Amelie could've been bad but since I'd been up a bunch and moving all over that I was able to get her out on my own with just a little twisting or whatever from the doc. Do you have an exercise ball? Start sitting/bouncing on one of those puppies to get that kid down as far as you can before labor. I really think that, plus a little evening primrose oil helped. If it didn't help, it certainly didn't hurt.
I realize you had a behemoth of a kid before, but those ultrasounds seem to be off by quite a bit pretty frequently. I'm actually kind of glad my doctor doesn't do those because it sounds like all it does is freak moms out. Try to keep in mind that your body was made to do this. It may not have done it with Jack, but that doesn't mean you can't do it now. Talk with your midwife and just keep the lines of communication open and always ask about your options. I totally think you can do this. Positive thinking. You can do it!!! :-)
I can give you my experience:
Kid #1 born at 36w5d 7lb 5 oz, vaginal delivery after pushing for 1.5 hrs, two in two different places, had epidural. Total labor: 16 hrs with pitocin
Kid #2 born at 39w6d 7lb 15 oz, no epidural. Contractions started the day before, but "hard" labor was only about three hours. Pushed for 20 minutes.
The two labors were so different. Things really seemed to go better the second time around.
I was really nervous about kid #2 being huge because I imagined that if I had gone to due date with #1 she would have easily been nine pounds.
However, because your first labor sounds really traumatic, If I would were I would really lean towards a repeat C. I would worry about a lot of labor pain with a C section as the end result. BUT, I am a wimp and said I would only do a med free birth if the circumstances were close to perfect.
See what happens in the next few weeks. If you go into labor at 37 weeks, you could have a 7 lb baby. If that is the case, give the VBAC a try!
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I would just see how things go the next few weeks. Like kim said, if you go into labor early, try for the VBAC. My only fear with being induced (for me, although obviously not an option) is going through induction with meds that cause hard and fast labor in some cases, then ending up with a RCS and and an exhausted body to recover with.
You really just have to weigh the pros and cons and talk to your MW when the time gets closer. If the VBAC is still the best option, I'd totally do it. If a RCS is going to be the least risk for you and baby J #2, I would do that.
While I am one to think u/s can be off, this baby is measuring HUGE. While u/s can be off 1/2lb-1, a 5lb baby at 32 weeks would be quite a screw up on the u/s...I'm willing to bet you have a big baby
I have no advice on the VBAC but I agree with Robyn. You've been consistently measuring big. I doubt the u/s was *that* far off predicting your little guy is already 5 lbs. You have a history of big babies as well.
Listen to your body. I know you'll do everything in your power to have a VBAC but you've got a very realistic mindset. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that everything goes smoothly.
love is for every her, love is for every him, love is for everyone
I'll admit that I'm a little jealous that you're considering VBAC because my pelvis is too small for birthing babies (and all these years I thought I had good birthing hips!). It's actually genetic, my Mom had VERY difficult labor with me (I was in distress) and my cousin ended up with C/Ss too.
Anyway, a part of me was secretly hoping that D would drop and I would actually go into labor, but she never did and my scheduled c/s was actually at 40w1d.
My point is that I'm glad everyone is so supportive of a VBAC, but it sounds like you have a very realistic plan in mind. And if you do end up with another C/S, DO NOT let other make you feel guilty. Just do what you feel is best for you and your baby! :-)
I've never heard of not doing a VBAC after having pit during a previous labor? Regardless, they know the history and, up until this point, have had no problemo shooting for the VBAC.
Regarding being induced this time, I'm pretty against it and that is what docs hate or won't do - induce with pit after a c-section (more occurence of rupture, even though it's pretty rare, in general).
This is absolutely my biggest fear, as well. On one hand, the RCS seems like the "easiest" option, but I D-R-E-A-D the recovery (even though many tell me that scheduled C's are much different than the whole labor, pushing, then C thing). I also dread the whole 'take the baby to nursery while Mom goes to sit in recovery for hours and me being all out of it like I was last time. I don't remember a whole heck of a lot for quite a few hours following the c-section. So, I'd love to hear all your beautiful, scheduled c-section stories, too, peeps!
The thought of just hopping on up after birthing via the vag and having a sound mind sounds so wonderful, but then we go back to the real possibility of that ending in c-section after laboring, etc.
Where is my damn crystal ball??
Well, you know my story so that fact that you are pushing for a vbac blows my mind. If I ever have another one I wouldn't even consider it. I "think" my whole labor, inducing, pushing, blah, blah, blah, C-Section is similar to yours but minus me puking my guts out afterwards (I get really, really, really motion sick--especially from the drugs). Otherwise I felt great. Even in the hospital my pain was at maybe a 1-2. I would tell them 3-4 because I think they thought I was lying whan I said 1-2. Never took a narcotic after leaving the hospital, just the advil they make you take. And I was at your house 1 week later and had almost gotten into the worst car accident of my life an hour before. My recovery was great, I had no major pain, at all. Mostly just adjusting to having been cut open so of course you are tender.
Do you what you want to do but I would release all of this because just reading everything above seems stressful, so if it's stressing me the non pg girl out, I'm sure it's adding some stress to you. As I have found in life, you can only plan so much before it is out of your control. Make your plan and release it and if it doesn't go that way, oh well. You'll still have a beautiful baby boy to snuggle.
Talk to your provider. If you decide RCS is your best bet (I'm not saying I think it is, just IF it ends up being that) tell them you want baby with you the whole time--he can be....tell them that you didn't like how drugged you were the first time. My meds with Mara were much less harsh--I think they did a different spinal/epi combo than the first two (well, the first I was knocked out so scratch that) and I was totally with it.
They can keep baby with you at all times barring any medical need after a c-section, you just have to ask. My plan this time is to have Jude taken care of right by me during the c-section and him go right to recovery with me--not to the nursery at all and St. E's is fine with it. So, that is an option.
FWIW, each c-section is different too. With Peyton I was AOK afterward. With Berkeley I was in rough shape. Mara's was the easiest one I'd had (as easy as a c-section is---despite people thinking it can be the "easy way out" that recovery is no fun in general--but, it was speedy and I felt great really quickly.
Do what you feel is best for you and baby J. Make your requests known in advance and talk to your providers about what you want to happen in either situation.