VBAC

Anybody know anything about VBACs?

We are TTC #2 and after the horror of my c-section, I never want to go through that again! Does anyone know about VBACs? Will midwives take us on after gastric bypass? I would like insight both pro and con (since I am sure people have views on both sides)! I am hoping this is an option for us. I really don't want to have to have another c-section if it was possible.

~Victoria

YOu had surgery on your stomach, not your uterus.

My first was a c/s and I have gone on to have 6 VBAC's - 5 of those were UBAC's and of those 5, 4 were water births.

I believe it is completely possible. You just need to find a MW in your area either at a birthing center, or one that does homebirth.

For me I made sure I had some shadow OB care for some tests, but I had the VSG and they just kind of look at me blankly when I ask them things. I've also seen my PCP that I had for my surgery since he was more familiar with WLS in general.

We're planning another UWBAC (unassisted water birth after cesarean) - after WLS.

I've got 4-6 weeks left so I'll let you know how things go.

Thanks for the quick response! My husband and I are trying for baby number 2 and I had a horrible first birth. I had to have a c-section and my epidural (containing the meds for the section) failed and I felt the whole thing. they finally put me under after my bladder was already moved. I am pertrified to do that again. I think that it would mess my mind up the entire pregnancy if I had to look forward to that with no options.

 Hubby and I are 11 weeks pregnant with baby #2.  I unfortunately had to have a c-section with baby #1 and it sucked!!  I healed fast and had no problems, but it seriously wasn't fun.  I am super lucky that my OB is the only one on my side of town that will even try VBACs, and luckily at the hospital that I prefer.  There are a few women on this board that have had successful VBACS and that gives me hope.  Here are just two links my husband sent me.  Also, my OB is supposed to give me some literature to read at some point about VBACs, I would be happy to scan it and email it to you when I get it.
http://www.childbirth.org/section/VBACFAQ.html
http://www.americanpregnancy.org/labornbirth/vbac.html

http://pregnancy.about.com/od/vbac/a/deniedvbac.htm

Thanks! Any info would be great. My friend says her midwife does them and she takes my insurance so i am hopeing they will take me if I get preggers again.

You should be okay with a vbac.  Also, you won't have an epi this time if you have c-section.  It'd be a spinal.  They are more effective.

Victoria! Hi there! How is Tristan?

I don't know if you remember all the issues I had while preggo with Jantzen. In and out of hospitals, taken by ambulance from one hospital to another. But anyways, there were 2 wonderful men who fought for my care, cared GRATELY for me, and were amazing. The doc who ended up delivering Jantzen is so amazing with care and thoughtfulness. And ........he has moved to Westminster. He left my practice about a month after delivery.

His name is Kwado Bayeh. He fought York Hospital and my Perinatologist for accurate and quality care for me.

When you end up preggo again, try to look him up.

And good luck and CONGRATS on trying again!

Hey Jo!

We are doing good. Tristan is 8 months old now and mobile mobile mobile! He wants to walk and talk so badly, but it is slow going. He is pulling himself up everywhere and says Mama. I do remember all the fun you went through to have Jantzen. How are you and all your kiddos? I will have to look up your dr and see where he is at now. I want to avoid a repeat c-section if at all possible. It was absolutely horrible and i am worried about having to go through that again.

We want our kids to be close together. my sister and I are only 21 months apart and she is my best friend. I would love for Tristan to have that with someone.

Thanks for the info... oh and here's some pics of Tristan.

Hi, Victoria!  I am pregnant with my second child.  I had my daughter several years before my DS and had a really awful c-section too.  I am going with a practice of hospital midwives who have a good success rate with VBACs and only a 12% c-section rate overall, which I think is pretty good.  There is another clinic near me with a 7% rate, but I have heard rumors that they are more likely to "risk out" anyone who has complications, even minor ones. 

Not all midwives are created equal - some may shy away from anyone with a whiff of higher risk.  This is probably better in the long run anyway, since you want someone who will support your choices.  My clinic had me do a baseline 24 urine collection a few weeks ago to check kidney function, because I had blood pressure probs in my other pregnancy.  For now, my BP is 100/70 so no worries, but if it spikes at the very end, they will check my kidney function and compare it to my baseline to see if they can hold off on delivery safely and wait for labor to naturally start.

Some WLS folks will tell you that you need to see an OB and/or perinatologist for a post-op pregnancy, but IMO a midwife can be a perfectly good option for a post-op pregnancy.  Most midwives work with OBs and can consult with maternal fetal medicine if necessary.  The midwives I see sit down as a group every week and discuss patient issues, and they also communicate closely with the OBs in the same hospital group (that's why I ended up doing the pee collection.)  I've only had a couple visits because I'm only 14 weeks along, but so far I feel like the care I'm receiving is more thoughtful and more thorough than when I had my daughter and was attended by OBs.  At any rate, I think if I end up with another c-section, I'll feel more at peace with it because I trust my care providers more and I feel they are really looking at me as a human, not just a stack of records and risks.

At any rate, this is my long way of saying that WLS needn't interfere with VBAC plans.  I wish you the best with TTC, pregnancy and birth!