Hey, mamas! (Hopefully there are some
papas-to-be reading this too. ;) ) Making the decision to go for a
VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Caesarean) is a huge deal. Many factors go
into this choice and all weigh differently for each individual and
couple according to their own personal circumstances. With that being
said, if you are still debating whether trying for a VBAC is the
right decision for you, you
can check out some of my posts from a previous VBAC Series I did on the blog
a few years ago. If you or your baby mama are in the process of
gathering suggestions on how to have the best chances of a successful
VBAC, read on!
*Find
a Supportive Provider
This
might be the most important suggestion I (and many other mamas who
have gone for a VBAC) have to give. If you don't have a VBAC-friendly
provider, your whole pregnancy and birth are going to be an uphill
battle. Plus, you'll just be putting more stress on yourself. I (and
again, many other moms) recommend driving even further to a nearby
city if you are unable to find a supportive provider closer to home.
(We drove over an hour!)
Be
sure to look into hospital policies as well. Just because your
provider may be open to VBACs does not necessarily mean the hospital
where they deliver are or the other doctors in his/her practice, for
that matter, who may be on call when you go into labor.
Also
be sure to look for warning signs that may indicate
that your doctor or midwife is NOT as VBAC-friendly as they seem.
*Communication
is Key
...With
your doctor/midwife, significant other/birthing partner, hospital
staff at the time of birth, etc. Make your desires known to everyone
(within reason ;) ) who will be involved with your pregnancy and
birth so there is no confusion when the time comes and you may not
even be able to talk!
*Know
What You Want
Or at
least have a very good idea and be willing to fight for it. Not to
undermine medical providers, but you may need to back up your reasons
for wanting to do certain things with facts, statistics, and
research, which brings me to...
*Educate
Yourself
Research
everything you can relating to VBACS: risks of actually trying for
the vaginal birth, pregnancy risk factors that can make a VBAC more
difficult to obtain, statistics on these items, etc. Read VBAC birth
stories too, both good and bad. You can read my own VBAC story with
my second daughter HERE.
*Learn
to Advocate for Yourself
This
is an absolute must and quite possibly just as important as finding a
supportive provider. You must learn to stand up for yourself and what
you believe in. It also helps to have a partner who is in board as
well, of course.
*Be
Open to Changes
Make
and be open to contingency plans...But don't dwell
on them. Positive thinking is so important when planning a VBAC. It's
easy to worry about just about everything, trust me, but make those
“what if?” plans and lock them in the back of your mind until the
need arises for them. (Which hopefully it won't!)
*Prenatal
Yoga & Exercise Ball
I
am not a health nut by any means, but I am SO glad I started yoga
while I was pregnant! It made me less cranky, more relaxed, and most
importantly, limbered me up both in the short and long term. I really
do think it helped me have a relatively easy labor. In fact, many of
the poses can be used to help you through contractions.
I
also invested in an exercise ball at about 37 weeks. Supposedly, it
can help you thin your cervix and get baby to lower in your pelvis.
If nothing else, bouncing on it off and on all day will help make
your legs stronger, which helps during labor. ;)
Please
keep in mind these are just my
suggestions from my own personal experience. I'm sure there are some
other things other moms who have had successful VBACs would include
in this list. The most important thing is to listen to your
instincts!
I am not a
medical practitioner of any sort, therefore none of the information,
advice, or recommendations above should be taken as professional
medical advice. I am not liable for any injury that may come from the
above information. Always consult with your medical practitioner
before trying anything new or if you have any questions about
anything during pregnancy and birth.
I was way to chicken shit to even contemplate a v-bac.
ReplyDelete#fabfriday
If we have a second, I hope to have a VBAC birth. Apparently you need 2 years between births for them to even consider it. So I have a few more months to wait. #FabFridayPost
ReplyDeleteDefinitely worth the wait then, imo. It it totally worth it, especially if you were not happy with your c-section!
DeleteThis is very interesting. I have read a lot of article about this. Well done you for sticking to your gun. Both of mind were natural - though my first was a full on medical drugs and forceps, etc. My second was totally drug free as I decided to go for a homebirth instead. Thank you so much for linking up with us on #FabFridayPost and sharing your tips for a successful VBAC option.
ReplyDeleteOh wow. Your first one sounds unpleasant. :/ I thought about a homebirth, especially with my first one, but I'm not quite brave enough. ha ha
DeleteThis is a great list of tips! After a traumatic emergency C-section for my first child, I went on to have 3 VBACs, the last one at home. I had my second child in Denmark, where all providers are naturally supportive of VBACs, so it wasn't a case of them 'letting me' have a 'trial of labour'. Having my last baby at home, in Ireland where we now live, was one of the most wonderful experiences of my life.
ReplyDelete#FabFridayPost