Are you thinking of having a vaginal birth after a c-section (VBAC)? Do you want to know how you can be the most successful with having the birth you’ve always dreamed of? There are many factors that will help you and your little one during childbirth.
I was very young when I had my first baby. I didn’t know what to expect during labor. I was nervous, confused and in pain. And those contractions of mine just wouldn’t get going. When the nurses offer me a dose of Pitocin, I gladly accepted.
“It’ll make your contractions harder and get your baby out,” the nurses said.
But in the end, as I held my baby in my arms, I felt let down. In a rush, the doctor told me that I just didn’t have the right kind of body to have a natural birth; my pelvis was too small. Mixed with the exhilaration of holding my newborn son, the sharp pain of my new cut lingered.
Many years later, in the doctor’s office, I waited eagerly for her to wrap up her questions. The little body inside of me made me feel ravenous and I could hardly wait to eat some lunch. Almost 5 months along, I looked more like I could eat a house.
“Anymore questions?” she asked me.
I couldn’t think of anything else. It was my last visit with her before our move and everything looked great. A thought flashed through my mind.
“So, even though I once had a baby via c-section, can I have this one naturally?”
Her eyes opened a bit wide and then as serious and down to business as she usually was, she started filling me in on “VBAC 101.” She was certainly in favor of it if all the conditions were right. I had the “right” scar (low transverse) to do a VBAC; my pregnancy was low-risk; I was healthy. I was good to go (or so I thought).
After an international relocation and a long orientation with the head nurse at my new OB doctor, I realized that having a VBAC was a bigger deal to the medical community than I had previously thought.
Thankfully, the information my previous doctor gave me helped me to give the head nurse a great argument. She was seething by the time we were done. I was seeking a waiver that would allow me to birth my son vaginally.
She was not the only barrier to this and here’s what I did to have a successful VBAC with my son (and later, my daughter):
1. Education. Two of the things the nurse scared me about was the possibility of my previous c-section scar rupturing. She also told me my pelvis was probably too small to have a natural birth. I found out that scar ruptures can indeed happen. They are more likely with a vertical incision cut (up and down, across the stomach). But…I also learned that women without scars can rupture too (though it’s not as likely). The most likely thing to make scars rupture is Pitocin. It is given as an aid to make contractions stronger. Avoid it at all costs; the super-strong contractions can put a lot of needless stress on your cesarean-section scar. And it can make the contractions more than a body can naturally bear. As far as having a “too-small” pelvis…when birthing, you can get into different positions that will help you to open your vagina more for an optimal birth. Squatting is one of the best.
2. Health and Nutrition. When I had my first c-section, I had gained TONS of weight by eating ice cream and fried chicken. It tasted yummy at the time, but really was a “no-no.” With my later pregnancies, I ate as healthy as possible. Early in the pregnancy, I ran. Later, I walked and practiced yoga. Childbirth is very active and physical, so it’s important to “train” for it ( maybe not like a marathon, but when your body is healthier and stronger, it can perform better).
3. Interventions. The small town (with the feisty nurse) I had relocated to didn’t have a hospital that supported VBACS, so I had to go out of town to the closest hospital that would. It was about two hours away and the moment I got there, the doctor classified me as a high-risk pregnancy. The reason? I wanted to have a VBAC. I stayed away from as many interventions as possible. My “pregnancy intervention” radar was always on. The one question I constantly asked was, “Is this necessary?” If it wasn’t, I didn’t do it. I did LOTS of Internet searches about how to have a more natural birth in the hospital.
4. Support. After all the red tape and yucky politics involved with trying to do a VBAC (especially if you have U.S. military insurance, aka Tricare), I almost decided to have my son at home. I even had the name of a highly recommended midwife, but the out-of-pocket cost was too high. My husband was also worried that my old scar would rupture and that my life or the baby’s life could be in grave danger during birth.
In light of choosing a hospital birth, I wanted as much support as possible. My husband and mom would be there and I later enlisted the help of my aunt, who was at the time a doula waiting to be certified. It was a blessing to have them with me. When we checked into the hospital, the check in person didn’t believe I was in labor. The attending labor and delivery doctor talked too much, also. In both cases (and many more), my aunt, husband and mom acted on my behalf and helped to envelop me in safety.
5. Preparation. Labor involves physical work (and physical works needs good fuel to keep it going). I brought snacks to the hospital with me (I had to sneak them in). I went to the hospital beforehand to talk to the labor and delivery (L&D) nurses and ask about their procedures. In both of my hospital VBAC experiences, I found that L&D nurses are much more open to VBACs and birthing without drugs and much intervention. Hopefully, that is the case for you. Make sure you visit your prospective hospital long before you deliver your baby. It gives you some time to scope things out.
I wrote up a birth plan to give to the nurses and doctor. I read about labor and delivery (a good book to read is Having A Baby Naturally by Peggy O’Mara). I talked with both doulas (for my son and daughter) about what to expect during birth, birthing positions I might try, and what I would use to help me relieve my pain. We also talked about what roles each of my support people would play in the birth of my son. Everyone helped out wonderfully!
One evening, about two days after my son’s due date, my contractions started. They began to get harder and harder. My aunt, mom and I walked a bit, and after two minutes, the contractions were much closer together and hard enough to make me wince (and want to hold my breath).
We went into the hospital around 11pm and at 11am-ish, I watched through a mirror as my newborn son started to crown. First, his head came out and his body slipped right out after another big push. He was put on my chest, where I stared at him in wonder. I was elated. My mom expressed everything beautifully for me as she jumped up and down with a huge smile on her face and exclaimed, “He’s here!”
You can have the VBAC that you want. You are the one in control, the one who makes the decision.
Informed decisions are a part of being a natural parent and having a natural family. You can find a 5-pillar approach the having a natural family here in this free report. It comes with some great recipes, bonuses and more. Visit Natural Family Freedom now to claim your free report.
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