https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 28 Apr 2026 16:46:29 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/scheduled-c-section-after-hoping-for-a-vbac#post-2878485 Wed, 27 Mar 2019 15:20:19 +0000 paigeface 2878485@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ElbieKay: My practice uses a success rate calculator and you have to fall within certain percentage in order for the practice to allow the doctor to go ahead with allowing a VBAC. I really love my doctor and was with him with during my first pregnancy as well. Changing doc/practice is not an option especially this late in the game (i'm 33 weeks.) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/scheduled-c-section-after-hoping-for-a-vbac#post-2878480 Wed, 27 Mar 2019 15:08:04 +0000 paigeface 2878480@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thank you to each and every one of you for your responses. This has made me feel SO much better about my future C-section and taken some of the stress off. :heart: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/scheduled-c-section-after-hoping-for-a-vbac#post-2878310 Tue, 26 Mar 2019 18:19:33 +0000 Mrsbells 2878310@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@paigeface: I have now had 3 csections and my story is vey similar to yours. One thing to note is that while it is nice to have it scheduled in my experience the recovery and healing time take longer with each repeat csection because they reopen the same incision and the scar tissue takes longer to heal.<br /> Having said that I repeated it twice and learnt from each experience. One key thing is to try to get up and move around as soon as they allow you to. The longer you wait the harder it is. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/scheduled-c-section-after-hoping-for-a-vbac#post-2878298 Tue, 26 Mar 2019 16:45:39 +0000 ttcgirl 2878298@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Like you I had an emergency c-section and then a scheduled c-section. For the scheduled I was able to hold the baby almost right away in the operating room! Then my husband took her to recovery while I was stitched up but once I joined them we were able to do lots of skin to skin and breastfeed right away.<br /> I agree with the others in recommending you try to walk as soon as you can. Also if you are worried about the pain meds, after the first few days I was able to manage the pain by alternating acetaminophen and ibuprofen.<br /> One last thing - I was expecting the second recovery to be much easier than the first. For me it was about the same, with the added difficulty of trying to keep up with my toddler (we had help but it was hard to turn the Mom in me off!) And I just wish I had been more mentally prepared for that so I wanted to share my two cents.<br /> Good luck!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/scheduled-c-section-after-hoping-for-a-vbac#post-2878272 Tue, 26 Mar 2019 14:31:05 +0000 nicollette1189 2878272@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I only have the experiences of a csection, but I can tell you that a scheduled csection is a million times better than a non scheduled one. I've had an emergency one, an unplanned one (baby came a week before my planned one, but I didn't labor), and a scheduled one. It's a very different experience than switching your mentality, so I wouldn't base it completely on your past experience! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/scheduled-c-section-after-hoping-for-a-vbac#post-2878267 Tue, 26 Mar 2019 14:01:03 +0000 castilrm 2878267@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Also, just to add, in the US, the average delivery (not just a vbac) only has a 70-75% chance of being vaginal because the US has an approx. 30% c-sectionrate, so the fact that you’re hovering around a 60-65% range doesn’t say much as it’s only slightly below the average. Generally the considerations in that percentage doesn’t take into account much personalization, it looks at age, reason for last c section, number of c sections, ethnicity, weight, and to a certain degree, estimated size of baby (which is also notoriously difficult to estimate....mine have always been totally off the mark). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/scheduled-c-section-after-hoping-for-a-vbac#post-2878265 Tue, 26 Mar 2019 13:50:38 +0000 castilrm 2878265@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hi there! If you mean the vbac success calculations, I think you should take those with a grain of salt....I was basically at 50/50 chance of succes after laboring with my first for over 12 hours and while I dilated fully on my own, baby would not descend so I had a c section. There was no reasoning as to failure to descend as baby’s position was perfect (do you know what position your first was in? That can affect dilation as well), so my OBs estimated my chance of success well below 65% but were supportive of me giving it a shot. I did all I could to ensure a successful vbac including chiropractor, doula, positioning exercises. Whether any specific thing made a difference, who knows, but I did have a successful and fast vbac. I labored for less than 4 hours and pushed for maybe an hour. Completely different experience from my first and the “low odds” made no difference.</p> <p>If you want to vbac, may be worth looking into another OB or pushing for more information before your current OB convinces you it’s not worth trying to vbac. If you do another c section, you can also ask for a gentle c section which allows for immediate skin to skin. I had that for my first (unplanned) c section and it made a huge difference in how I felt about the experience.</p> <p>Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/scheduled-c-section-after-hoping-for-a-vbac#post-2878245 Tue, 26 Mar 2019 11:28:50 +0000 ElbieKay 2878245@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@paigeface: What is this percentage you are referring to? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/scheduled-c-section-after-hoping-for-a-vbac#post-2878243 Tue, 26 Mar 2019 11:12:31 +0000 misolee 2878243@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had a csection for my first and Vbacs for my second and third. What it’s worth, my recovery was much worse for the other two than my first. I thought first bm after csection is bad but first bm after labor is much worse. </p> <p>Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy and delivery! 😁 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/scheduled-c-section-after-hoping-for-a-vbac#post-2878233 Tue, 26 Mar 2019 10:22:03 +0000 LadyDi 2878233@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My first l&amp;d was very similar to yours. I made it to 10cm but the baby was sunny side up and did not completely drop down and his heart rate started dropping. My recovery sounds very similar to yours as well (that first post c section BM....YIKES). Also, why does NO ONE tell you about the shakes?! I kept asking if it was normal and they said yes and I was 100% convinced they were lying to me. Anyway, I would have tried for a VBAC with DS2 but I never went into labor and my practice will not induce you for a VBAC, so repeat C it was!</p> <p>Generally, I do think recovery was slightly easier the second time around. You aren't in labor for hours before hand and you haven't had the stress of an emergency procedure. I was able to get a pretty good night's sleep the night before, woke up and went to the hospital to have the baby. I think that part alone makes recovery a bit better although I was still pretty sore and it took a week for me to feel more normal. I didn't shake much during the surgery either. I feel like I was able to bond more quickly the baby too. The first time I had been in labor for so long and I was scared and tired and emotionally drained that by the time he was born all I could think about was how relieved I was that labor was over. The second time I felt much more "with it" and was just very excited to have a new baby (and to be able to eat). </p> <p>The hospital I deliver at has a window in the curtain so you can see the baby as soon as he/she is pulled out (but you can't see anything else, haha) and my practice also allows for immediate skin to skin in the operating room. You should ask your dr if that would be possible. </p> <p>I would definitely get up and walk as soon as possible and as much as possible after the surgery, it really helps even if it seems terrible in the moment. Maybe you could ask for an alternate pain med too, if you don't like how it makes you feel?</p> <p>Best of luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/scheduled-c-section-after-hoping-for-a-vbac#post-2878231 Tue, 26 Mar 2019 10:02:08 +0000 Autumnmama79 2878231@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@paigeface: I’m sorry to hear that you won’t get the VBAC you were hoping for. Hopefully my story will offer some comfort and reassurance. </p> <p>First labour and delivery was very similar to yours. Failure to progress, baby in distress, emergency c-section. I mourned that labour and delivery for a long time. Recovery wasn’t too bad but I think that’s because I was running mostly on adrenaline. Fast forward to my second pregnancy when I decided, along with my docs full agreement that a VBAC was the right choice. Went through the whole pregnancy planning and dreaming about having a VBAC, hired an expensive doula, wrote a birth plan, the whole nine yards. When I came to be 3 days over due it was discovered that the fluid levels were very low and since I had not begun to labour naturally, the safest thing for baby was to do another c-section and get him out ASAP. I was upset for a moment but quickly got over it and was thrilled to meet baby. It was certainly a less scary experience the second time around as I knew exactly what to expect. Also, before I agreed to the c-section I insisted that baby and I recover together and immediate skin to skin would be made possible. They were able to make some staffing arrangements so that could be possible. I was so grateful for that as it made the whole process less stressful knowing that baby and I would be together the whole time and we could enjoy the skin to skin. Recovery was similar for me the second time around, not too bad. But the nurses did insist I get up and walk a little bit (just to bathroom) that first day after. </p> <p>Have you shared your wishes of skin to skin with your doctor? Can it be arranged? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/scheduled-c-section-after-hoping-for-a-vbac#post-2878228 Tue, 26 Mar 2019 09:50:00 +0000 erinbaderin 2878228@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had a similar situation - I had a planned c-section with my first because he was breech, but I didn't find out until 39 weeks at an ultrasound to check growth, so that was a bit of a surprise. I was really hoping for a VBAC with my second (I know it sounds weird but I really wanted to experience labour! I have two kids and never got to feel a single contraction.) but he was also breech for basically the whole time, so repeat c section it was! </p> <p>I do think, knowing it's coming, there are probably things you could do to prepare and things you could discuss with your doctor ahead of time. I did get to immediately hold the baby, they tucked them both in on my chest after they were born while they finished doing whatever they were doing. My husband also wore a zip-up hoodie with no shirt so when they had to take the boys away from me for about 15 minutes for something he was able to do skin to skin. Try and get up and moving much sooner, it really does make a difference. Both my c sections were at 7am and they had me out of bed and trying to walk that afternoon. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/scheduled-c-section-after-hoping-for-a-vbac#post-2878218 Tue, 26 Mar 2019 09:11:47 +0000 paigeface 2878218@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hi all!</p> <p>I hope everyone is doing well!<br /> So a little background this is my second pregnancy and I ended up having an emergency C-section first time around with my son. I labored for 28 hours total and failed to progress past 8cm. His heart rate started dropping so I had to get a C-section. I was fine with it because at that point I just wanted him to be ok! Everything was good and he was born healthy. I however felt like the C-section was hard on me possibly because I was so out of it after being labor so long, lack of sleep, the unknown etc. The shakes on the table were down right scary and no one let me know that would happen. It wasn't until day 3 that I tried to walk and it was miserable. I was afraid to leave the hospital as well. I don't like pain meds so I hated how loopy it made me feel after. I also hated that I couldn't hold my baby right after. My husband and baby left the room right after so I could be stitched up. I had a horrible time trying to go to the bathroom the first time around. I am in overall great health and physical shape so it was really shocking to me how long it took me to recover (I worked out my entire pregnancy.) I felt like I lived on the couch for the first few weeks. Long story short (phew!) I was really hoping for a VBAC this time around and a different birth experience. I really wanted that immediate skin to skin with baby and a quicker healing time as I don't get a ton of time off work and hubby has to go right back to work as well (I will have a bit of help from my mom who watches my son weekly!) My doctor was really supportive of me trying for a VBAC and said I was a great candidate. At the OBGYN firm I go to you do have to fall within a certain percentage for them to allow the doctor perform VBAC. The whole pregnancy I was 65% (which at the firm I go to is the number you have to be at or higher.) Last week at my 32 week appt I fell below that percentage to 61.5% so we decided after careful consideration to schedule the C-section at 39 weeks. Has anyone had a similar situation? I know I won't be in labor for hours on end before this time and I am told its a much easier/enjoyable process. Is this true? What was your experience? Thank you! :)</p> <p>P.S. as long as baby and I are safe that's really all that matters. I just am a little disappointed that I'll have to go through C-section recovery again especially with a very active 3 year old to take care of as well. </p>