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Meg's VBA2C

9/10/2014

10 Comments

 
My husband and I have two children born via c-section. Our eldest daughter was born via c-section because our doctor told us I failed to progress after only 3 hours of being in labor after my water was broken. We were 23 years old, on our own in a city we didn't know, and enrolled in graduate school, and didn't know much about labor and so we trusted her. We found out later that the real reason she pushed for a c-section was because she wanted to go home to her children.  She told us this while I was on the operating table. 

Our beautiful baby girl was born at 9lbs with a head full of hair. She was beautiful. Unfortunately, because of the numbing medication and the exhaustion of it all I was in and out of consciousness and shaking badly. I held her for a few minutes before she and my husband were taken to a different part of the hospital for her check up. I was taken to get an x-ray and then brought into my recovery room and all I remember saying is "Where is my daughter? Where is my husband? I want to hold my baby." 

They didn't bring her to me until after she was already bathed, I lost track of time and it felt like forever before I got to hold my daughter; my husband tells me it was at least an hour and a half. We were over the moon in love with her and happy she came safely. My recovery went very well, up and walking, very little pain (I have a high pain tolerance) and we were sent home three days later. It wasn't until a few months after her birth that the way she came into the world bothered me. I felt like I was lied to, that I wasn't given enough options. Sure, I was happy that we had a healthy baby girl but I felt like something was missing.

Our daughter was only 6 months old before we found out we were expecting number 2. We played with the idea of having a trial of labor with him but nothing really came together. I called two doctors in my area that were VBAC friendly and one was booked, not taking any new clients, and the other one agreed to meet with me. When we met I had a list of questions but as soon as he saw the list and I asked my first one, he seemed annoyed. He bulldozed over the entire conversation, ending it with "If I even think your baby will be over 8 pounds, you'll have a c-section." I left that meeting and cried to my husband over the phone in my car. An ugly cry. I felt defeated. 

We knew that our second baby was going to be at least 9 pounds like our first, and I did not want to have a c-section in the hospital in which this doctor delivered. So we gave up and decided to go with a provider who was very pro-VBAC but unfortunately his practice was not, so he could only offer us a c-section. We took that and delivered a 9 pound 6 ounce baby boy. This was the hardest birth for me. I wasn't able to hold my son for 9 hours due to continuous vomitting from the spinal tap I had. All I could do was stare at him while my husband held him, skin to skin. When I was finally able to hold him, I was happy that he was healthy but so sad and empty inside for the way he came into the world.

When we decided to have our third baby we knew we were at a fork in the road. We knew that a VBA2C was our only shot if we wanted to have more children after this third baby. 

This time I didn't even bother calling the previous doctor who told me he wouldn't allow me to give birth if he suspected a big baby. I called two other doctors, one was booked and one told me on the phone "You're a medical risk." Great. I called my husband again, crying. After our conversation I decided to think outside of the box and called a midwifery group in a city an hour and a half away from me. I talked to them and they seemed more than optimistic that we could have our third child vaginally. I felt like I won the lottery.

I staid with my OB until I was 20 weeks and then transferred my care an hour and a half away from me, where my mom lives. The 21 weeks of travel, sometimes by myself, sometimes with my kids, was never a burden to me. I was focused on having this baby under my own terms. I zeroed in on what I wanted, using the nights to commit myself to positive thinking. I can't say we had any non supporters in our lives. But our friends and family just thought we were crazy for driving that far to deliver a baby and unsure about why we would take the risks that come with vaginal births after c-sections. But we were confident in our choice, we knew that it was our destiny.

I went to the doctor on a Wednesday, 7 days overdue and nothing was happening. They gave me the option of a c-section, waiting it out until I was 2 weeks overdue and then inducing, or inducing on Friday at 9 days overdue. I told them that a c-section was completely out of the question, we didn't come this far just to give up. They were very nice about it though, the practice believes in giving every option and I appreciated that. We decided that we would go with an induction on Friday.

Thursday morning I woke up with horrible contractions. From nothing happening to contractions the next day!? I was over the moon. We spent our time cleaning up the house, packing the rest of our things, getting the oldest two ready and when we felt like our home was in order, we started on our hour and a half drive. 

We made it to my moms, dropped the kids off, and went to the hospital. They told me that I was barely at 1 but I was happy with that. We walked around the hospital, me contracting in hidden stairways, my husband right by my side. I was checked again but nothing changed and I was instructed to go home and relax. I went back to my moms and ate friend fish and french fries. I was so hungry! I was never allowed to eat in the hospital before. But I was eating! And hugging my babies! And leaning on my mother for support. I went to sleep for a while until I was up with more contractions. This time they were closer together and we decided to go back into the hospital.

At the hospital they told me I was barely at 2 but because it was getting late and I was set for an induction the next morning, I could stay. We settled into the hospital and I immediately fell in love with my nurse. She was amazing and the entire staff were pro-VBAC.

That night I slept pretty well and woke up on Friday with stronger but irregular contractions. Throughout the day I was allowed to move around as much as I wanted, including getting in a shower, so long as my portable monitoring system was picking up the baby's vitals. The baby was doing great, I was great (but in pain) and everything was moving along. I was checked at this time I was at 3! The doctor said "I'm sorry. You're only at 3" and I said "Why are you sorry!? I'm doing this on my own!!!!" I was so happy. The first OB we ever had, our first c-section, told me my body had failed me...I was devastated then. But now, my body was doing exactly what it was supposed to be doing.

I was told that I would need pitocin. There is a lot of literature out there saying that pitocin could cause rupture but I trusted my care providers and I had done my own research and I knew that at very small and controlled doses it can be fine. I agreed to that and contracted with pitocin until my body was able to contract regularly on its own. During my contractions I shut my eyes and I reminded myself things like "This is opening you up." "This is natural." "This is supposed to happen. "Just relax."- No it didn't take all the pain away, but it helped.

Around 4 in the morning, on Saturday, I told my husband "I'm feeling shaky..I have to throw up!" He asked if it was normal..I said..I think so..But he went to get the nurse staff anyway. Just in time too because I threw up in a bucket! I didn't even think at the time that throwing up could be a sign of transition into labor, I just knew I had to throw up. The nurse checked me and the midwife yelled "Yes! It's time! Hold on! We have to go tell everyone, they didn't think this was going to happen! We have to do a happy dance."

And they really did..They left the room, screamed in the hall "She's ready!" and danced!  I looked at my husband and I was in disbelief. 

My body had done this all on its own, my body wasn't a failure.

I began pushing our baby out with the help of an amazing team. The midwife placed warm cloths on me before every push and talked me through everything. My husband was fanning me and that wonderful nurse? Well she was coaching me on how to breathe. It was all very exciting and my breathing was erratic and she helped me with that. I remember saying "You guys are telling me to push, when I'm not at the peek of my contraction." and they apologized! They said they were sorry and I should just push when I wanted to! 

I finally got the head out and I stopped contracting..I guess my body thought I was done. The doctor sounded very worried and told me "Push please..Just push." and I did..But nothing happened. My eyes were closed the entire time but my husband says one of the nurses pressed a red button and more nurses came in. 

My midwife said in a very stern soft voice "You have to get this baby out..NOW" and I did. I pushed hard once or twice and there was a popping noise and out came my baby. What happened was that her shoulders almost got stuck.

I opened my eyes and looked at my husband. He was crying! And all I kept saying was "I did it! I fucking did it!" And I was crying. There isn't a word for the way I was feeling. 

We had a baby girl. But she wasn't crying. I remember saying "Why isn't she crying!" And a different nurse came by my side and said "She is fine. She is perfect..She's just in shock." And right when the nurse said that, she belted out the loudest cry. 

Our daughter was crying, I was crying, my husband was crying and the medical staff was in awe. 

The staff weighed her quickly and took measurements and then handed her to me. I had never nursed our first two, life circumstances didn't allow for it. But with her, we were determined to make breastfeeding work. I was nursing her, marveling at her beautiful face and then heard "She is 21 inches long..and..10 and a half pounds!" 

I looked up at them and said "Stop lying..You need to weigh her again. I don't believe you." After she was done nursing, they weighed her again. 10 and a half pounds.

This 2 time c-section "medical risk" mom birthed a 10 and a half pound baby! I wanted to climb the tallest mountain and shout "Fuck all of you!" 

I used to cry whenever I talked about the birth of my oldest children. I felt empty and like something was stolen from me. But now I feel like I have healed. 

Women are allowed to have healthy babies AND healthy birth experiences. They are not mutually exclusive. 

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10 Comments

Tiffany's VBAC

4/24/2014

3 Comments

 
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Storee's Birth Story:

On April 19th, we celebrated our 7 yr old's birthday party.  The day before, I was put on bedrest because of low iron and fatigue.  We decided to have a swim day and a movie night to celebrate, and my husband Ramar did all the work as I was bed bound for the day.  That night, I joined my family in the living room for movies, pizza and popcorn.  After watching the movie, I began to cramp.  All of the kids were asleep, so I went to bed around 2:30 A.M.   Around 5:30, I felt as though I had to pee but before I could get out of bed, it began to flow...all the while I am thinking to myself, "I know I am not peeing on myself."  I jumped up and tried to run, but I felt a gush and I screamed Ramar's name to wake him up.  I am screaming "My water broke!!!!" and he looks at me and asks me "How do I know?" lol Before I knew it, he was out of the bed, throwing clothes everywhere (I think our back seat was full of clothes by the time he was done) and all I could do was laugh at him. 

Finally we were in the car and didn't even think of stopping for gas and halfway down the street, the car shut off!!! I can hear him now, "Tiffany are you freaking serious?" lol  God was with us because I remember telling him to calm down and try it again.  It cranked right up and we made it to get gas. 

Finally we made it to the hospital and I get out the car and water is gushing everywhere and the panic began.  Ramar was running all over the place looking for a wheelchair (again, this is all funny to me because I have never seen him this nervous).  Finally he came back with the chair and I went up and checked in at 7:30 A.M.  Finally, everything was calm and on its way.  I was fine until around 11 A.M. and then the contractions started and I was ok.  Ramar helped me breathe through them and I knew I could do it until my doctor walked in and checked and found me to still be 2 centimeters....just broke my heart.  Now we needed to start a small amount of pitocin, which I was so upset about, but anything to achieve my VBAC goal.  Within minutes, the contractions started to come back to back and with rage.  I couldn't think, couldn't breathe, I didn't know what to do.  Ramar was great and tried to calm me down and get me through each one of them by telling me the numbers were going down (even though half of the time he was lying just to make me feel better) but by the next check I was at 4 centimeters, then 6, and that is when all hell broke loose.  I remember profanity, screaming and demanding, but Ramar didn't mind.  He went in, found the anesthesiologist and within 30 minutes I had my epidural. Afterwards I was checked and I went from 6/7 to 10 and fully effaced and it was time to push.

It was sort of hard to push because I couldn't feel anything accept in one little area where the epidural didn't numb for some reason and that is what I focused on.  An hour from the time I got the epidural, I heard my doctor say "She is out!" and I felt like God let all his angels out to bring her down to me.  It was the best feeling of my life and all I remember saying is "Cry, baby, cry" and when she did, she took my breath away. 

2:11 P.M. 4/20/2014, Easter Sunday, I was given another angel but this time she was mine to keep on Earth.*  
Storee weighed 7 lbs 14 oz and measured 20 1/2 inches.

*Tiffany's first cesarean was performed at 33 weeks due to placental abruption.  Her baby, Ramar-Dishawn, was born 6/25/12, weighing 7 lbs and measuring 22 inches.  Sadly, he passed away at 4 days old due to hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) caused by the abruption.  Tiffany also suffered disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), which almost took her life.  

Tiffany writes, "We finally got pregnant in August of 2013 after TTC 13 months.  I was scared through the whole pregnancy.  I went to the ER twice and was told I had suffered yet another loss, but at 12 weeks, I felt movement.  I went to a free pregnancy clinic and there was my rainbow kicking away.  I was terrified to VBAC because of my last pregnancy, but I knew a RCS was not what I wanted and I am so glad I did.  I am now a wife, a mommy of 8 living kids and 1 angel and a VBAC success."
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Tiffany and baby Storee.
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Baby Ramar-Dishawn.  Tiffany says, " I know God does everything for a reason and this little man, with the short time he was on this Earth, completely changed my life."
3 Comments

Alysia's VBAC

3/7/2014

2 Comments

 
*Editor's Note: I have tagged this story as a special scar VBAC due to the tearing down the LUS during the cesarean.

After 2 fairly unremarkable vaginal deliveries at 39+ weeks, one spontaneous labor and one induced for logistical reasons, my 3rd labor went awry.  After being 9-10 cm, my cervix swelled and tightened.  I had an emergency c-section, laceration to a uterine artery, tearing in to the lower uterine segment, required blood transfusions, and had a long and rocky recovery.  Even after this trying experience, I felt I was not done having children, and strongly desired VBAC.  My delivering obstetrician at the time advised against it due to the complications with my cesarean and the fact I did not have a double layer closure since my uterus was so thin at the time of surgery.  However, despite varying advice for route of future delivery, I planned to wait the suggested interval to conceive and then plan to VBAC.  Most importantly, I prayed to God for full healing and restoration of my uterus.


I became pregnant with my 4th child when my 3rd baby was 19 months old.  I was a patient of an obstetrician an hour away from my previous delivering hospital.  It was not that the original hospital did not support VBACs, it was that I was looking to change the setting for my birth.
At 39 1/7 weeks my membranes were swept.  I usually had my babies about 2 days before the due date and had had my membranes swept in my 3rd pregnancy without immediate results, so I did not anticipate what would happen next.


I was restless and finally lay down at midnight that night.  I felt so uncomfortable; these BH contractions were so strong!  I was also used to my labors lasting quite a while.  I usually would be prodromal or latent 8-12 hours and then take another 10 hours or so until delivering.  


At 4 AM, I realized the contractions were every 15 minutes.  My husband was working several hours away so I called him to come home so we could make the hour drive for my delivery.  Two hours later, before he could get home, I realized they were every 5-7 minutes and I was going to be delivering at the same hospital as prior birth, as it was only 5 minutes away.  
Beside myself with pain, I called one friend to watch my kids and another for a ride to the hospital.  She called my husband to meet us there as he was still over an hour away.  I was no longer coherent as my pain was 10/10 at that point!  

We arrived at the hospital at 7 AM.  My records were transferred without incident.  There was some difficulty getting an IV, but once it was in, I labored briefly in the jacuzzi.  I was checked and found to be at 6 cm.  I decided to go with an epidural as the contractions intensified.  I was 7-8 cm when the anesthesiologist arrived.


Once the epidural was placed, my contractions weakened and I was given pitocin.  Labor went well then and I was 10 cm in an hour.   My 7 lb baby boy arrived at 11:30 AM on October 24th.  That was a record for me, even though labor slowed for awhile!  I felt thrilled and elated to finally meet my baby and I felt healed of all the fear and trauma of my previous birth.   Thanks and praise to God!  It was also a blessing because the nurses and doctors remembered the difficulty I'd had delivering my third child and were joyful along with me.

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2 Comments

Jesuis's VBAC

11/12/2013

3 Comments

 
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On Saturday October 19, 2013, I was a little stressed out and needing time for myself to relax.  I was 39 weeks and 1 day pregnant, and I was getting tired of it!  I had a 2 year old who wanted to be under mommy all the time, so it was kind of stressful.

I decided to take a nice warm bath around 11:00 that morning.  I was in the bath for about an hour just relaxing, trying to get rid of the stress while listening to music.   I got out of the bath around noon and sat down with my son and started to watch one of his favorite shows, Paw Patrol. Around 12:20, I felt my first contraction, and I just blew it off, but then another one came around 12:25 PM.  That’s when I decided to time them just for fun.  I wrote down the ones that came at 12:20 and 12:25, but I didn’t know how long they lasted.  I wanted to time that too, so I waited for the next one.  It came around 12:30 and lasted about a minute.  I timed them for the next hour and they were coming about 5-6 minutes apart.  I stopped timing them and decided just to relax.

Around 3:30 PM, they were getting very strong, so I started to get ready to go to the hospital, and by the time I got to the hospital they were 3 minute apart.  Around 4:30 (about 30 minutes after I got there), they checked me and I was 7 cm dilated, 70% effaced and baby was at -2 station.  I couldn’t believe how far I was!!

Around 8:00 PM, they came to check me again and I was 8 cm dilated, 80% effaced and baby was at -1 station.  I started to get drained, but I was trying to go all natural, and I kept going with no pain medications.

About 11:00 PM, I was checked again and I was still the same, so they broke my water and left me alone for a while.  At 2 AM, another check revealed still no progress.  They inserted an internal monitor to see if the contractions were strong enough to get me to 10 cm.  An hour later, they came back and told me that the contractions were not strong enough and they said I had a choice to get pitocin or have another c-section. I chose Pitocin and also got an epidural at that time.

Around 5:30, I started to feel a pain like I had to go to the bathroom so I called the nurse. When the nurse checked me, I was 10 cm and 100% effaced and baby was now at 0 station. The doctor had me push to see if I could get her lower. I tried but I could not push her down yet, so the doctor said to rest and she will be back. Once again, I went to sleep.

At 6:50 AM, they came in and turned my epidural off, and around 7 am I started pushing again. Every contraction I was pushing 2 to 3 times. By 7:20, they started to see her head. I was so happy!! Around 7:26, her head was crowning. I pushed in, let out a moan and got her head out.  They stopped me for a second so they could suction her and then told me to push again. I pushed once again, let out another moan and got her shoulders out. They told me 1 more push so I pushed once more and my baby girl was born at 7:34 AM.  I gave birth to my baby girl!!!

They placed her on me while they cleaned her, my husband cut the cord and then they took her to finish cleaning her up. They told me I had a 1st degree tear, which they stitched me up. We then got our skin to skin for an hour. During that hour, I breastfed my baby girl. Once the hour was up, I was tired so I asked them to take her so I can get some rest and my husband went home to get some sleep. When they took her I had a little suprise waiting for me on my stomach... she pooped on me! She was 7lb and 9.9 oz. 20 ½ inches long. Thanks to the help of my husband and my mother I got my VBAC. I DID IT I HAD MY VBAC!!!

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