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Jessica's VBAC

1/7/2015

4 Comments

 
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Tuesday December 23rd, 2014 I was 40.6 and was scheduled for an appointment with my midwife.  I really couldn't believe that I was still pregnant because I went into labor at 38.5 weeks with our first so I thought the same would happen this time around...wrong. So on this day I had a NST, an ultrasound, and regular checkup.  She wanted to sweep my membranes on Friday bc the following Monday (41.5) they were planning on inducing me. I REALLY did not want to be induced, I was planning an all natural birth with no interventions, so all I could do was hope and pray our daughter came on her own before Monday. 

So that Tuesday night after the appointment I started having mild contractions. They were around 10-12 minutes apart and were accompanied with a tightening of my stomach so I wasn't sure if they were real or Braxton Hicks. This lasted most of the night and I woke up Wednesday (Christmas Eve) morning, officially a week past my "due date."  I got something to eat while I had an appetite in case I would be going into labor soon.  The contractions stayed pretty much where they were most of the day and I went about my regular day.  Around  4 o'clock I laid down for a nap, more out of frustration than actually being tired, and while in the bed I heard a kind of loud "pop" and was like what in the world was that? I later realized the "pop" sound was my water breaking but no water leaked out then because she quickly dropped down much lower into my pelvis and "plugged up the hole." I then went to the bathroom and my plug had dislodged, and it was a lot. 

After that I had my first "real" contraction, and thought to myself, "whoaaa that was different from the rest of the contractions."  I texted my husband and told him to please come home ASAP. Then called my doula and told her about the latest happenings, she wanted me to labor a bit longer and let her know how things were progressing. Labored at home with hubby for 30 minutes and I started to feel like it was time to leave to go to the hospital even though the plan was to labor at home much longer. My husband called the midwife and she wanted to listen to me labor, I could tell by her voice she didn't think it was the real thing...but because I was  GBS positive she had me come in just to be on the safe side.

So I head downstairs slowly, my little brother puts my shoes and coat on and as soon as I hit the front door I get this huge rush of water gushing down my leg....and I'm thinking wow all of this is new lol. On the road to the hospital I'm sitting on the floor of the passenger seat and hugging the back of the seat while going through contractions and then all of a sudden I get the urge to push. I never got to the pushing stage with our first so honestly I thought I just had to have a bowel movement, I didn't know it was actually the baby ready to come out lol. Luckily we weren't too far from the hospital at this point. 

We make it to the hospital and I get out of the car and drop down on all fours on the sidewalk...in the rain...and grunt through another contraction. I get up, brush myself off, and walk into the hospital doors, while my husband is saying, "MY WIFE IS IN LABOR." I guess to them because looked so calm they figured I wasn't far along so they were taking their sweet time, making jokes and chatting. Then another contraction comes around at the check in table and I got the urge to push again and they were like oh my gosh  she's pushing get her upstairs lol! 

So we get in the labor and delivery room, they didn't have time to hook me up to any machines, I'm checked and at a 9.5 and she says, "honey if you have the urge...push." By the way my labor stalled with our first at about a 6 so upon hearing the news I was at a 9.5 I was doing the happy dance on the inside. Meanwhile, they're giving me instructions on how to push  (bear down, put your chin to chest, hand behind knees, etc.) and I feel like it was going in one ear and out the other lol.  I kept asking, "Am I making any progress?" And the look on the midwife's face, told me, "Nope". After about 15 minutes of not so effective pushing, she says we may need to use the vacuum because the baby's heart rate has been low for a little while. As soon as I heard that I said, "No, no vacuum" and she said, "well push this baby out!" And push I did, I pushed with everything I had and my husband says, "I can see the head!" and then her body came out with the next push. So our daughter was born about 25 minutes after we arrived at the hospital, which was totally different from our first where we were at the hospital 20 hours prior to a c section being called. This time around they didn't have time to ask me a million questions or hook me up to any machines, or pump me full of Iv fluids, and I signed the consent form to perform a c-section if need be, after she was already born. I was on cloud 9 and  I  didn't even look at her immediately I just started crying bc I couldn't believe I had achieved exactly the birth I wanted. An unmedicated, fast, problem free, intervention free, VBAC! 
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Things were so different this time around, with her birth my husband and I were both actively involved in the birthing process (the first time I was confined to my hospital bed watching monitors), we had immediate skin to skin, I was coherent and not foggy from all the drugs, and I was able to get up and move around freely soon after giving birth. My recovery also has been SIGNIFICANTLY easier than the first go round and for that I'm happy.

The initial cesarean  section was for "failure to progress" and the OB told me afterwards that I would have never been able to push him out because of "the way my pelvis was shaped" and I was "lucky" to have had a c-section. Also I was a little lady (5'2 110lbs) so that was supposedly working against me as well. Our daughter, born at 6.9lbs 20 inches, was not a large baby, but still larger than our c section baby. I was told I need not waste my time trying to attempt a vaginal birth because it would be another long birth that would ultimately end in another section. Again, I felt my first "real" contraction around 4pm and she was born at 5:51pm, I don't think anyone would classify that as a long birth.

As soon as I came to the conclusion that I wanted a VBAC I did as much research as I could, I changed my doctor and the hospital I would be birthing at, hired a doula because I was planning on going unmedicated, and built up my faith that I would have exactly the birth i wanted. My husband prayed with me and over me throughout the whole process and believed with me that I would not have another surgical birth.  I stayed positive throughout a gestational diabetes diagnosis and kept confessing that all would work out in our favor in the end, and that's exactly what happened. I couldn't have asked for a better birthing experience. I've read so many birth stories over the course of my pregnancy that further encouraged me and kept me focused on my goal, I pray this little story does the same for you all. Given the right circumstances your body CAN and will do exactly what God created it to do! VBAC on ladies!
4 Comments

Sarah's VBA3C

12/8/2014

2 Comments

 
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As promised, Benjamin Isaiah's birth story. 

Ok so I woke up having irregular contractions on 20th of November so my husband and I went for a 2nd sweep which was scheduled for 4:30 on the 20th.. Immediately after the sweep, my contractions started to regulate themselves. So we went out for our last meal together before the baby came.  I couldn't stay out long so we went back home....By 12, contractions were 7 minutes apart & I decided I needed gas & air, so we went to hospital. 


The first midwife they saw refused to give me G&A; she said I must wait to see a doctor.  This made me very upset, but it only got worse. The first doctors came and told me that I should have the baby cut out, but I refused.  More doctors came and one tried to force us by threatening us with all sorts--from baby was in distress and going to die and it'll be my fault...to hospital solicitors {lawyers}.  This went on the whole time I was in labor, even while I was contracting, but my husband and I remained a team.  He kept saying to me, "Baby I love you, you can do this, and I would say, "I can do this, thank you for your faith in me."

By 6 o'clock I was 6 centimeters.  The pain was too intense for me to pay any attention to them so they worked on my husband, but he didn't budge.. 


By 7, I was ready to face these awful people.  I started pushing, and it took me awhile but I got there.  All those people who doubted me were now telling me how impressed they were with me.. I screamed & my husband cried as my baby was born at 8 on the dot!  He weighed 8lb 4oz.

After the baby was born, things went wrong with my placenta...they started pulling at it very hard and I started losing a lot of blood; my husband was so scared.  I was taken away and given a blood transfusion, but by the grace of God, I am recovering well and the baby is nursing beautifully. My husband has a smile from ear to ear...

I would like say that I am so happy with all the advice given to me by all the beautiful mummas on this forum.  If it wasn't for you all, I would never have had the courage to fight the system.
You don't need luck ladies, you're all blessed with knowledge...stay blessed, all of you. Hope your journeys are peaceful ones...bless you all...
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2 Comments

Sanpri's VBAC

6/28/2014

2 Comments

 
June 28, 2014 I delivered my baby boy at 3:57 am. I had a successful VBAC! 

Prior to this pregnancy I had lost several pounds, become an avid runner and was determined to stay active throughout my pregnancy to increase the odds of success with the VBAC.  My regular OBGYN initially was on board with me trying, but as time drew near, he seemed to be leaning towards me having another c-section.  It was by chance that another MD in his group was assigned to me this past Friday for my check up.  At this point I was 40 weeks and 2 days. This time my blood pressure was very high, which is not normal for me.  She stripped my membranes and then told me to report to the hospital last night. 

I was contracting and then my water broke when I got there.  After 2 hours of trying to tough out the pain I did get an epidural.  My labor was intense, but it lasted 8 hrs.  At first the doc was concerned that I wasn't making much progress and the baby's heartrate would drop occasionally with each contraction.  But then in one hour I went from 4 cm to 10 cm, and I was ready to push! 

I probably pushed 10 good times and he was out!  I did it! I was so proud....he's doing well though in the NICU because he was kinda small (5.13#, 19") and his blood sugars were low.  But he's latching on well and I'm in love all over again. 

If you are seriously considering a VBAC make sure your physician is totally behind you. You know your body and what it is capable of. Take care of yourself, do the research and don't get discouraged by what others think you should do.

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2 Comments

Jandel's VBAC

4/27/2014

5 Comments

 
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I had a c-section with my first born son for failure to progress. My water broke early in labor and My OB told me to come to the hospital. I was only 3 cm dilated but they admitted me. I believe my OB just wanted to monitor his time clock and didn't give me the time to progress before inducing me. I only got to 5 cm even with the pitocin. 

Fast forward two years later with a new and supportive OB and I had the perfect VBAC experience for the birth of my daughter. Here it is:

(An important background note: I am the biggest April Fool's prankster you know. I've been pranking my husband since we met 10 years ago. So it is EXTREMELY fitting that my daughter was born on April 1st)

Midnight April 1st: As I'm laying in bed with my 2 year old, I feel contractions that center in my lower left abdomen, so I do the whole routine of drinking water and laying back down to see if they are Braxton Hicks. THEY'RE NOT. So around 4am, my son wakes up (I think he knew the baby was coming) and I just decide to get up and casually let my hubby know that today could be the day. He says "it's a shame you're using the baby to play an April Fool's joke this year" He didn't believe me lol  Of course I know I deserved this for all the times I've "cried wolf"

8:00am Still having contractions, not very strong, and mainly in the front abdomen but becoming more like 10-12 minutes apart. So I let my mom and sister know and go figure, they say they don't believe me!!! I thought "thank goodness I'm seeing the OB today to confirm that something's happening."

10:00am OB appointment, all the nurses are excited that I'm having contractions. My mom comes with me and still doesn't believe me until the OB checks my cervix and says baby's head is lower and I'm 1 cm dilated. He says, it's such early labor that he could see me in labor later today at the hospital or not for another few weeks. (We were hoping today!)

11:00am I keep my hair appointment and drop off some paperwork at my job for maternity leave

1:00pm Hair is finished I head home and make sure my hospital bag is packed. I text my hubby that the contractions are still light, but regular so he can probably stay at work (IN LAFAYETTE) late as he had planned.

3:45pm My water breaks!!!! and the contractions get swift and hard REALLY REALLY quickly. I call the nurse at the OB's office and the OB gives me 6 hours to try to labor at home even with my water broken. I didn't have a birth plan because I didn't think I needed one. My plan was strictly to labor at home and go to the hospital at the latest moment possible, when no one could harass me with silly interventions, etc. We wanted an unmedicated VBAC!

4:05pm. I tell my hubby who's all the way in Lafayette he better hit the road b/c the contractions have sped up and are like 5 minutes apart and getting stronger.

4:05-6:30pm My labor progresses extremely fast. I'm managing contractions by changing positions and listening to motivational music. We had planned to leave home at 7 or 7:15pm to be able to say that my contractions had been strong and hard for 3 hours, but at 6:30pm I got this weird feeling of the baby wiggling down and I shouted "LET'S GO NOW!!" My husband had only been home 15 minutes!

6:45pm By the time we pack the car and I'm able to get to the car (had to wait until in between contractions) It's 6:45pm and I'm in major pain and contractions are 2 minutes apart.

7:00pm We arrive at Woman's assessment and I am triaged (all during very hard contractions where I'm shaking and shivering). I get back to assessment and can't even lay on my back for them to check my cervix, so they check while I'm on hands and knees and the nurse says 6cm dilated fully effaced. I thought "SIX CENTIMETERS?????!!!!" I was about to lose it, thinking if it was THIS painful to get to 6cm how am I going to get to 10 without medication????

7:10pm I get the urge to push and push, while the nurse who said I was 6cm dilated says DON'T PUSH! I'm like "Really lady?" Everyone's in a rush and saying I need to get upstairs NOW! My OB sends in his partner Dr. Mullens to deliver the baby and he says I should be able to have the baby vaginally! WOOO HOOO. But then there's this pain!! While he's saying this I'm being rolled quickly up to a labor and delivery room.

7:15pm We're in the labor and delivery room and Dr. Mullens is able to check my cervix and he says SHE'S FULLY DILATED SHE CAN PUSH WHEN SHE WANTS TO!! I was like "HALLELUJAH"!!!!! But my mom wasn't even in the room yet. My hubby jumps on the phone and says "Hurry you have to get here now!" My mom had been trying to get in the room, but the front desk folks were giving her a hard time. So my hubby had to get a nurse to forcefully make them let my mom in. She ran and was able to make it as I started pushing!

7:15-7:30pm I'm pushing (I had no idea pushing could be that intense or difficult. No wonder people say to rest during early contractions. I was so worn out I didn't think i could do it! but everyone, MD, nurses, hubby, and mom were SOOOOOO supportive!!!!) 

7:30pm My beautiful baby girl, Malaika Sarah, is born! 

So that's my story of a successful unmedicated VBAC that nearly happened in the car lol! I was at the hospital for THIRTY MINUTES before the baby was born! The nurses didn't even get to put in an IV or ask the general assessment questions before the baby was born. If there was an accident or bad traffic on I-10 coming from Lafayette, it's possible my hubby could have MISSED the birth. Literally less than 4 hours after my water breaking the baby was here!! If we had waited to leave for the hospital until 7 like we planned, things would have been even more chaotic lol 

I am just so thankful that this time around I am able to honestly and happily say, I had the EXACT experience I wanted and wouldn't have changed a thing!! My advice is to stay home as long as you can and feel comfortable with and with a supportive OB and family you'll be just fine!!
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