A second C-section or VBAC?

I did a vbac after an emergency c section and recovery was SO much easier this time around. For any future kids I'm going to try to do vbac

I just tried to VBAC, laboured for a long and hard 19 hours before going for a second emergency c-section and my thoughts are it entirely depends on your situation. 1. Do you have a lot of support at home? The hardest part of my recovery has been my 17 month old and not being able to pick him up/play with him, however my fiancé is incredibly helpful and has really stepped in, and so has my sister. So if you have a lot of support, recovery shouldn’t be too hard. 2. Will you always wonder what if. I was so desperate for a VBAC and I was offered electives repeatedly but I always knew I would wonder what if. I knew I needed to at least try. 3. Would you be open to setting a cut off date, for example, if I go into labour before 40 weeks I’ll try vaginal, and if not I’ll have a c section on X date. That way you’re open to both options and can let fate decide. I will say I have SO much more trauma from my attempted VBAC than my emergency c section.

Thanks ladies. @Becca I think you’ve highlighted a lot of the issues I’m debating. Support wise, my husband is a freelancer so gets to spend a lot more time at home and we’re able to parent quite evenly. However when work comes in it won’t be so easy to turn it down so I’m slightly worried about being left alone on those days. Friends and family are definitely willing to help but don’t live that close so I don’t see them as a convenient option. I think I probably will wonder about a vaginal birth and if the recovery is better it seems like a good option. But I’m so conflicted because I’m also scared of opting in for unnecessary trauma and having a horrific time. Due to my previous birth, I’m consultant led and their plan is for me to deliver by 39 weeks so I think I’m going to try and go with the flow and just wait and see how things unfold.

Just to give an alternative kind of experience. I had a vaginal birth for my first. Due to a condition I had I had to he induced at 37 weeks. Sadly induction was a very long process for us. She came at 37+5. I'd had contractions for almost the whole experience (on and off) so when I got to my waters being broke I was exhausted It was 19 hours from waters being broken to her arrival. I had to have an episiotomy as I couldn't get her head out (too big) That wasn't nice - but in itself not a problem. BUT my stitches wasn't done very well and ended up coming apart when baby was 3 days old. My recovery once the stitches came open was horrendous. At the time I had 6 friends who had babies too (met through nct) . 1 had an elective section , 1 had vaginal birth, 4 had emergency sections Out of us all I had the worst recovery by far (as stated by all of them) I am pregnant now and hope to try vaginal again. But, I do think people underestimate the recovery you might have with vaginal birth

I tried vbac for second baby and it ended in another emergency section because I wasn’t progressing past 3cm. I have a planned section for 3rd baby, my husband is saving his holiday days so that if I’m not ready for him to go back to work after the 2 weeks he can be at home a bit longer as our son will only be 15 months old and he’s clingy to just me. For me I just can’t be away from home as long as I was last time

VBAC all the way!! Repeat C-sections actually carry more risk than VBAC. The recovery is a walk in the park compared to a C-section.

@Tiffany and @Kelly were you induced?

@Hannah I was not induced. I went into spontaneous labor and had an unmedicated delivery. It was beautiful and I can’t wait to do it again!

@Katie that’s the thing. A vaginal birth still has the potential for complications like you experienced and so much more. I think where I’m at at the moment is to aim for vbac and hope that I go into labour naturally by 38 weeks. The idea of being induced really scares me more than having another c section and I have to deliver by 39 weeks.

@Kelly it’s so great that you had such a positive experience. I would love that to happen for me.

@Hannah why would you need to have baby by 38 weeks?

@KellyDue to previous placenta issues they want me to deliver by 39 weeks but I’d rather not be induced so if labour doesn’t start naturally by 38 weeks, I’ll schedule another c section.

@Hannah I was induced but wasn’t allowed medical induction due to first c section. I had dilopan I was just short of 1cm and they were about to say induction had failed when another midwife said she could break my waters. 14 hours later I just hadn’t gone anywhere x