The post where I ramble.

Both my boys were born via c-section.  Jack was a “planned” c/s because the little stinker turned breech 5 days before his due date.  One of the nurses who cared for me during Jack’s birth mentioned the possibility of a VBAC with our next child.  Being the insane researcher that I am, I began researching VBAC the second Jack started sleeping more than 2 hours at a time.

My doctors were incredibly supportive of my decision to attempt a VBAC with Xander.  They worked with  me my whole pregnancy and patiently answered my questions and discussed my options at almost every appointment.  They gladly considered an external version when it appeared that X was still breech at 35 weeks (an u/s at 36 weeks showed that he was not breech).  At 40 weeks my doctor laid out a few options for me.  One was to induce me on my due date.  The other was a c/s.  I opted for the induction.

Without going into Xander’s birth story (which I will post one day), let me just say that my doctors and the hospital staff did EVERYTHING that they could to avoid a c/s.  I was induced with a foley bulb, had moderate amounts of pitocin, and when it became apparent that X was either laying on the cord or had it wrapped around his neck, they tried an amnio-infusion (basically they pump saline back into the uterus to restore the “cushy” environment).  Finally after 8 hours at 7 cm it was more than obvious that I was going to need a c/s.  Xander’s heartrate was not tolerating labor well (it would up that he had the cord wrapped around his neck fairly tightly).  My nurse and the doctor from my practice both apologized.

So what’s the point of all of this?  Remember when I said that I had to break up with my OB? Well, I met with the new practice two weeks ago.  On Monday I had another appointment.  I really like the practice but while I was discussing my history it hit me just how lucky I was with my old practice.  The new doctor was flat out SHOCKED that my doctors induced me in any manner, let alone used pitocin and did the amnio-infusion.  The doctor basically said that if I had been their patient I would have had to go into labor on my own or had a planned c/s.

I have always beyond grateful to have been given the opportunity to labor (for 20 hours!), but after I left the doctor it really hit me.  And then what really hit me is that my old doctor is considered “aggressive”.  But here’s the thing, he really isn’t “aggressive”.  Studies have shown that VBAC is safe.  Inducing a VBAC is safe.  Sure there are risks (uterine rupture is the main one), but there are risks with a c/s too. Doctors (and hospitals) who don’t permit VBAC or VBAC inductions typically do so for insurance and malpractice reasons.

Choosing a VBAC or a repeat c/s is a very personal decision.  I would support the decision any woman makes regarding how she gives birth (and yes, a c/s is still giving birth, but that’s another post for another day).  What I really want is for every woman who wishes to attempt a VBAC be given the opportunity AND have their providers do everything that they can for to make that happen, to be given what I was lucky enough to have been given.

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