Well, went to see the consultant again today for 28 week bloods and general checkup. Feel like i’ve taken a massive step backwards in my quest for a VBAC.
Last time I went to see the (a) consultant, i came away feeling really positive. Because of the nature of Lilly’s birth (continuous monitoring leading meaning I had to stay lying on the bed, leading to failure to progress, fetal distress and emergency c-section), I explained to him that my main fears were not being able to remain mobile and the same thing happening again. He had thoroughly read my notes and told me that, although I would need continous monitoring, this need not start until about 5-6cm dilated, and that the hospital was hoping to have wireless monitors by June, which would allow me to remain mobile whilst being monitored.
But, oh no, when I went today that all went up in a puff of smoke.
This doctor practically laughed when I asked if they had the wireless monitors yet, and made me feel like i’d just invented something fit for Tomorrow’s World. Upshot is, no, the wireless monitors won’t be in place.
He said I’d need continous monitoring and that I’d have to stay on the bed for this. I asked whether there would be any way I could maintain a bit of mobility – even sitting on a birthing ball right next to the monitor? – he said no, not possible.
All in all total conflict to what last consultant told me three months ago.
Out of interest, i thought I’d ask him how long they’d “let” me go overdue, to see what he’d say. I know the hospital policy is supposed to be 14 days. Last consultant told me 15-20 days to give me the maximum chance of a VBAC (which i did think sounded quite long!). This one was pretty non-committal but hinted at only 10 days.
He doesn’t want me back at the hospital til 39 weeks – which, as it is on a Tuesday actually works out as two days before my due date, so pretty much full term.
I came away from it all feeling like i wanted to cry, to be honest.
Surely the quickest way to a repeat performance of failure to progress is to lie on my back waiting for things to not happen? If I’m made to stay on the bed I can’t help but feel an emergency section is once again more than likely.
What’s especially frustrating is that you get a totally different opinion depending on who you see. There is no basic hospital policy about labouring naturally after a previous c-section. So, what’s the point in seeing a consultant? In reality, it comes down to who is on shift the day you’re in labour.
It’s left me feeling pretty deflated. I feel like I’m going to have to fight a battle to get something approaching the birth I want, but I’m going to have to fight it whilst I’m in labour, rather than having the bones of a plan agreed in advance. I know birth rarely conforms to a plan (ha! Nobody knows that more than me!) and I know that a healthy mum and baby are the most important thing at the end of it all, but I don’t want to be left feeling that I’ve had another section that could have been avoided if only things had been handled differently.
I also asked him about my failed epidural top up last time, which lead to my section having to be carried out under general anaesthetic. At the VERY LEAST, this time I’d like to be actually concious when my baby comes into the world, thanks very much.
Basically, my questions were whether there was a reason for the epidural failure last time – could it happen again? How could it be avoided? If I manage to labour without an epidural (which I’m hoping to do, at least until the later stages), and then a section becomes neccessary in a hurry, what anaesthetic will they use? Can I have anything put in place (canula or whatever it’s called) just in case, so that if an epidural or spinal block is needed in a hurry, that would help? He rambled on a bit but basically said no, there’s nothing I can do to help, every emergency is different.
Now I need to try and take stock and build myself back up to positivity again. Not sure what my plan of action is really. At the least it is to hope for a helpful and sympathetic consultant on the day. And also to do some more research to try and arm myself with a few facts for the fight ahead.
First off, I want to say that I’m not as knowledge about birth as other people (aka I’m not a doctor or midwife), so take what I say with a grain of salt.
With that said, it sounds like you’re inbetween a rock and a hard place with this! One consultant told you that you would be able to do all these things to encourage a VBAC, but then the next one said you wouldn’t be able to do anything. I don’t know if one lied to you, or if they just do whatever they individually feel is okay, or what. But personally, I’d look into birthing somewhere else.
Trying to find a new doctor late in a pregnancy can be scary, I’m sure. But you have to decide how important having a VBAC (or at least being able to attempt one without having to lay in bed) is for you. If you really want to try it, you can probably get help from ICAN: http://ican-online.org/
(As a sidenote, I wrote this all thinking you were American, but your ‘about me’ section says you’re in England. I do not know if you are able to change providers in England in the same way you are in America. So I apologize if this information is completely unhelpful.)
I know there is a website which lists mother-friendly providers in America (http://www.choicesinchildbirth.org/network) but I don’t know about any for England. )-:
The other option I can see is to simply hire a doula, preferably one who is also trained as a midwife, and stay at home until you’re in active labor and dilating. Of course, you would have to weigh the benefits and the cons of staying at home (and for how long)- if you really do have a failure to progress then it might be safer to just go to the hospital.
Whatever choice you make, good luck.
STICK to your guns!!! At least be sure to voice all your wishes repeatedly – they have to listen.
I had similar but different situation with baby number 2, not aiming for a VBAC but found out my baby was breach at 37 weeks and wanted to attempt a normal birth regardless.
I really put my foot down and was astounded at what the hospital ended up offering me, chance for a breech birth in a midwife led unit with my own oncall midwife and a choice of consultant!!! The story all ended beautifully and I had my baby girl naturally with no complications. She was 14 days over due and I was going for a check up ultra sound to check the fluid that day if she didn’t arrive as was keen to stick it out for another week. Reason being is I was not going to be able to be induced with a baby in the breech position so it had to come on naturally.
Hope this has given you some courage – ALL THE VERY BEST, either way. XX
Thank you both
KushielsMoon – I can’t switch providers as such – I could go to the other local hospital but to be honest I haven’t exactly heard great things about that one either! And, overall I’m happy with this hospital, it’s one I’ve been treated in before and always had good care. I am under consultant care but there’s no guarantee you’ll actually see “your” consultant – it really depends who is on shift when you happen to go into labour. So hopefully the consultant or registrar will have a more positive attitude towards VBAC.
Alaina – thanks so much for sharing such a positive story. I think my plan of action is to speak to the supervisor of midwives at Warrington once I am clear in my mind what I am asking for – that might be my best chance to have a proper conversation about my worries and what I really want. After all, although the consultant or registrar will have an input, it will be the midwives who will look after me when I initially arrive and for most of the labour.
And yes, I definitely plan to stay at home as long as I can manage this time – hopefully I could get some progress ‘under my belt’ so to speak before I arrive.
Thanks again both of you for your helpful and encouraging posts