I'm 14 weeks now, and last week I had my 13 week prenatal appt. I got good news and not so good news. The good news was that I lost 3 lbs - I had hoped to maintain, so this was even better.

The not so good news - I had hoped for a VBAC, and my dr requested the papers from the hospital I had my daughter at. Apparently due to my long (49 hr) labour with my daughter, my uterus was weakened, so when they did the emergency c-section, my uterus tore from the side of the incision, all the way down through my cervix. I had no idea of this until last week, and I was pretty devastated to find out that my dr said it is too dangerous to even attempt a VBAC. I was more upset to not have been told 6 yrs ago when my daugher was born. So I will be a scheduled c-section for mid-December.

The dr couldn't find the HB (which was not alarming) but she sent me for an ultrasound just to confirm my due date. All was well, I'm right on target, and here is the pic!

That's such a clear picture! Looks like she has her legs crossed. I think I see toes.

I'm sorry you won't get your VBAC, but if there was ever a candidate for a repeat c-section, you're it! (Just to warn you in case you're the sort who gets irritated by it like I am: they still call it an "elective" c-section, even though you don't really have a choice.) At least you will get to prepare for it this time. I've been told more than once that recovery is 100x easier for a scheduled c-section (which makes sense).

What a great photo! Congrats!!!!

That is a great photo. Sabra is right that the recovery is about 100x better from a scheduled one than from laboring for hours and hours and hours and then having a section on top of that.

You have every right to be pissed that they didn't tell you this 6 years ago.

Glad you got to see your little bean and that he/she is doing well! LOL, at 14 weeks I think I had GAINED 15 lbs (from trying to eat through the M/S all the time). Sounds like everything is fine. That's sad that you can't have a VBAC, but I'm glad the recovery time is so much better for a scheduled. I didn't know that!

I didn't know that the recovery time was easier either, people told me it was harder because of previous scar tissue! That gives me hope.

Sabra, I'm definitely not the offendable type lol, but if someone kept telling me I was having this c-section electively, I'd definitely be correcting them. So far, I've only heard the term "scheduled c-section."

Yeah...I hate the term "elective" c-section as well when one is scheduled due to medical complications and not simply because "you want a certain date" or "you don't want the hassle of labor".

I guess I didn't realize they called it elective either. This is my 2nd sheduled c-section and I didn't pick the dates with either one--it's by the doc's schedule. William was supposed to be born on 2-10-04 but because of GD complications, it was moved up a week so he now had a 2-3-4 birthday.
This one is scheduled for Aug. 29. He schedules his on Tuesdays and I'll be 37 1/2 weeks. I'm not sure if the Labor Day holiday had something to do with him scheduling it that early or the fact that they had to move up my c-section last time. I just hope I don't develop complications and have to have him sooner.

Raelynn--with my 2nd one, I was up walking around sooner and I knew what to expect. I knew it would hurt like **** the first time I tried to step out of bed and was more prepared. I also I didn't feel so drugged up the first few days because I had had demoral or some other shot for pain early on in Labor and then getting the epidural and then having the surgery. I think I still have my notebook where I attempted to write her birth story and I don't recognize my own writing.

My son is 2-4-4, dawnyal...really close.

Raelynn, at least you don't have 49 hours of labor plus a c-section to contend with this time. I had a c-section after a shorter failed labor, but I only took maybe 3 doses of ibuprofen when I got home for pain control so it was not a bad recovery. Hopefully this c-section will be much easier for you. I did walk a lot in the hospital while my drip was going, and I think that helped. It was a tip from my sister who had 3 c-sections due to really bad blood pressure issues. Good luck!

I didn't learn it was an "elective" c-section until I looked at my paperwork after my second one. The choices were "primary", "emergency", and "elective." I was mad to see the 'elective' box checked 'cause really with a footling breech what else are you going to do?

I sort of know how you feel in the surprise aspect that it won't happen. I can't believe you were not told 6 years ago about that.

I ended up with an emergency c-section after 14 hours with my first. I went into labor four days before my scheduled induction, he was 10lb 2oz. With number two, I found out about a week before that I couldn't have the vbac because the baby was too big, 11lb 2oz. I went into labor three days before the scheduled c-section so ended up with a emergency c-section. I healed fast and well with the first one and the second one was even better. I hope this one will be as easy because my doctor has told me already that I will most likely have a c-section and I'm kind of relieved. The second time I went into labor was way more intense than the first time. I think to it was because my hubby wasn't there and I couldn't focus. But good luck with your c-section.
I love the ultrasound, it's so cute! little baby in there and it already looks so real. I can't wait. I don't have mine scheduled until Aug. 24.

Thanks ladies, you have NO idea how much you've made me feel better. I was seriously concerned, and I feel like a weight has been lifted.

Just wanted to add my 2 cents - I understand why you are irritated you were not told 6 years ago about the VBAC issue. I would be too! I do know that doctors have become much more conservative in the last 2 or 3 years about VBAC, ever since the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecolgists came out with an opinion statement that VBACs are more dangerous, with more complications, than previously thought. In fact, in our town most OB/GYNs will not do them any more. There are a handful that will but only in the right circumstance, because the incidence of uterine rupture is higher than they previously thought. In fact, both our hospitals require the doctor to be physically on site the entire time during a VBAC delivery (no running across the street for a cup of coffee!)

My hubby is an OB/GYN and he was trained to always offer VBACs in residency and has done a lot of them. After this position statement, he still offers them in appropriate circumstances but also is sure to explain the risks. He also will not do one without reviewing the prior C-section records, for exactly the reason you state.

I also want to applaud your doctor for requesting your earlier records - not all doctors would have done that. It sounds like he was really trying to let you have a VBAC but just wanted to be sure it was safe to do so - sounds like a good doc to me!

I fear for the future of VBACs.

The Green Journal just came out with a study (today or yest) that the risk of rupture after one c/section (low transverse) is .7% and after multiple c/sections (low transverse) is .9%. These are pretty close, so this is actually good news for women who have had more than one c/section and want to VBAC.

I'm glad your doc reviewed your records. I also agree that your surgeon last time should have made it very very clear to you that you should never labor.

My practice is very lucky because we always have a OB surgeon and anethesia in house...but I know other practice around town are actively discouraging VBACs.

It makes me very sad. Don't get me wrong, I am a fan of c/sections when they are indicated...but to discourage a trial of labor because staff does not want to be in house is too bad.

Women have transferred to my practice because of this situation though, so as long as SOMEONE in the community is offering VBAC, then we should all be grateful.

Good luck with these impending births, however the wee ones enter into the world!

I agree with you Midwife about the future of VBAC. I personally believe much of it is fear of liability. As you know, VBACs are successful an enormous portion of the time - when they are not they can be deadly. I think hospitals are just playing it safe.

My husband and his partner provide backup for the midwifery group in our town and are considering hiring a midwife so they are very open to this (and other) alternative birthing plans. However, the OBs in our town who have stopped doing VBACs have done so both for liability and convenience issues - it is difficult to be in hospital for 10-18 hours or more while someone is having a VBAC, particularly if you are a solo or small practitioner and have no one else to see your scheduled patients.

Quite a turn around from when my husband was in residency and VBACs were ENCOURAGED!