36 Weeks and the VBAC Debate

A friend of mine posted about how many days were left in her pregnancy and that made me realize there are only 28 days until my "guess date" (as she calls it!).  That's crazy!

I've had some good contractions that I hope are causing some kind of change on my cervix.  I've definitely reached that uncomfortable part of pregnancy.  Sleep is getting harder and harder during the night and this baby has its little bum so high up in my ribs on the right side that it's really hard to sit upright in a chair.  Baby C never "dropped," but I'm hoping this baby does at some point to give relief to my lungs, stomach and ribs.

Here's my belly comparison from two weeks ago.  I can see the change!

I got a couple great kicks on video the other day:

There have been a lot of great things posted lately on different pregnancy sites and facebook that I've enjoyed.  As the push for VBAC is rising, the push back is rising too.  Many c-section moms who did not have a traumatic experience can't understand why some of us want to try to have a vaginal birth the second (or third, or fourth, etc.) time around.  It is really frustrating to hear something like "I don't understand why it's such a big deal.  I had a great c-section experience and all that matters is a healthy baby.  How I have my baby doesn't affect you."  Well yes, on one hand that is true.  But on the other, it does affect me.  It affects ALL women.  The more women who go through the labor and delivery experience not educating themselves and just blindly trusting our medical system, the more our national c-section rate will just continue to be the atrocious number it is.  There are some of us actively fighting the system to try and reclaim our rights as birthing mothers and demand fully INFORMED consent for all patients.  Yes, there will always be some moms who would rather just take their doctors word for things, but I have to believe in my heart that if more women did their own research or were given full information on risks and reasons from their care providers, many c-sections would be avoided.  

This was a recent blog post.  It is a women try to put "humor" on an elective repeat c-section.  The article is appalling (in my opinion), but the debate in the comments is definitely something worth reading:

http://www.modernmom.com/blogs/jill-simonian/yes-i-m-actually-excited-for-my-c-section

I love the site www.vbacfacts.com, whose author made many comments in the above debate.  It is a great site to go for statistics for BOTH sides of the risks of repeat c-section vs. VBAC.

Also, I've had a lot of friends and family use the phrase with me, "I hope this birth goes the way you want it to."  I feel I need to set the record straight on something I thought I had been communicating all along...

I'm okay with a repeat c-section.  I've done my research, I trust my doctor and I'm giving my body every chance to do what it needs to do naturally.  The main thing I want out of this experience is an EMPOWERED birth.  That birth does not come with the requirement that this baby be born vaginally.  That birth comes with the requirement that I feel I am fully informed on each step of the process and if Dr. C tells me we need to head to the OR, it is a discussion of options and not an order that is prefaced by scare tactics.  I have confidence in the decisions I've made and feel myself and this baby are both set up for the best possible outcome.

If anyone in the birth world is solely focused on vaginal birth over c-section, they've missed the point.  I just wanted to make that clear.

Birth Options in LA

So remember that lead on an OB that I had in small area of Louisiana we are moving to?

Yeah, that wasn't a good phone call.  After talking with Dr. C, I thought I'd go ahead and schedule my 24 week appointment with a new doctor in Louisiana.  I called the one recommendation I got.

The receptionist answered and I told her I had heard that the doctors in their practice were VBAC supportive.  I should have known when she didn't act familiar with the term "VBAC" that things might not turn out well.  She told me that she would go ask.

A nurse returned on the phone after a few minutes and said "I talked to the doctors and they don't know why you heard they supported that kind of birth.  Our newest doctor out of medical school would be happy to sit down with you and explain why they don't do it since she is up to date on all the current information."

I told her I wasn't interested.

She said, "But we'd be happy to take you as a patient."

"For another c-section, right?" I responded.

"Yes," she answered.

"No thanks.  And tell that new doctor of yours if she had actually done her research and looked at facts she would know that it's safer for a mom to have a vaginal birth after a c-section than another major abdominal surgery."

And hung up.

I was so upset.  I guess I felt like maybe I had an option close to home there and since it was my only lead and there aren't even any birthing centers in the area, I felt it was the ONLY option.

We know we have Dr. C as back up, but I just am not sure with all the unknowns of having this natural birth I want after my experience with my son, that I'm comfortable with the possibility of me relying on Dr. C and then going in to labor before I had a chance to get back to Texas.  I'm also scared that Daddy B would not make it in time with the 5 hour drive.  I just have no idea what to expect since I've pretty much never been in labor before and definitely haven't gone in to it on my own.

So I contacted the wonderful ladies of ICAN in Baton Rouge (the only chapter in the state) and they are helping me expand my search.  We are about 1.5 hours from the nearest big city and Baton Rouge is 2 hours.  There are other options if we commit to a drive again and I have a good family friend in Baton Rouge that I could count on if I needed anything in that area.

We'll see what happens.  I felt really lost after that phone call.  I mean this whole process is scary and frustrating and I see now why some moms just go for another c-section, even though that is not an option AT ALL with me.  I have to try to have this baby naturally.  Daddy B told me he's proud of my determination and is behind me all the way.  I am so thankful to have a husband who supports me not only through his words of encouragement but in my knowledge that he is behind this vision for the birth of our next baby 100%.  I'm so appreciative he has listened and researched on his own to learn about VBAC.  I know I cannot do this without him by my side!

P.S.  Daddy B started in his new territory today.  It's a big day for him so keep him in your thoughts as he tackles a section of the railroad that is in pretty bad shape and almost four times the size of his territory in Texas!

Articles on VBAC

In an online community I take part in, a fellow mom replied to a someone's inquiry about choosing an elective c-section over a VBAC with this response:

 "I have never seen compelling evidence that vbac is safer than a repeat c-section - that is an opinion not a fact. In fact, most doctors will not do vbacs because they are not considered safe. Repeat c-section still seems to be the prevelant recommendation. (Some will say "because it is convenient for doctors." Yeah - because they are ALL selfish monsters? I don't think so, but that's my opinion.) 

The body is meant to give birth, yes. However, labor was the leading cause of death for women before the advent of the c-section. When they are medically necessary, they save lives of women and babies. With the technology we have today, it is possible to have a planned c-section for medical reasons. Thank God!"

I responded with this:

"You are grossly misinformed about VBAC.  You should NOT give advice to someone based on your opinon and not based on research.  Want some compelling info on VBAC?  Here ya go:

ican-online.org/vbac/postion-statem...

ican-online.org/vbac/fighting-vbac-...

www.childbirthconnection.org/pdfs/A...

wellroundedmama.blogspot.com/2009/0...

vbacfacts.com/

I could keep going, but I think you may get the point.  

Have you been through an UNWANTED c-section because of a doctor pushing you in to it when it wasn't truly medically necessary?  If not, you cannot imagine what it feels like to be passionate about changing your birth options."

It is frustrating to me that people so carelessly influence others in to thinking a c-section is no big deal.  Her information is wrong, plain and simple.  

P.S. Sorry about the formatting.  It messed up when I copied and pasted from the other website.