Getting pregnant after c-section / vbac

I had a similar experience at Alta Bates.  I wouldn't wait that long. I waited 18months to conceive, and now have had two consecutive miscarriages this year, so best case it will be 3+yrs PP for me if a third try works out.  If we are able to conceive again I will go for a scheduled C-section.  

Hello, I went through almost the exact same birthing experience as you, except for the pre-eclampsia (my water broke 4 weeks prior to my due date).  
Suffice it to say, I had another baby less than two years later. I think I got pregnant with her when my oldest was exactly a year old.  I don’t think it caused my pregnancy to be any more dangerous.  I got pregnant with my 3rd 18 months after giving birth to my 2nd.

At first my doctors were all for a VBAC, but I ultimately chose to have a scheduled c-section.  I’m glad I did because there was less drama the 2nd time around!  I delivered all 3 of my kids via c-section at Stanford.  

Now that my youngest is 10, I do still have that scar but no other pain/nerve damage.  For me it was worth having the kids without the worry of a vbac.  I’m still their mom, still birthed them, and have the literal scar to prove it!  I felt very taken care of by my care team.  The first 3 weeks that scar hurts so bad, but then you’re left with those precious babies.

Reach out if you have any other questions!  And good luck....  

Sounds like we had very similar experience with our first births by c-section at Alta Bates (albeit, mine was in 2011). And I had a wonderful VBAC experience at Kaiser Walnut Creek two years later. My boys are exactly 24 months apart. I switched because I had changed jobs and insurance providers. Initially, my Kaiser primary provider wasn't super enthusiastic about my choice for VBAC due to my gestational diabetes and higher weight, but admitted she had seen no issues with VBAC in her practice. I went for it (also thinking I may realistically end up with a repeat c-section). The midwife team at Kaiser Walnut Creek was fantastic and that was a much faster birth (12 hours from start to finish as opposed to 52 hours the first time). Also wanted to note that many of close friends with a first emergency c-section have opted for a repeat scheduled c-section for #2 and have had much faster and better healing the second time around. Sending you best of luck with any route you choose to take!  

My situation is somewhat different but may be relatable. I had a "scheduled" c-section for my first baby (it was scheduled about eight hours ahead of time when I found out at 41 weeks that the baby was breach). For my second baby, early on when I was deciding between VBAC and another c-section, a friend who had a VBAC ended up rupturing her uterus. She had emergency surgery immediately following birth and multiple blood transfusions - it was scary. In part because of this, I decided to have a second c-section and it was no problem. Less stressful than the first since I knew what was coming. Recovery was no problem. I have given birth twice and never even had a contraction but I don't think I missed anything. I definitely had an easier recovery than several other moms I know who gave birth vaginally. I would make the same choice again and have zero regrets - everyone is healthy and thriving. Good luck with your choice.  

I originally was planning a home birth, but my daughter was breech and despite efforts to turn her, I had a c-section. I wasn't ready to be pregnant in <18mos, so my experience is different, but I recall the NIH studies (maybe I'm mistaking which national institute I read studies on) suggested 24 months as ideal lower limit. I conceived my son about 27 mos postpartum, and I decided I wanted to do a home birth VBAC. Many advised against it, but our midwife knew the context of my first birth and felt I was low enough risk. Most midwives will not do a home birth VBAC, and we like our midwife so much because she is typically very conservative and cautious. I was also grateful she felt we had enough knowledge of risks and she trusted us to decide. UCSF was very adamant about this being wrong, but since my experience with their OB during my c-section was terrible, and I'm a medical anthropologist with a public health degree as well, I decided to go with the home birth VBAC. (Their tactics when they were trying to dissuade me were underwhelming when they said things like "there have been 5 home birth VBAC deaths." When I asked out of how many or over what time period, there were no specifics. If you're going to persuade me with data, please be rigorous.) I would not recommend home birth VBAC to most people, nor would most providers. 

My son was 13 days late, which meant that if we had gone to 14 days I'd have been back in the hospital for a VBAC, which of course, in the context of a hospital can often turn into an unplanned c-section.

I'm very glad I went for the VBAC even though I was scared and worried, I had had such a traumatic experience with the c-section and the hospital management once I had to have a c-section for my daughter, that I decided the risks associated with hospital interventions were worse for me. I realize some may find this callous or risky, but let's be honest, there are many risks associated with surgery, but many of them are "known" risks or we have a sense of control over them if we choose surgery. My 2nd birth experience was really positive. My recovery was SOOOOOOOO MUCH better than after the c-section. I had non-specific and inexplicable pains near my scar for 2 years, even though everyone marveled at how well the OB sewed me up. For full context, I was 33 for my first birth and 36 for the second. I'm fairly active person in pretty good shape (run, do some weights, etc.) with no other health risks. 

I hope you get to have the 2nd birth experience you are seeking! And if you don't, I hope you still get to relish your kids and that they're in your life.

Hello - 

I had a really intense first birth that resulted in a c-section and then an amazing VBAC with the second baby.  The first birth we went into the hospital with a lot of bleeding, zero contractions, was induced with both misoprostol and pitocin and no change.  It turned out I had a small partial previa and the placenta was beginning to tear away from my uterus, thus creating a small uterine tear.  Ended up having a C-section and then I needed to have the tear repaired directly after - I think it took about two hours after birth for me to hold/nurse baby.  

Second baby was conceived about 26 months later.  I was high risk because of previous birth, also because there was scar tissue from uterine tear and a few other factors.  OB and I decided VBAC was possible, but I also scheduled a c-section as far past the actual due date as I could (kind of as a mental backup, especially with how birth one went).  I was a lot more aggressive with walking during that last month of pregnancy and was more active throughout the entire pregnancy because of kid one.  Not sure if that helped, but second birth was a lot smoother.   Water broke, actually had contractions, dilated quickly and once I started to push, baby came fast.  However I did have a lot of bleeding that would not stop directly after birth - so I ended up in the emergency room again, but for a non-c-section reason!  Both birthing experiences were at Alta Bates.  

I'm thankful the VBAC worked out for me and I'm glad I gave my body the time versus scheduling an earlier c-section.  I wish you the best!

Hi - First, that sounds like an incredibly difficult and stressful birth. I hope you are doing OK. I was compelled to respond because I experienced almost exactly the same situation when I gave birth to my son last year at Kaiser Oakland. I had an additional complication and surgery after the C-section. I received similar advice about waiting to conceive again. Recently, my OB/GYN offered me the option of talking through my case with a perinatologist (high-risk pregnancy specialist), and that conversation was really helpful. Just sharing as something you may want to pursue/consider in trying to decide what to do. 

My first was a scheduled c-section, and I conceived my second 7 months later (oops), and again had a scheduled c-section. Without going into all the details, my first wasn't really my choice (I would have been going against medical advice if I'd tried vaginal delivery) and for my second, my doctor gave me all the options based on my medical indications, and I had to assess how I felt about the risks of a vbac. It's a tough spot to be in, for sure. This is how my doctor framed it:

option a: If you're really enthusiastic about a vbac, we can wait until 1 week past your due date for the scheduled c section (but her advice was not to go further).

option b: If you're really worried about laboring, we can schedule the c section for the week prior to your due date.

And ultimately I decided on option c, and scheduled it on my due date, because I was adamant about neither, and just wanted everyone to be safe. :)

Lots of people in my situation may have chosen something different and had great results, but I feel great about my choices, because my kiddos and I are healthy. No regrets.

All of that said, my mother had a very similar experience to what you described, conceived her second (me!) 7 months after giving birth, and had a successful vbac. And I know lots of others that had great vbac experiences. So I'm not making a recommendation at all, just sharing my experience. I'll add that ​recovery from a scheduled c section is smoother than an emergency c section, because you haven't been through the trauma of labor. It's still not fun, but your body is better rested and able to cope. I went home just 28 hrs after delivery the second time. And in round 2, you know what to expect, which makes it easier (minus the toddler screaming to be picked up). Bonus: my first scar was keloid, and the second go-around they removed it for me, and it healed up just fine.

As far as PP nurses, in both cases I had some that I wanted to bring home with me because I loved them SO MUCH and others I could have done without. :) I delivered at Kaiser Oakland.

Hi, I had cesarean with my firstborn. I also had failure to progress after 72 hours of being in back labor, and we resorted to pitocin, epidural, and finally, 5 vacuum attempts before the c-section. When he was 11 months, I found out I was pregnant again, so with #2's arrival, they would be 19 months apart. My OB at Sutter Health "plugged my numbers" into a formula (something like this: https://mfmunetwork.bsc.gwu.edu/PublicBSC/MFMU/VGBirthCalc/vagbirth.html). My chances were about 50-60% success for VBAC. I decided to get a doula (Heidi Kate of brilliantbirths.com), who was so supportive and so informed. She had experience with VBAC's. I ended up having a very successful VBAC with precipitated labor (2.5 hours), no meds of any kind, delivering in Alta Bates again. The doula got there just as I was delivering. Here is what I felt contributed to the successful outcome. Of course, these are my personal experiences, so please do not take it as professional advice.

1. In Sutter Health, I rotated my prenatals with different OBGYN's. I got to know their opinions on VBAC and let them know what my goal was. They were all very helpful, but I also asked very probing questions - Have you the OBGYN every had experience with a TOLAC (trial of labor after cesarean) that required c-section again? What is the risk of c-section for TOLAC, and what is the risk of actual maternal/fetal harm if that c-section itself occurs? What's the chance of uterine rupture? Have you seen this happen and how bad was it?

2. I got a doula, as mentioned before. I was in constant dialogue with her. Establishing this support made me feel very good that I was taking steps to ensure a good outcome, no matter what. Even though she wasn't present at the start of labor since it all happened so fast, I felt the money well-spent.

3. I listened to Hypnobirthing CD's (thanks to my doula) and practiced visualization starting around my 7 month. Some would say to prepare earlier, and I would agree with that. It certainly doesn't hurt.

4. I was committed to my prenatal stretches. I was less concerned about doing Kegels obsessively and instead did squats, walked on fours, etc., instead. Flexibility to me seemed better than having a muscular pelvic area. I REALLY got to know the Spinning Babies website (https://www.spinningbabies.com/)

5. I ate dates starting around 34 weeks (check out this article: https://evidencebasedbirth.com/evidence-eating-dates-to-start-labor/)

I am so glad I had a better 2nd birth outcome than the first, and I attribute this to being 100% committed to wanting the VBAC and taking steps to set myself up in the best way possible. I had doubters in my network (namely, my family who were armed with 40-year medical information where "once a c-section, always a c-section"), but this is where my own search for knowledge and empowerment kicked in to combat that. Feel free to PM if you would like to chat. Good luck! It is totally possible.

Thank you all so much for your rich, thorough, caring, and deeply personal responses. I truly appreciate them and have a lot to digest / think about, and maybe will take some of you up on your offers to correspond further about it. :) Take care!