VBAC

It makes me so emotional when I doctors recommending c-sections because of baby size. Your pelvis is designed to separate during labor to allow baby to pass through and it’s totally safe and normal and fine and women give natural birth to large babies all the time.

I like the podcast vbaclink. They have an instagram too and it’s a great place to learn about your options

@Lisa I know I regret having one the first time, I wish I had done more research but I ended up having him the day after the discussion so didn't have time. I worry now about having a VBAC with a big baby because there's also my c section scar to consider as I know theres a small risk of it opening. I will have a look at the podcast thank you!

@Lisa everyone should do what feels right with no pressure or criticism for their choices. I didn’t know I was having a big baby although suspected it myself. My dream water birth turned into a traumatic nightmare with 27 hours labor, almost 5 hours pushing until there were concerns. All ended up with an emergency c-section. The baby wasn’t in a great position and got stuck. The surgeon after everything said that there was little chance for natural safe birth due to his size (happy and healthy otherwise). So let’s not convince ourselves about what the “design” is meant to do. Everything can happen.

@Alona so sorry you had a traumatic experience, how big was your baby in the end? They wanted me to have a c section because they were worried about him getting stuck which obviously sounds terrifying!

@Kira He was 9.8 pounds, but also quite long/tall. He was stuck before he even managed to decent into the birth canal, but there was no way of telling at that point how it was progressing. For me it was really hard as I had no pain relief until maybe last hour or so when they finally gave me an epidural and tried to put me on the drip to intensify the contractions even more, but my little one didn’t like the hormones. So we went into the surgery…

@Kira I don’t mean to scare or worry you, we are all different, and do what feels right. In my case, I felt that he was too big for me, but nobody was concerned and I kept telling myself all this “your body is made for this”. My point is, don’t let anyone pressure you either way, just really listen to your body and that “gut feeling”.

I had a c-section with my first as we were told the same, it was an on the spot choice i wasnt in labour but they needed to either induce or go for the c-section; i hadnt done any re-search on either and the reccomended a section as he was predicted to be 11lb by the scans; I get really sad that people always value a natural birth higher "oh its a shame they didnt want you to try" and "oh its a lie and an out rage that they reccomend c-sections for big babies we are designed to birth our babies no matter their size" It wasnt planned, it wasnt the birth i wanted but if you talk to 1000 women the number who had a birth they expected/planned for is much smaller than the "birth is beautiful" brigade will have you beleive. My current pregnancy's tracking to be 9lb this time, & i have decided to go for a c-section again. Ive been made to feel guilty cuz its 100% elective with no medical indication but for me whilst the idea of a perfect natural birth is preferable to a c-section a complex one certainly isnt!

I have a 5yr old but my husband will be home to help and we can prepare for the recovery period, if i had a birth like a few friends who were torn badly/needed interventions and had complicatjons their recovery was harder and wasnt planned for so they struggled more than i did after my elective c-section. Obviously its major surgery but its controlled and predictable.

@Ali this is also my thought process I'd rather have a planned c section that an emergency one as I can make sure I have 6 weeks of support from family and friends to help with our 3 year old