Second baby

Hello! I’m due in July and this would Be baby no2. My daughter will be 2 years and 4 months when he arrives. I had an emergency c section for my first and I hear a planned c section has a much better and quicker recovery. That’s now my thought process as well that it will be just fine 😂

I relate with your anxiety! I wanted a natural birth but baby girl was breech and I'm really hoping for a VBAC for 2nd baby. I'm 5 months pp but will wait until 12 months before trying again. Eager to read comments about other mum's who had a VBAC.

I had a dreadful recovery from labour and delivery (emergency section, sepsis, PPH along with other things) I would have loved to try a vaginally birth but it terrified me the closer i got to my due date. I opted for an elective c section and it was the best decision that I could have made for myself. I fell pregnant 18 months after my first. Watching my two girls together has been amazing 🥺 my toddler just absolutely adores her little sister. I found pages like birth trauma mama and the tea on birth trauma on Instagram really good for helping me come to terms with what happened to me. I'm 12 days post partum now and i feel basically back to normal despite a few complications the first week

I had a c-section in January 2023 and expecting my second in July. My previous birth wasn’t a planned section but also wasn’t an emergency. I think that makes a huge difference when it is planned. It is usually much more calm and less worrying. I was considering a VBAC for this baby mainly because of the recovery with a 2 year old to look after. But I’m having a few high risk factors and I am expecting they will want to induce me early. I would rather a planned c-section over early induction personally. I wouldn’t think too much about it at this stage because there could well be determining factors in your second pregnancy that help you to make the decision as it has with me. Also, you will likely be offered plenty of advice if you would like to try VBAC. I have a VBAC course this week arranged my healthcare provider which I’m sure will give me more clarity for my decision.

Had a vbac 19 months after my first

So got pregnant 10 months postpartum

I'm planning an elective for my second pregnancy and also planning to wait at least 2 years per recommendation. My recovery from my emergency C-section was actually really easy and I want to give my body time to heal and give myself the best chance at another easy recovery.

@Naomi thank you! This is similar to my birth experience hence why I feel terried for either! Dreadful labour of 30 hours - horrendous I wanted to die 🥹 baby was back to back and head in a deflexed twisted position - emergency section, then both me and baby had sepsis and in hospital for a week. Baby had to have lumbar punctures etc etc and my recovery overall has been very slow and hard. So it’s so helpful to hear your experience - in only 9(almost 10 months pp) so feels a world away yet but due to my anxiety surrounding pregnancy and birth & knowing 2 had always been the plan and experiencing the love of a child I can’t help but think about the next stage and if it will ever be possible. I already follow those pages so thank from for sharing - birth trauma feels like a lonely world to live in sometimes 🩷 I’m so glad you had a better experience second time round and get to see your little girls together. Conngratularoons and I wish you a smooth onwards recovery - your amazing. X

@Lesley thank you! Similar reasons as I can imagine a c section recovery is hard wirj a 2 year old. I’m so pleased they offer advice surrounding the VBAC. I hope nearer the time you feel confident in your decision and either works well for you - you feel it was the best to do for you both. Lots of well wishes your way x

@Gabrielle thank you. Do you have any advice for preparing for a VBAC? Was there any factors that you feel contributed/changed this for you? Thank you x

@Krystal it’s hard to navigate the grief when you really want a vaginal birth isn’t it? Hopefully one day we are able to have our VBAC and second babies 🩷

Not exactly. I mean I did all the usual things. Try to drink raspberry leaf tea or dates or evening primrose oil. Idk if anything helped. But I would suggest walking as much as you can when in labor and going to the hospital after a while. And if you plan for an epidural then get it when you can’t take it anymore. Like the more you can walk or bounce on your ball the better. Let gravity work.

@Beth it will definitely all be fine in the end won’t it - it’s just the nerves! People do this all the time is what I will be telling myself! thank you for sharing and I hope everything goes well for you either you decide x xx

I hear you. I had a horrible emergency C-section with my daughter but am still planning on having a planned one this time. I don’t want the complications again and I’ve heard it’s a whole lot better the 2nd time, even if it’s a longer recovery than vaginal birth

@Alyssa this is the dilemma isn’t it as I don’t want any complications not just for me but also baby. I can completely understand this decision - all the best for you! X

I waited a little longer between my two, there is 2 days short of 3 years between them. Emergency section with my first labour of 45 hours and complications. I managed to have a vbac for my second, labour of about 28 hours, however I think the only reason they allowed it is because he decided to come 2 and a half weeks early so it would have been classed as another emergency if I had the section, I know they wanted me to elect but I wanted a vbac from the get go as long as baby was safe and happy. I was very lucky he came early and gave us no choice in the matter! It's such a difficult decision to make, my first recovery was absolutely awful, my second was pretty fantastic (3rd degree tear) however I can't imagine what it would have been like if I'd ended having another emergency section. You can only go by what you think when you come to make the decisions but I was desperate for the vbac and understand i am so so lucky it went the way it did!

My son is almost 15 months old and we've been talking about having another baby so then my son would be 2 years when the next is born. We've been discussing another baby a lot more now because we don't know if we want another so soon. But I've been thinking about what my birth plan would be. I'd love to try for a vbac but I don't want to end up having another emergency c section. I was tired and scared when I had my son. I personally have done a lot of research on vbac and second+ c sections and there's pros and cons to both. Whenever you get pregnant again do some research on the pros and cons of a vbac and second+ c section and talk with your ob. I had complications due to my personal anatomy which led to a c section but I'm still planning on talking with my ob whenever I have another

I feel you with the anxiety. I had my section 9 years ago and recently had my VBAC (induced) and all went smoothly . Although I needed forceps to help get baby out as she was back to back

I had “emergency” c section in November 2024, due to failure to descend I was in labour for around 40 hours in a home birth with no medication and transferred to hospital with midwife fear of baby’s size and baby’s head not aligned properly, baby was born 4.9kg . I am scared too in a way because I really wanted a home birth and It was others fears that sent me to hospital , and I was unhappy with my care and decisions at hospital . Fast forward I am now 4 months post partum and i already wish I was pregnant again, so does my partner. I really want children close together and if it wasn’t for c section I would be trying again right now. My partner and I have said we will wait until October / November to try again, my baby will be 1 year old - the hospital I gave birth in (Australia) recommend 18 months between BIRTHS for my c section, so this is what we will do.

I actually just had a VBAC with my second and it was amazing and super healing for my first birth!! I did wait a little over 2 years before we started trying again which my doctor said definitely helped me to be a good candidate for a VBAC. I also looked for a doctor who specializes in VBAC so I would definitely suggest doing that as well. I wish you all the best! ❤️