C-section or VBAC? This question is something that kept repeating it’s self over and over in my mind during my second pregnancy.
I ended up having a c-section with my first baby because he was big. (You can read about the 30 hours of labor here) During my second pregnancy, I had to decide if I wanted another C-section or to try for a VBAC.
For those who might be wondering VBAC stands for Vaginal Birth After Cesarean.
There are a lot of things to consider about how you’re going to deliver your next baby after having a c-section. There isn’t one answer that will work for everyone. That’s what makes this decision so hard.
Deciding Between a VBAC or C-Section
First, let me clarify I am not a doctor nor do I claim to be one. This is just me as a mom of two sharing with you my experience when deciding if I should do a VBAC or a repeat c-section.
Talk To Your Doctor/Midwife
The first step in deciding if you should schedule a repeat c-section or try for a VBAC is talking to your healthcare provider. I had a team of midwives for my first baby and for my second pregnancy, I decided to go back to the same office.
From the start, I asked questions about what my delivery options were. I wanted to have time to make my decision and come to terms with what my delivery would be.
Each Doctor/Midwife has a different policy on VBAC’s (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean) so be sure to find out what the policy is at their office and the hospital and also find out the Doctors thoughts with your situation.
For my situation they said as long as my pregnancy didn’t have any complications I could try for a VBAC, they would let me go to 42 weeks, if I didn’t go into labor before then I would need to have a c-section. I could not be induced with a VBAC.
Since they gave me the option of a VBAC I now had to decide if that’s what I felt the best about.
Consider Your Past Experience
When considering your past experience, think about a few things about your last pregnancy/birth.
- did the baby come early or late
- were you induced
- why did you end up with a c-section
Something else to consider is heredity, how were deliveries for your mom, there might be similarities or it could be totally different, just something to consider.
My past experience was that my baby was 9 days late, I was induced and ended up with a c-section because of the little man’s size.
Family Size
How many kids you want is a big factor in what you decide. The more c-sections you have the higher the risk. So if you had a c-section with baby one (like I did!) and you want 10 kids you need to take that into consideration.
Talk to your doctor they can tell you the recommended max number of c-sections.
Do Your Research and Talk to Other Moms
Now that you know your options do some research, for me, the best research was talking to a few different midwives and also talking to some mom’s that had done VBAC and some that had repeat C-sections.
Yes, I got online and read all about everything and scared myself by reading every possible thing that could go wrong either way. This is not something I recommend doing!!
Don’t Forget to Talk to Your Husband
Talking to my husband about my thoughts on how I wanted to have our second baby was really eye-opening for me. My husband was all for a scheduled c-section. The labor and then c-section from our first was enough for him.
Even though he wanted a c-section, he was supportive and told me the decision was mine and he would help and support me with whatever I decided.
Mentally Prepared
No matter what decision you make if it’s having a VBAC or doing a C-section you need to be mentally prepared.
For a VBAC, you need to be prepared for the waiting game and then labor or possibly a c-section if you don’t go into labor. If you decide to do a c-section you need to be ok with the decision and know that it’s the right choice. Either way, you need to be prepared to accept the decision you made and be happy about it. Recovery is hard enough without beating yourself up about it.
Why I Decided on a Scheduled C-Section
In the end, I decided to have a scheduled c-section. I made this decision for a few different reasons. Primarily because of my past experience and mental preparedness.
My Past Experience
The fact that I didn’t go into labor with my first and had to be induced is very similar to how my mom had all 8 kids (induced each time!). My little man was big and I was worried that I wouldn’t go into labor until 41+ weeks and then I would have a big baby that I couldn’t deliver again.
My Mental Preparedness
Mentally I couldn’t do the waiting game until 42 weeks with the possibility of ultimately ending in a c-section. For me, it would have been torture to wait and wait and then have a c-section.
It was easier for me to accept and be happy about scheduling a c-section than waiting and worrying about a VBAC.
Make the Best Decision for YOU!
Yes, I decided to have another c-section. That does not mean this is the right decision for you. You need to decide what is the best choice for you, physically and mentally. Don’t let what I decided or your friend decided to do, be your deciding factor.
Do your research and make a decision you and your doctor feel good about.
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