How to Have a Successful VBAC
Options to Consider when Planning a Vaginal Birth after Cesarean
Jun 18, 2008
If you have had a cesarean and are expecting again, one of the decisions you will need to make is whether to have another cesarean or to have a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean.) Once you begin the process of planning for a successful VBAC, you will likely discover that it is more challenging than you may have realized.
Some care providers today are reluctant to encourage VBACs among their patients. And a few will even refuse to allow mothers in their practice to have a VBAC. Another trend in some areas is that out-of-hospital births are no longer options for mothers planning a VBAC. Occasionally there are hospitals who have adopted policies of banning VBAC's.
What can you do if you truly want to have a successful VBAC?
As you look for options in your own region, here are some practical things you can consider if your goal in your birth plan is to have a VBAC:
- Do you have the option for an out-of-hospital birth, such as a birth center or homebirth in your area? If so, is this something you and your partner feel comfortable with?
- If you are considering a hospital birth, find out if VBACs are possible in that facility. If so, what protocols are necessary to have a VBAC? (For example, some hospitals require that all VBAC patients have an IV or a saline lock once they are admitted.)
- Ask your care provider if they are supportive of you having a VBAC. If not, switch to another provider.
- When you find a provider who is supportive, ask a series of questions regarding their overall routines to see what options you will have for labor. Options might include intermittent monitoring, freedom of movement throughout labor, drinking clear fluids, etc...
- Additional support, such as a birth doula, may be crucial to your plan for a successful VBAC. Doulas offer a variety of comfort measures, techniques to stimulate a stalled labor and can serve as a mediator between you and your medical providers.
- If you are in labor and your labor has slowed down, try some accupressure or position changes. Nipple stimulation is also a good way to stimulate contractions.
- Be sure to ask for more time if there is a time limit imposed on you before doing a cesarean. Remember that it important to establish that you and your baby are doing well.
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