Re: Wanting to vent a little

[Guest guest]

Hi ...

Whether to have a VBAC or repeat cesarean is such a

personal choice...and I so much understand your desire

to have your husband be present at the birth of your

baby...

I've had my membranes stripped...studies show that it's

actually not very effective. (there's a new study

currently being done that I'm waiting for the results on)

It's one of the lesser effective methods of induction (I

had mine stripped 9 times...while some women find it

very uncomfortable, didn't bother me AT ALL...it's such

an individual thing.) But there's not much risk with

stripping membranes if the care provider knows what

they are doing...so it's almost one of those " why not "

things. (the main risk is of accidental AROM and an

small increased risk of infection..)

As for personal experience..I had what's called a

primary cesarean...which means that my first delivery

was a cesarean after about 52 hours of labor (well, 52

hours after my water broke...it was probably only about

10 hours of hard contractions and never got past 3-4cm

dilated). It had most every intervention that I did not

want....external fetal monitoring, IV, pitocin, antibiotics,

amnioinfusion, epidural, ending with a cesarean.

My recovery from my cesarean was what most people

called " remarkable " ...went home in 2 days and went out

to dinner on the way home, had my staples out 5 days

after my daughter was born...recovered relatively

quickly and without any complications.

My next pregnancy was a homebirth...and was

everything I dreamed that a birth could be. For me (and

my husband), we feel that there just isn't another

decision we should have made, it worked out so well for

us. To labor in the water...have my 3 year old daughter

say while I'm pushing, " Mommy, you're almost done! I

see my baby brother!! " ...to have daddy catch him as I

pushed him out and felt his body slip out of me...to have

my then 8-year old cut the cord 45 minutes after he was

born...to be walking around my house an hour after my

baby was born feeling GREAT!

There is no doubt in our minds that if we have another

baby it will be another VBAC. But...that's OUR choice

and a decision that we came to after looking at all of the

pros/cons. (do you realize that the risk of a uterine

rupture - the big fear most doctors say of VBACs - is so

small if you aren't induced that you have a greater

chance that your doctor isn't really a doctor!! I found

that fact fascinating...) We looked at our situation...the

information we know about birth....what our

dreams/desires are...and we chose a homebirth with a

midwife, midwife's assistant, and doctor present.

(ok...that's not entirely accurate. At our homebirth in my

bathroom was a doctor, midwife, midwife's assistant,

my husband, my two children, my mother, and my

doula...heh. And for me, it was absolutely

perfect....nothing at ALL would I change of the

experience...PERFECT!)

but I also didn't have the timing issue that you have with

your husband, and I can imagine that weighs heavily on

you - understandably! Truthfully....if it was a choice

between a cesarean with my husband, or a VBAC

without him...

that would be a difficult decision. Very difficult..and I

don't envy you for having to make it.

Soderblom CCCE CD(DONA) CLD

Student Midwife - Mesa, AZ

CAPPA Board of Directors

Doula/CBE/Pregnancy/Birth Photography

Owner: Birth Story Diaries - real births, real photos

http://www.birthdiaries.com

Owner: SouthwestDoulas.com

[Guest guest]

I had read your post but did not respond because i know nothing about

csection, VBAC or membrane stripping. I wish I could help. I have been induced

2x

with pitocin though and with my twins it was not bad but dd was not wanting to

come out and I felt tortured for a few days and would not want to go thru

another birth like hers again Good Luck with everything...

God Bless,

Robin, NorthEastern, NY

Age- 41

EDD- July 27th, 2004

IT'S A BOY!!!!!!

Mommy to:

&

(twin boys 8 years),

Madison, daughter, 5 years and

Wife to Pup 15 years (October 31, 1988)

Gastric Bypass Surgery-

October 18th 2002

Start-378, current- 246(pregnant)

goal 170 after baby

It's a BOY!!!!!

Emerson Roger

[Guest guest]

I read your post but there was nothing I could tell you. I never had

my membranes stripped and my only delivery was vaginal so i know nothing

about C-section except if I ever have one I want to be knocked out cold for

it.

Ferguson Rasley

mailto:dferguson@...