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Author
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Topic: Feeling very unprepaired
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<Kym>
unregistered
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posted 10 March 2006 09:20 AM
I am 31 weeks pregnant with my second baby,I am still attending Uni and working 2 days a week (financial necessity) my first baby was delivered by emergency c/s 7 years ago and I am starting to feel very anxious and unprepaired for this birth. I am trying for a VBAC in a public hospital where I have been told I will have to have a c/s if there are any complications,even though I have enlisted the help of a doula my confidence with my ability to deliver this baby naturally is very low and another c/s would be a nightmare for me. Does anyone have suggestions to help me prepare and focus myself for this birth any positive feedback would help at this point. Thanks Kym
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JenBen
Member
Member # 520
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posted 10 March 2006 06:27 PM
Hi Kym,
I am in a similar situation to you, I am now 30 weeks pregnant with my second child after a emergency caesar in 2003. My advice would be to educate yourself in regards to what are common procedures in public hospitals for VBAC and what your rights are. What are the policies at your particular hospital (etc).It is important to be prepared mentally so you have some control over the situaltion. An example is that I have just found out that the public hospital I am going normally only let a VBAC women go post-term to 41 weeks and then they pressure her into a caesar. Now I know this is the case I can be mentally prepared to refuse consent as there is no way I am having a caesar for that reason if my baby and placenta are o.k. I have done the research and know there is no significant risk statistically so I feel strong enough to stand my ground. Ofcourse if you did not know about about this until you were 41weeks and then they were hasseling you it would be really hard to say no.
For personal confidence in your bodies ability to birth naturally I think you need to have a good look at what happened last time - were you unlucky with baby positioning (for example) or did you get the so-called cascade of interventions. It is good to find out exactly why things happened last time and whether they are a factor this time. I believe in the majority of cases there is no reason to think that they will happen again.
Good luck - read some of the articles in the Birthrites magazine info link on the left (a really good article on Uterine Rupture). I would also recommend joining the c-aware email discussion group - those ladies are an amzing source on information.
cheers Jennie
Posts: 47 | From: perth | Registered: Sep 2005
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<Kym>
unregistered
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posted 12 March 2006 02:44 PM
Thanks Jennie
Its good to hear from someone in a similar position, I have read the uterine rupture article and my logic tells me I am very low risk my c/s being 7 years ago I just find it hard to stand my ground when Drs and Midwives 'tut tut' my wishes to VBAC I also feel frightened that my body can't birth naturally as I failed to dialate past 3cm in 40 hrs of labour which of course did result in a cascade of intervention when I reached the hospital (I was trying for a home birth)I guess my faith is wavering & I'm worried I wont have the determination to refuse unnessesary intervention. Thanks for your advice I will endevor to educate myself more. Kym
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JenBen
Member
Member # 520
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posted 12 March 2006 05:06 PM
Hi Kym,
what position was your baby in? For my last baby I was in labour for 46 hours, I did fully dilate but it I didn't get to 3cm until after 36hours or so, then the rest happened quicker. My babe was posterior with a deflexed head. Posterior babies dodn't press on the right part of your cervix to move labour along very well, resulting in a post-term baby with a very long slow labour. If your baby was posterior I would check out a book called Optimal foetal positioning (there are websites too) which gives very practical advice on how to make sure your baby is in the correct position for a easy labour. (For example being careful of the positions you sit and relax in after 34weeks, no leaning back on the sofa with your feet up, always keeping your knees lower then your hips to encourage your baby to be in the correct posiotn (LOA - face to pubes!) I am a bit freaked out by this one as this was what caused my caesar but the signs are pretty good for this time around. My new little baby seems to be hanging out already in the correct position and my placenta is on the back wall (apparantly they can like to face thier placentas) so fingers crossed!!!
cheers Jennie
Posts: 47 | From: perth | Registered: Sep 2005
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kseers
Junior Member
Member # 558
Rate Member
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posted 12 March 2006 07:44 PM
Hi! We must be due about the same time! I am 29 weeks pregnant and also had a caesar in 2003 (due to foetal distress). I am booked in for a VBAC through the public system (under an obstetrician). I can totally relate to your fears.
I think you have done a really positive step in getting a doula and that will be a great help.
I have found that I have read some great books this time round, which have really changed the way I view birth. One helpful one is "BirthRight" by Susan Ross. The other is "The new pregnancy and childbirth" by Sheila Kitzinger. I think the key is preparing yourself (for any eventualities) and believing that you can do it. I was so unprepared last time - even though I thought I was!!
There is some great info now about VBACs - I have found the Birthrites website and mailing list particularly helpful. If you can read through the various pages you will find birth plans and guidelines that are helpful in planning your own (or at least knowing what questions to ask).
I would also suggest to find out all you can about your hospital and who might be attending.
I have booked myself in for a "hypnobirthing" course - I don't know if these are available where you are but several friends assured me these are extremely helpful in managing a positive birth.
I look back and I don't think anything in my first birth could have been done differently - but my mindset could have been very different and may have made the following weeks harder than necessary. I am determined this time to do all I can for a positive birth experience - regardless of what happens. I too am anxious but am starting to believe I can do it (I just have to stick to that).
Anyway, enough rambling - I hope this is helpful.
Take Care
Katherine
Posts: 1 | From: Wingello, NSW | Registered: Mar 2006
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