Baby #2’s Birth Story: Trying (and Failing) for a VBAC

When I became pregnant with my second baby (read about my first baby’s birth story here) my first order of business was talking about a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean).

“I want a VBAC,” I told my doctor at my twelve-week appointment. Surprisingly, she pulled out her phone. After a few taps into an app only OBGYNs know about, she told me I had a 54% chance at a vaginal delivery and anything over 50% she was happy to go for. Our plan was sealed.

More than anything, I wanted a VBAC. I’m sure vaginal birth is no joke, but I did not enjoy my C-section recovery and now with a 2-year-old to pick up and run after, I was even more determined to avoid the OR.

As with my first’s birth story, I went a week late. When I went in for my 41-week appointment my doctor told me she’d have to schedule the C-section for the next day. She reasoned that they won’t induce someone who’d already had a C-section and if I went much past 41-weeks, the baby would most likely be too big for me to push out anyway. I was disappointed but accepted my fate.

I went home and relaxed, knowing that within 24-hours I’d meet my baby. I even let myself feel relief knowing how this story would end. But when I got home, I started feeling contractions. I went to walk around the mall for a little, however I kept having to stop because the contractions were getting worse.

The rest of the day I felt absolutely awful, like I was getting the flu. I still wasn’t convinced I was in labor, especially since I had just accepted my scheduled/contraction-free C-section for the next day. But over the course of 20 minutes or so my mild contractions got more regular and then — my water broke. This baby was not waiting for her C-section.

My parents came over to watch my daughter and my husband and I headed for the hospital. When I arrived, the nurses and doctor gave me a choice: immediate C-section or try for a VBAC. I knew I’d always regret it if I didn’t even try, so I opted to labor and see where it took me.

We settled into the birthing room, got my epidural, and tried to rest. At 4 a.m. the doctor came in and told me that I was 10 cm. But just like the last time, it turned out the baby was still very high in my pelvis so they had me labor for a few more hours before trying to push, hoping she would descend.

Finally, at 7 a.m. it was time to start pushing. I pushed for almost an hour before my doctor looked up from where she was sitting and said, “This is not going to happen.” I wasn’t surprised, and I was definitely disappointed, but at that point I just wanted you my baby out and in my arms.

Just like last time, I was in the OR within 10 minutes and my beautiful baby girl was out 10 minutes later. The C-section took almost 1.5 hours this time because there was a lot of scar tissue to clean up from my first C-section.

The whole time they cleaned me up, my husband held my daughter next to my head so I could study her perfect pink lips and delicious cheeks.

Come back next week for our final installment of how I ended up with 3 perfect babies and 3 C-sections.

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