@tacom

[jennistarr1]

Any baby yet???

How is everyone else

[achi]

Good luck! I hope it all goes well OR that it went well and you're getting lots of snuggles with that sweet baby!

[dreamcrisp1]

I hope you’re doing well tacom!

I am 30.5 weeks pregnant and time is flying! Baby is big just like my son and legs were 94% last ultrasound. No GD this time though which is amazing!

[tacom]

Hi!!!

Sorry I'm so late.

Henry is here, and I got my VBAC!!

Slept like absolute crap Tuesday night/Wednesday AM - like 45-60 min stretches between carpal tunnel pain, hip pain and needing to pee. Woke up Wed 4/21 an absolute grump and begrudgingly dragged myself to my chiropractor appointment. Couldn't find parking so walked a few blocks with my kn95 cursing myself and the world. Had to take several breaks during my appt for nausea when I was on my back - turns out I was probably in early labor. Got home and went pee and immediately lost my mucus plug and had bloody show. Decided to pick up groceries for the week just in case (my toddler would be home with family during our stay) and contractions picked up while I was at the store. By the time I got home, I started timing and they were already like 3 min apart but only 30 seconds long, so the midwife at my hospital encouraged me to stay home until they lengthened if I wanted to maximize my chances of a VBAC.

Labored at home from 1pm-5:30pm ish and contractions got stronger and longer but never closer together thankfully. My toddler was pretty awesome during it - really calm, asking questions but not scared, offering comfort (SO sweet). At one point he got his firetruck and told me he'd get the baby out, attempting to hook the little crane part to my belly button. My brother and his FI were still a couple hours away when I was ready to go in, so we dropped my son at his awesome sitter's in the interim.

Got to L&D around 7pm and was 5cm, 90% effaced on admission. I was handling contractions well but wanted the epidural before my water broke so requested we get that in motion.

Epi placement was uneventful - I told the anesthesiologist that last time I couldn't feel contractions and ended up with a cesarean after 4.5 hours of pushing so we discussed doing a smaller dose. He gave me only half a bolus which helped significantly with the pain but still allowed great movement, and then I didn't touch it again until after my son was born and it was time to deliver the placenta.

I rested with the epi and the peanut ball and my husband napped. I woke him up when my water broke spontaneously around 9:45pm. They checked me shortly after when I told them I felt more pressure, and I was complete. Baby was still high and OP again which was discouraging, but my nurse (the same one I had with my first son - so cool!) was really encouraging and told me she kept seeing him try to turn during contractions. Started pushing around 11pm and hit every position I could - squatting over the back of the bed, on either side, hands and knees, on my back - lots of movement. After almost 2 hours, baby rotated to OA and had finally descended past the +1 station my son never made it past, which felt huge... but I still wasn't sold this was happening. finally, they turned on the bright lights and more people started filling the room and I started to feel a little hope. I asked if they thought this baby was coming vaginally, and they laughed and told me absolutely and to feel his head if I reached down. Started bawling. Final stages of pushing were a lot more intense than I expected. Pushing itself felt good but the "release" at the end was AWFUL and I definitely screamed "my butt" more than once (turns out for good reason...). Once he made it past +1, everything moved really quickly and he was born at 1:09am on 4/22. 8lb 0.2 oz, 21.4" He came out in compound position so I was *blessed* with a 3rd degree tear that required repair in the operating room, but recovery has still been a lot easier than my first birth.

Henry is a super chill baby so far, great eater, good sleeper, overall just feel very lucky. Harrison also really loves being a big brother, and seeing him try to care for another little person is so sweet. When Henry cries (rarely), Harrison bursts out into an off tune version of You Are My Sunshine. I had a 37% chance of getting my VBAC but it happened... and now all three OBs I've worked with have strongly recommended another vaginal delivery if/when we choose to do this again. So cool!

[tacom]

Henry!

[tacom]

Brothers 💕

[jennistarr1]

so far i read "I GOT MY VBAC" and I got chills...I AM SO FREAKING HAPPY FOR YOU

ok reading more

[jennistarr1]

I'm crying...I'm crying hard...such a beautiful story
I'm so freaking proud of you, i really mean that...you worked so hard for that VBAC. But OMG that tear!!!!

and I had no idea there was options with the epidural. I think me getting an epidural top off was detrimental to my vbac attempt...but it was my choice and though hindsight can be torturous I made the decision at the time for a reason I guess

[achi]

Hooray!!!! Congratulations, Henry is so handsome!

I’m so happy for you! Awesome job mama!

[tacom]

May 5, 2021 9:17:13 GMT -5 jennistarr1 said:

I'm crying...I'm crying hard...such a beautiful story
I'm so freaking proud of you, i really mean that...you worked so hard for that VBAC. But OMG that tear!!!!

and I had no idea there was options with the epidural. I think me getting an epidural top off was detrimental to my vbac attempt...but it was my choice and though hindsight can be torturous I made the decision at the time for a reason I guess

I didn’t know either until I discussed with my OB at one of my final appts. It’s one of those things that I wish providers discussed more, especially for TOLAC/VBAC.

A few studies I read suggested epidurals improved VBAC success rates but you also risk a longer labor, longer pushing stage, baby not responding well to meds etc. so my goal was to try and focus on pain relief and rest during the first stage so I’d have energy for another marathon pushing stage.

[madDawg228]

So happy for you that you were able to have a VBAC!
I hope your recovery continues to go smoothly. Henry is such a cutie, enjoy those snuggles!