Here we were two years after our first birth and excited about another pregnancy. I now knew what healthy pregnancy was, and my many different options for birth – including midwives. I knew I wanted to work with a midwife for a Vaginal Birth After Caesarean (VBAC) this time. So, I interviewed several OB/GYN’s and Certified Midwives. The OB’s were all nice and said they were open to me trying a VBAC – but stressed that it was just a trial of labor…. that nothing could be guaranteed and that if any red flags came up I was headed for the operating room again.

While I think c-sections (c/s) are VERY needed in few cases to save lives – our current c-section rate for first births (33% in 2005) is absolutely ridiculous. According to the World Health Organization the percentage for c/s should not be above 10%. At the time the city I lived in had a 40% c/s rate! So, I knew I had to do everything I could to have a vaginal birth this time in order to have normal births from here on out, because once you have two consecutive c/s there are VERY few people that will work with you to have a vaginal delivery. There were other issues also, like the fact that each subsequent c/s gets more and more dangerous for the mother, and each pregnancy gets more dangerous for the baby (as the scar is more likely to rupture and cause damage to the child).

None of the OB’s I interviewed felt right, so we decided on a Midwife, Linda, for a homebirth with a doctor back-up in case of hospital transport. I really enjoyed the midwifery care: blood tests, ultrasound referrals, heart rate checks, urine tests, blood pressure checks, and more– all in the comfort of my own home!!
Then around 30 weeks pregnant I started feeling uneasy about everything. I kept asking my husband Jared “Are we doing the right thing?” He would reply “I think it will be fine. I support your decision to home birth.”
Well, for me to feel totally comfortable I needed to hear him say “I think it’s best to have a homebirth”, and he just wouldn’t do it! So, I prayed and prayed. Two weeks later I met an OB, Dr. Anderson, at a screening for The Business of Being Born.

I spoke to her after the movie showing and told her my situation. She advised that first VBACs should be in the hospital (but that subsequent deliveries could be done at home or a birth center) and that she would work with me to do everything possible to ensure a healthy, natural, vaginal delivery – but in a hospital.

So, I went to visit her in her office and HATED the office experience. Oh, how different it was from home midwifery visits! I told Jared everything the OB said and how I felt, which was still unsure. Jared liked the idea of continuing care with Linda, the midwife, and laboring at home with her then transferring to the hospital when we were SURE delivery was close (around 5-7cm). Linda would then continue as a support person at the hospital. This is the same advice Dr. Anderson gave, so we went with it!

Speed up eight weeks later to my due date……(here is the good part)

On a Friday night our friends, Rochelle and David, came in town because I thought I might be in early labor. Rochelle had had natural childbirth and would be helping me with the birth. David would be caring for their 2-year-old son and our 2-year-old daughter while I was in labor and at the hospital.

Friday and Saturday nights I had regular (6-7  minutes apart)  soft contractions. Monday though Wednesday I had hard regular contractions. Monday night the midwife came because the contractions were 3 minutes apart and strong. Linda spent the night, but by morning the contractions had slowed down and I had only dilated about 1 cm though the night (from about 1.5-2.5). How incredibly frustrating! I started to think that another c/s would be much easier!

Those days of labor Rochelle was so good to me. She kept me hydrated, fed well, relaxed, and anticipated my every need. I couldn’t have imagined anything better. Also, the kids got major Daddy time – Jared and David took the 2-year-olds to parks, stores, junky food places, and so much more. I think it was a hit for that crew!

On Wednesday afternoon I decided to go see Dr. Anderson. I had had hard contractions the night before, and they didn’t let up throughout the day. Jared took me in and I had several painful contractions in the car and the doctor’s office. Dr. Anderson checked my cervix and announced that I was at 0-station, 90% effaced, and 4 cm dilated. She said I could go home, labor, and come to the hospital that night whenever I felt ready. Dr. Anderson was sure I was in early active labor.

About 6:00pm Linda the midwife came over and helped me labor. I was in and out of the birthing tub and really frustrated. I thought I was making no progress! I was wary that I was actually in labor–the contractions were not any stronger or closer together than on Monday night, and I had not made any progress then….. Why would I now?

Linda checked me again and couldn’t tell how dilated I was but that the baby had moved down even further. In those couple of hours at home I asked several times to go to the hospital. Rochelle, Linda, and Jared all looked at me worried that I just wanted drugs. I have to admit… the thought DID cross my mind *wink*. But, mainly I just wanted to get the show on the road. I thought labor would be real and I would progress if I was at the hospital.

About 10 or 11pm we drove and checked in to the hospital. Dr. Anderson had prepared the nurses that I wanted a natural, no intervention delivery and the nurses obliged beautifully! Although, I think I may have had some effect with the nurses before my team came into the room. I had several contractions and asked them “Come here please” to hold me standing through contractions……they all got big rocking hugs.

Oh! That is another thing… I had back labor. I had to stand or be on my hands and knees through the contractions. I’m sure that helped by baby move down the birth canal properly. Although it was back labor, the contractions never got closer than about 5 minutes apart and they never got super strong or long. So, I count that as a real blessing.

At the hospital the nurses were very respectful and helpful. I had one saline bag through IV then they took it out so I can move around (only a Heplock).  I was also hooked up to the Electronic Fetal Monitors (EFM) but could take them off to shower or use the bathroom. Actually the EFMs weren’t all that bad. I wanted to be close to the bed to hold on to and the EFM didn’t seem to get in my way too bad. I was still able to stand up and get on my hands and knees.

When I checked into the hospital I was 5.5cm! Even though it wasn’t a whole lot of change, it was something and I was encouraged. After an hour of so I asked for Stadol to help me sleep in between contractions. It did help me sleep some, but the main thing it did was make me a bit loopy so I didn’t care what was going on around me. I was able to rock, move, hum, sing, stand, wiggle, dance, etc without caring who saw me. Basically, it removed me from the situation to completely concentrate on what my body was telling me. I probably didn’t need it, but it was cool to have it and I didn’t notice any bad side effects. But everyone else I’ve ever talked to HATED Stadol and the effects – go figure…..

More of the same through the night and early morning….. contractions about 5-7 minutes apart.

Then, at about 5:00am the nurse checked me again, I was 9cm!! Woo Hoo!
As soon as she left the room I had a contraction and my body literally went: WHOMPF and pushed itself. My water broke at that moment. For the next 20 minutes or so I let my body just push in the contractions. Then the doctor and nurse team arrive. I pushed squatting, on my hands and knees, and standing. It was the most fun of the whole delivery. I don’t remember any pain during this part. Finally they said “Lay back the shoulders need to come out.” I did, and the doctor delivered the head and shoulders nicely, and all off the sudden I met my dear daughter at 5:57am. She was 8’9, 21.5 inches,and perfect!
How amazing!

Looking back, the most important thing I did to prepare for a successful VBAC was (in no particular order):

- Find Doctor that I trust.
- Follow my husband’s lead.
- Use a midwife
- Avoid all Health Care Professionals that used words like “You can try”, or had high intervention rates
- Research Research Research. Knowing that Puttering Labor is NORMAL. Labor doesn’t have to progress at the 1cm per hour rate to be normal
- Have an amazing friend that helped me through the days of labor. She kept my hope alive, my body functioning well with good food and hydration, my mind off all the worries, massage, relaxation, and fun!
- Trust my body, that it was meant to have babies naturally and that surgeries are NOT a normal way to deliver.

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