My OB/GYN does not allow VBACS?

Question

I just saw the trailer to "The Business of Being Born" and I'm going to see the full-length version with another friend at an auditorium at our University soon. My question is: after watching his clip, do you believe that he is doing the same thing to me? I believe in my heart that my first c-section was unnecessary and he just wanted to get back to his office and then go home for the day. I'm scheduled for another one on the 26th of December and I really don't want to do it. I really would like to experience a natural birth, something that women were suppose to be able to do. It saddens me to think that I may never experience this. My doctor also "does not allow vaginal births after c-sections". WTF do I do??? How do I fight the system? Apparently, Ricki Lake, the executive producer of this film had a c-section with her first child and succeeded in "beating the system" with her second.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DgLf8hHMgo

Sorry, she didn't have a c-section, she had a drug-induced labor.

Answer 1

re. "Could you possibly switch doctors? I guess it's probably a little late for that..." -- not true! My water broke before I started labour, and my supposedly low-intervention OB wanted to do a vaginal exam and get an induction going asap.

I "fired" him and had my baby with another OB, four days later.

It is NOT too late! Worst case, you show up at a hospital *right* before you have your baby...

Every lousy part of my baby's birth was lousy because I let somebody else override my instincts, and every good part was because I listened to them. Trust yourself.

Answer 2

find a new doctor... seriously, any doctor who does not allow something is stupid... he works for you!! you pay him, you copay, you pay for insurance, you pay his salary.....FIRE HIM!!

it is very close... but if you feel passionately enough about this... you could have a new doctor lined up and an appointment by friday.

I babysit for a friend who's first was via csection... just because she was breached... they planned it days ahead, instead of taking measures to help turn the baby, they just planned a csection for the end of the week!! Afterwards, she learned a lot... and even though she was on medicaid, and medicaid claimed she had to do a repeat C, she fought it and not only did a VBAC, but the paid a midwife at a birthing center!! Everything went fine, and they were home about 5 hours after baby was born.

There are circumstances which force a repeat csection... but the US has the highest rates of first time and repeats... not sure if it's a financial thing - more money for a bigger procedure, more doctors, nurses, and techs involved, longer hospital stay... or a lazy thing- like you said, doctor just wanted to clock out - they're easier and more convenient for doctors.

seriously, call around, find some doctors who regularly do VBACs tell them of your situation and you have an urgent need to be seen by the end of the week. Doctors will take new patients last minute... people move, or have falling outs with their doctors all the time, so while it's ideal to have the doctor who's seen you throughout your pregnancy deliver your baby - it is not a rule.

ETA...happycake... I always love your answers, and this one is a great one... but one little thing: for a VBAC to consider an unassisted birth is pushing it too far... midwives or an openminded OB is sort of "needed" here, especially since she only has a week or two to figure it all out... if she were just beginning her 2nd trimester it would be a great suggestion, but she does not have the time or the relaxed state of mind to learn how to do it totally unassisted!!

Answer 3

It is NEVER too late to switch medical professionals. I highly recommend that you call the certified nurse midwives in your area. They accept health insurance and deliver in hospitals. They are also far more likely to support you in all your decisions, including a VBAC.


And now, I have to respond to one of the other answers.

"Actually, I do hope you get to have a natural birth so you can see that they are very difficult and extremely painful, take a long time and nothing to get all that excited about."

That is just pejorative. Mine were neither difficult, nor extremely painful, nor took a long time. Every woman is different and it's bordering on misogyny to tell a woman that labor, which her body was designed to accomplish through evolution, cannot handle the process.

"I feel sure you would agree that the ultimate outcome should be for a safe delivery of a healthy baby with as little trauma to the mother and infant as possible."

Yes, and looking at the grim statistics of c-sections, that is truly an argument for a vaginal birth. C-sections pose more risks to the health of the mother and the child than a vaginal birth. There's a reason cutting women open is not part of the biologically designed process. Of course, c-sections save lives, but the extraordinary amount of medically unnecessary c-sections also threaten the health and lives of mother and child. C-sections are not without risk.

"The doctor had a good reason for doing a C-section the first time and it wasn't to hurry back to his office."

Oh really? Perhaps it wasn't to hurry back to the office but was instead to cover his butt. Why is it that OBs have a rate of c-section at 25% and nurse midwives 8%? Even the OBs attached to my midwifery practice are only at 12%--that's HALF the rate of a regular OB. It's ridiculous to assume that all doctors have good reasons for doing a c-section. It's either laziness or fear of malpractice, either way those are hardly in the best interest of the mother.

Bottom line:

This is YOUR body and YOUR baby, do not let anyone bully you into something you aren't comfortable with. They had better present you with solid medical evidence before proceeding with anything 'by routine.'

Remember, medical professionals work for you. You pay them, they are your employees, you can take your business and insurance elsewhere.

Answer 4

If you're not happy with your doctor's opinion, you should seek another's.

Many doctors (from my understanding) prefer the c-section route because they're not willing to deal with any legalities that might arise from a complicated vaginal birth. Honestly, I think this is BS.

I had my daughter via cesarean because she was breech, but I would rather have tried for a breech vaginal delivery. I hated having a surgical birth and I promised myself that if I ever became pregnant again that I would not go under the knife again. Roughly three years after my first, I became pregnant again and against the "advice" of several doctors, I gave birth vaginally and without any medication.

You can do it.

Not all doctors are against VBACs. Find one that will work with you and do it fast! The alternative would be to have a homebirth with a certified midwife. There is a slight (extremely slight) possibility of uterine rupture with VBAC, so if you go this route, you and your care provider (or birthing partner) need to know the signs in case you need emergency transport/care.

Answer 5

It may not just be your doctor, but the hospital. The hospital that I had both of my kids at did not allow VBACs for years because they didn't staff an emergency surgical team 24 hours a day, which they would require to be on site during a VBAC. Since you're just days away from birth via one method or another you may not have a lot of options at this point. Whatever ends up happening I wish you nothing but the best, its not how we come into the world, but what we do once we're here.

Answer 6

first you would have to switch Dr's if that Dr doesn't allow it he doesn't allow it you cant make him. but you are going to have a VERY hard time finding a new Dr that will except you this close to your due date. i had a convenience c-section also i was induced 8 days b4 i was due bc they though my baby was going to be big even though they had absolutely no reason to i had several ultrasounds. i was progressing slowly for being on pit and they refused to let me get up and move. eventually i convinced them and they checked me after i had a chance to get up and never said how dilated i was they just said "about the same". the ob i was seeing is nicknamed "slice and dice brignoni" his name is anthony brignoni by the nurses at the hospital and has a like 60% c-section rate all of which i found out after my son was born. he now only does the ob thing like 2 days a week the rest of the time he does plastics. the only ting you can do is call around and see if anyone will take you.

i just wanted to add that my son was only 6lbs 12oz not big at all

Answer 7

Could you possibly switch doctors? I guess it's probably a little late for that though since you're scheduled next week. It's really sad that your doctor doesn't allow it. You should be given the choice, especially if there's no reason not to try a VBAC. Sorry I don't have any advice for you. I had a c-section with my first and again with my second. I really wished I could have done a VBAC I hope you can figure out something. Good luck to you! And congrats.

Answer 8

If you have ANY problems with your doctor, or how they are treating you, most definitely find a new one! Just because you are late in the game does not mean you are not entitled to a second opinion and having the birth you want. Ask around friends and family that have had children if they have any recommendations for a new doctor, or call a local birthing center for women and tell them that you are uncomfortable with your course of treatment. If you don't need a c-section you should not be forced into it.

Answer 9

Wow. I never knew there was an issue with this. My cousin had her first child via c-section, and her second vaginally. She actuallt /wanted/ a c-section though, and the doctor told her that they didn't do them unless it was needed.
I would suggest a new doctor, but with the due date being so close, I'm not sure that would be a good idea.
I guess if I was in your shoes, and VBAC was what I wanted, I would tell them, and stick to it until the doctor either agreed or referred me to a colleage that would do it.
I'm not really sure what else you could do. Whatever happens though, good luck!

Answer 10

If you feel as if your doctor is misleading you in any way you should get a second opinion. If there are not any complications or problems with your baby right now there shouldn't be a reason why you cannot give birth vaginally. Unfortunately some doctors just don't care enough to take the time for their patients and will do whatever they can to ensure you do not take up too much of their time. Best of luck.

Answer 11

Most doctors will not take a late transfer of care unless you just moved to town. As for whether or not you should have a trial of labour, depends on the reason you had your first c-section. Was the baby in distress, breech, too big to fit out your vagina etc... The reason for your first c-section delivery, along with your age, cervical dilation and effacement on admission to hospital are used to work our your FLAMM score, a tool used to predict the success of a trial of labour for previous c-section patients. If you want a vaginal delivery, you are going to need to show up in labour. Risks include uterine rupture resulting in fetal and maternal death by exsanguination. Ability to do an emergency c-section in just minutes is essential. If your hospital is not able to do this, that may be the reason your doctor is unwilling to take this chance with his patient's and their children's lives. Consider this carefully!!