VBAC at home

[monkeytoes]

I am planning a VBAC for this pregnancy. I am booked into a hospital, but I also have a Community Midwife who will attend my house during the early stages of labor.
My intention is to stay at home until I'm about 7cm. However depending on how everything is going I am open to the idea of a homebirth.

Any of you had a HBAC? Please tell me how it went and would you do it again?

[Shanaynay]

I haven't but the community midwife sounds interesting! Is she organised through your hospital?
Does everyone in your area get one?
Is she open to the homebirth or will she make you go to the hospital? Does she come with you?

Sorry for all the q's but I haven't heard of this before!

[monkeytoes]

Phineas - The Community midwife program is a government organisation (nothing to do with the hospital). It costs $120 (I haven't yet been to medicare, but I think you can claim some of it back).

It is an organisation set up for women who want a homebirth (so, yes they are all for it!!!). They also assist people like me who have had a C/S and are trying for a VBAC. Their policy is that if you're having a VBAC it has to be in a hospital, but if your labor progresses fast enough I think they turn a blind eye to it if you really want to birth at home.
I see her once a month for checkups and fortnightly (I think) when you're closer to your EDD. Then when I am in labor I can ring my midwife and she will come and assist me at home. Once we're ready to go to hospital she will come too and be with me throughout my labor. I think you also get a follow up visit a few days after bubs has been born.

The only thing is, being government they only have a certain amount of funding and can only take on so many women. Basically you send in an application and cross your fingers that you are one of the lucky ones to be accepted.

I am only new to this program, so I hope I have explained it accurately.

[Shanaynay]

Wow that sounds great!
I wonder if my area has anything like that. Probably not.

It would be great to see them get more funding, it would be wonderful for every woman to have the chance to labour and birth with a midwife they know and have been able to develop a relationship with!

[Lillynix]

That does sound like a fantastic idea! Now if only every state could follow in suit!

As for HBAC, i'm planning this for my birth in late Jan, so if you can hold out until early Feb I can tell you all about it :)

[SassyMummy]

Becca74 had a HBA2C... she had a caesarean, then a baby born vaginally in hospital (which was traumatic), then another caesarean... and then she stayed at home and birthed her 4th child. I think that one she found very empowering.

It would be worth doing a search to find her, and then clicking on her sig... she's got her birth stories in there. :thumbsup:

I want to HBAC... but I'm not even pregnant so won't have any stories for you for a few years yet, sorry.

[AM]

I haven't had a HBAC, but I have had a homebirth, and I'm very sure you can definitely have one too.

The great thing about birth is that every one is different!

So speaking practically, it is kind of like you can begin with a clean slate, your birthing history really doesn't matter too much, as it can pretty much be said that this birth will be a completely different kettle of fish.

However, the medical profession like nothing more than reminding you at every turn that you are 'scarred'.

The thing is, the chances of uterine rupture are very low, so in real terms, this birth can be simply "a birth" there is no need to drag the label from your past birth with you, that negative labelling can be thrown down, and the focus be put on this birth alone, as a unique event which your body has been created to do.

I hope I have explained myself properly...probably not! I know that women who have been through a c/s can carry a lot of fear of subsequent births, and I have spoken to Becca74 on this very topic. Hopefully she will be along at some stage :)

[monkeytoes]

The thing is, the chances of uterine rupture are very low, so in real terms, this birth can be simply "a birth" there is no need to drag the label from your past birth with you, that negative labelling can be thrown down, and the focus be put on this birth alone, as a unique event which your body has been created to do.

This is exactly right! I feel like the hospital wants to treat me as a "VBAC patient", but if I am birthing at home with my supportive midwife I will be treated with respect.
I know the risks of uterine rupture are so small, but I just have a tiny voice in the back of my head saying "what if........."
I need to somehow get over the apprehension so that I can relax and be comfortable during labor. That's why I'm looking for women who have experienced a HBAC, to give me some positive feedback!!

[AM]

Absolutely! I'm so glad you understood what I was getting at. Someone I know who had an unassisted birth after a C/S wrote an amazing artlcle about this, if I can find it (she explains it SO much better than I ever could) I will share it with you, it is definitely worth the read. :)

[becca74]

Hi!! I'm the HBA2C mama those beautiful women are referring to :D

only checking into bubhub for a quick 5 mins, and would LOVE to type more, and will try to get back later to this thread....but in the mean time, if you want to check out my story, go here: http://uk.geocities.com/morrissey_1974/HBA2Cmama.html and you can read my story, and there is also a link to the blog I keep about my experiences, thoughts, rants, raves and ramblings ;)

I wish I'd homebirthed all my babies!