The attempted VBA2C of Amelia Rose 31/03/08

**raisingthree** · 12-04-2008 15:17

I went to my MIL's house for dinner on Sunday 30 March for dinner and had slight cramping with each braxton hicks contraction. I didn't think anything of it because I'd had a few of these over the weeks and nothing had happened.

I arrived home at 10pm with a really bad back ache but I ignored it because it was in my upper back not my lower back and didn't seem to go away, it just persisted. I was having very strong braxton hicks contractions so took some panadol and tried to go to bed. The pain was too much lying down so I sat on the lounge with a heat pack on my back. At 11pm I decided to ring the midwives and ask if upper back pain could be labour. She said that I had better come in because of my history of 2 previous c/s.

We called my SIL to look after my two sons and went to the hospital. Just after she arrived the upper back pain dissapeared all of a sudden but the braxton hicks persisted and seemed to be getting stronger. I went to the hospital anyway and the midwife examined me and told me I wasn't in labour and that the contractions were probably just thinning my cervix getting ready for labour.

I stayed for about an hour still contracting and then went home convinced that she was right and I wasn't in labour.

At home the contractions continued, coming every 1 to 2 minutes apart and lasting about 45 seconds each time. I would lay down in bed for a minute and then jump up with each contraction as I couldn't stand lying down. I got in the shower for an hour relieving my back pain which was now in my lower back.

At 3am the contractions were coming hard and fast and I was starting to think that the midwife was wrong and that I was in labour. I said to my DP - if this isn't labour then there is something seriously wrong. I will give it until 7am then we are going to the hospital.

At 5am I decided to go to the hospital, it was definately labour, I knew it was and my dr had stressed to me that I needed to be monitored from the begining of my labour so I made the judgment call to go.

At 6am my dr arrived and told me I was already 3cm dialated - I was so excited to already be that far and to have done it on my own. He started to monitor me, I said I didn't care as long as I could stand up as the contractions were unbearable sitting down or laying down.
I had some oxygen with a small amount of gas to help me to breathe a bit slower with each contraction.

Baby was moving in between contractions which was a bit weird but o.k.

At 10am my dr examined me again and I was still only 3cm he broke my waters and put an electrode on the babies head to give me more freedom to move around and to monitor her properly. When he broke my waters thick meconium came out which my dr wasn't too pleased about but as she wasn't showing any other signs of distress he let me continue labouring.

At 11am I had had enough and asked for pethadine which I found did nothing for pain but made me sleepy. I continued with the gas.

At 12 noon my dr came in and said to help me dialate further an epidural would be best I initially refused and then the midwife said epidural or c/s. I said epidural and then kept asking when it would be there! lol.

At about 1pm the epidural was inserted and my dr said that he would give me until 3pm and then would check if I had dialated any more. I hadn't, I was only 4cm. He gave me until 4pm and I hadn't dilated any more. I was showing more meconium in my waters and he started to talk about a c/s for bub's safety. I agreed, dissapointed but glad that I had given it my best.

I was wheeled into theatre given a top up of my epidural so I was awake. When they made the incision they discovered that during labour she had turned around to a full prosterior position making it impossible for me to dialate any more than what I had. My dr was just as disspointed for me and said that had she not turned I would have been able to give birth to her.

The good news for all VBAC girls is that at no time did my scar show any sign of rupturing. That is not why I had the c/s!

Little Amelia Rose was born perfectly healthy 6lbs 12oz on 31 March, 2008. She is a content, healthy little girl and thats all I can ask for

**HugsAndKisses** · 12-04-2008 18:38

thats a great birth story!
you did so well to give a vbac a try, and even though it didnt turn out how you planned its wonderfull the both of you are safe and happy

**Missus S** · 13-04-2008 16:18

Well done for giving it a go

Congratulations on the birth of Amelia

**Shanaynay** · 13-04-2008 16:22

Congratulations on the birth of Amelia! Love the name

I hope the labour was a good experience and you should feel fantastic that bub came when she was ready

**SorenLorensen** · 13-04-2008 17:54

congratulations on the birth of your little Amelia Rose

**raisingthree** · 14-04-2008 19:27

Thanks girls,

Of course i'm a little dissapointed that I didn't get to "push her out" but labour was a good experience (I was induced with my first) so it was really nice to experience a "natural" labour anyway.

And I am definately NOT dissapointed at the result, she is my beautiful, healthy little princess!

**Hokey Pokey** · 14-04-2008 19:38

Congratulations! You did a great job!

**monkeytoes** · 14-04-2008 21:45

Congratulations!

I've been there too...............I understand your disappointment, but aren't we so clever that we can produce such beautiful little creatures!

Well done!

**Sheer Bliss** · 14-04-2008 21:49

Congratulations!! It's great that you got to experience labour a different way, and it also sounds like you had a great dr & support team, being so supportive of you. Her name is beautiful, and you should be very proud for bringing her into the world.