another WWYD question....

[farmfresh]

im 38 weeks right now and according to my dr i have a good chance for a VBAC. she says this baby looks like it will be smaller than my previous 2 kids (#1 was 8lbs 14 oz and required forceps. #2 was 10 lbs 10 oz and a csection) and she is hopeful that i can deliver on my own. my due date is May 30 and she has scheduled 2 appts a week for me for the next few weeks to check my cervex. if it looks 'favorable' she will then admit me to the hospital to break my water. if that doesnt put me into labor, she will likely go straight to a csection, but might try a teeny tiny bit of pitocin first. she said she isnt opposed to letting me go over my due date by a week or so.

im having mixed feelings about this. does anyone know if having your water broken is less likely to put you into labor vs just waiting it out? i would hate to wind up with another c, just b/c i got antsy and had her break my water and then it result in no labor.

i should probably also add that the main reason im wanting a vbac is b/c i have 2 young children already at home to take care of, and i wont be getting tons of help from family after dh goes back to work. i healed SO much faster from my vag. birth than i did from my c, and i honestly cant imagine having to deal w/ 3 kids and a c (after dh goes back to work). BUT, at the same time i am so completely miserable right now. i have had horrible leg pains this pregnancy and they are only getting worse. im ashamed to admit that im not giving my kids the attention they deserve and its all b/c im miserable (im also not sleeping at night). i let them watch too much tv (i used to only allow an hour in the morning, now its more like 2 or sometimes more, plus some in the afternoon). i used to be very good about feeding them healthy food/snacks, now it seems like i just feed them crap b/c i dont have the energy to fix anything. i feel like a horrible mom and i dont know what to do.

[kristen0685]

I had csections with both of mine, but my sisters have all had vaginal births. I know that my older sister was given pitocen and then her water broken for her and she went right on through. My younger sister who went into labor naturally, not so lucky, had a forceps delivery like your first baby and it was awful! These are just the people I know though, everyone is different. I would have a hard time waiting if I were that miserable and feeling that bad about my other children.

[rainydaysunshine]

Any intervention makes you more likely to end up in the OR. Labor, as you know, is a process. The more you let your body do on it's own, the better.

Good luck, mama!

[rainydaysunshine]

Double post.

[loving my family]

I agree with the second post it is a process so if I were you I would wait tell you start on your own, you need to be dilated to at least a 3 & hopefully close to 100% effaced before they even consider breaking your water.
As for legs hurting if it is cramps or charlie horse's you need to be taking Calcium with Vitamin D you are not getting enough if that's what is going on. I always took 1 in the morning, afternoon & night it helped a ton.

[nannabean]

I understand that you are feeling not very good about your parenting right now, but sometimes we can't be exactly the parent we would like to at that moment. Just keep doing your best. I don't think a few weeks of too much TV and not so great food will scar your children.
Why does your OB want to break your water instead of waiting for your body to come into birthing naturally? With my last child I had a VBAC and labor just happened. No interventions. Have you checked out ICAN to see what kind of info they have in this type of situation?

[farmfresh]

thanks so much for all the replies! I will google ICAN. never heard of it. and yes, i know that a few (more) weeks of too much tv and not the best of food wont damage my children for life, but i truely appreciate the reminder. i guess im just really frustrated right now, and taking it out on myself.

my ob knows me pretty well by now (since this is baby 3) and she can tell that i am miserable. she's not the type of dr to push unneeded intervention, she wants the patients to make their own decisions, and the other day at my last appt, i was completely at my wits end. in fact, i sat out in the parking lot and cried for about 10 minutes before i collected myself and went inside. i guess im an emotional mess right now!

but, after reading these posts, i have reconsidered our plans and will likely wait it out as long as possible. she doesnt want me going past 41 weeks, so maybe we could schedule to have my water broken at that time, if things look favorable and nothing has happened by then.

[Ola_]

I think that is a good plan, breaking your water greatly increases your risk of ending up with another csection because they won't let you wait very long after for contractions to start. It also increases the risk of cord prolapse and locking your baby into an unfavourable position (rather than letting them move around and start labour when they're ready, look into spinning babies). And of course having your water broken increases the risk of infection for both you and baby.

I would also reconsider having your cervix checked twice a week - it is likely to add to your stress which it sounds like you don't need any more given everything that is already on your plate! Just because your cervix is not changing means NOTHING! You can still go into labour at any moment. But it's easy to get discouraged when the numbers don't change, even if you know they're meaningless, late pregnancy is such an emotional time!

Bottom line I think you have a much better chance for a VBAC if you don't do either of these and work on optimal fetal positioning (i.e. spinning babies) instead to make your labour easier.

[angel0123]

Would you be able to get a stretch snd sweep? If you are ready it will help.

[PatsFan]

I am a local ICAN leader & completely agree with Ola_. Inducing with pitocin doubles your risk of cesarean; I honestly don't know what the stats are for AROM on it's own. But the PP correctly detailed the risks involved. If you can (& especially for a VBAC) try to go into labor on your own. Pitocin induction slightly raises the risk of uterine rupture, but for me personally I would choose a slow, low-dose pit induction over scheduled cesarean by the 42-wk limit often imposed by doctors.

There is lots of good info on the ICAN website, & you can find a local chapter there. http://www.ican-online.org

I completely understand your misery- I went to 41.5 wks with the last pregnancy & was huge & swollen. I agreed to induction but I think rupturing the membranes allowed my big, malpositioned baby to get stuck. I think you need to give yourself a little break about feeding & entertaining the kids. They'll be ok & you really need to rest & try to enjoy these last few weeks. Before you know it you'll be holding that precious new baby!