Positive VBAC birth story for those who are interested!

Just thought I'd post my birth story as I was terrified I wouldn't be able to have a VBAC after a traumatic em section nearly 2 years ago and wish I'd have read something like this to put my mind at rest that it can be done!!

It's really long - sorry but wanted to get everything in!!

I had a very long labour with Henry and got to fully dilated and pushed for an hour but he was in an awkward position and as I'd been labouring for nearly 27 hours I was so tired and my contractions weren't strong enough to turn him so had the syntoconin which started to wear off too. They gave me a spinal as they wanted to try ventouse and forceps but neither of those worked and I had to have the section. Henry was 9lbs 12oz so the fact that he was so big and in the wrong position was the reason my labour ended with a section.

I was terrifed of the same thing happening again this time and as much as I wanted to be able to go home and feel normal again relatively quickly I was leaning towards elective section as I couldn't bear the thought of a long labour when I could have had a planned section with a shorter recovery period.

Anyway I was 13 days overdue and was booked in to be induced at 12 days but went to see my consultant and asked for a couple more days as I was worried that an induced labour would be more likely to end in a section again. Plus they would only let me have 1 pessary so I thought knowing my luck that wouldn't work and I'd have to have a section at 13days and would have already been in hospital for an extra day so be away from home for longer than the first time!

So Thurs morning at 2am after LOTS of false alarms I woke up with very intense contractions. We went straight to hospital as soon as MIL arrived to stay with Henry! By the time I got there they were very strong and I was asking for gas and air, the mw examined me and I was 6cms - I was so pleased! an hour later I was begging for an epidural as they were so bad! I was panicking that I was needing such strong pain relief and only been ther for an hour and a half! The mw said that the anaesthetist was busy with an emergency so I'd had to have pethadine. She went to get it and came back in and I told her I wanted to push! I thought I was overreacting and she examined me and I was fully dilated! So there was no time for pethadine and I was gutted. Anyway I pushed for an hour and the mw got the dr as the baby was face up. Which was very painful until I turned on all fours then it was a lot more manageable. I had to get back on my bed and push again and by that point I was convinced that it was another section as I'd got to the same stage as last time, I was actually begging the mw for a section by this point! The dr had to do an episiotomy as the baby had crowned but was face up and the cord was wrapped round her neck twice so I had a local anaethetic for that - I felt a pop and then he said one more and another pop and Isabelle was on my chest!! I couldn't believe it and couldn't describe the emotions I felt! I was so happy that I'd had a vaginal birth. I was cleaned and sewn up and am recovering really well now. I had quite a bit of pain from the stitches but nothing compared to the section!

xxxxx