VBAC question. Monitoring during labour.?

Oh, you poor thing, I can't belive you are being treated this way! I had a VBAC in january and it was nothing like that, I was continously monitored but I didn't get in the bed until I was half-way done pushing. I spent most of my labor in their labor tub, heart rate monitors and all, I even had a bowl of oatmeal at 7 centimeters! I delivered without any pain meds, my water broke on its own while I was pushing, I even had a heplock instead of any IV. You have the right to refuse any medical intervention, wether it be acid reduceing tablets or the c-section itself. If I were you I wouldn't even show up untill I felt like pushing! Or find another provider and delivery place altogether. The likelyhood of a uterine rupture is about the same as any other birth emergency, such as cord prolapse, placental abruption, or true fetal distress. If their logic holds true, wouldnt they prep every laboring woman for surgery upon admission? Labor is hard work, makeing you lay down and starving you and your baby is not healthy or safe. When it comes to VBAC, doctors and hospitals are afraid of being sued, so they do every possible intervention so if something goes wrong, they can say that they did everything they could. The problem with this is that most of the interventions contribute or even cause the problems. Unfortunantly, doctors and hospitals are more interested in covering their own asses instead of giveing you and your baby the healthiest possible birth. Do your own research, decide how your birth is going to be ahead of time and stick with your guns. YOU are this childs mother and you know that YOU will always do what is best for your baby, even if others dont, or have other motives. Learn all you can about VBAC and birth in general so that you can make informed decisions and have a happy, healthy birth. Good luck, feel free to contact me.

I haven't had a VBAC yet, but my doctor is going to let me try for one (I'm due in December). He told me the only requirements were that I cannot be induced with medication (it makes the contractions too strong, and the risk of rupture greatly goes up); I cannot have a home birth (fine with me–I think that's a bad idea anyway); and I have to have an epidural (in case I do rupture and have to be rushed for an emergency c-section).

I don't think prepping you for surgery is a bad thing at all, and it doesn't mean you're going to have to have a c-section–it's just better to be safe than sorry! If you went in like nothing was out of the ordinary and labored regularly, if (God forbid) something DID happen, you wouldn't be ready at all–they'd have to do everything for you (epidural, IV, etc.) and by the time they get you prepped for surgery, it could be too late for your baby (my doctor told me that once your uterus ruptures, you have only *minutes* to get the baby out. Starting an IV, inserting a catheter, giving your epidural, etc. takes a while.

You just need to think positive. There are PLENTY of women who are prepped like this every day who have VBACS and it doesn't cause them to have a c-section because of the stress of how they're handled. My ob's office has an 85% success rate for VBACS, and he said the majority of the women who end up having c-sections are because the baby is breech and won't turn–it has nothing to do with the epidural or the IV or anything like that.