Lydia's VBAC Birth Story!!

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Why I chose to VBAC:

After Ellie's crazy delivery via emergency C-section, both Weston and I were nervous about how this next baby would enter the world. The dr who delivered Ellie had told us we would probably have to have c-sections with the rest of our births because my pelvis was small. A repeat C-section does have it's perks: like skipping the whole labor part and knowing what day the baby will be born. But the recovery is rough- longer, painful, and emotionally difficult - leaving physical and emotional scars. For our next baby I had decided that I wanted to use the God-given power within my body to have the baby. I knew that I wanted to try to have a VBAC (vaginal birth after c-section). I was a member of an ICAN facebook group - basically a support group for c-section mommies who want to VBAC with their next babies. I had heard of other women who had been told similar things as I had - that I was too small to deliver vaginally - and many of them gave birth to larger babies via VBAC. So I hoped this was something I'd be able to do too!

I decided to go to a different doctor and hospital with this pregnancy and baby, Dr. Christopher McGuirk. He contacted the doctor that performed my C-section and she recalled to him how my pelvis was small, really small. Ellie hadn't even started her descent through the birth path and the doctor believed it was because my pelvis was too small.  It was also a very close call getting Ellie out in time and to get her to breathe. Because of this information, McGuirk wasn't sure that I would be physically able to VBAC (also a huge concern of many of my family members whose opinions I had to ignore). However, Dr McGuirk was willing to let me try! McGuirk typically likes to have the mom push for 2-3 hours before claiming you are "too small" and the fact I only got 10 mins of pushing in, wasn't really a fair shot. Also, Ellie was asynclitic (her head was tilted towards her shoulder instead of being straight), so her position wasn't ideal for delivery. I was thrilled when McGuirk said that he would let me try! (It's not that hard to find a doctor who will let you have a trial of labor after 1 c-section, but finding one who will let you after 2 c-sections is much more difficult.) So I also saw this as really my last chance to even try.

I never felt like McGuirk was 100% positive that I could VBAC. I knew this might happen because I had heard from the ICAN group he was more VBAC tolerant than VBAC friendly. (I knew that if I wanted someone who was VBAC friendly I'd have to have a home birth - not going to happen with our concerns - or travel to a far away hospital - which was not an option either). Even at some of our appointments I felt like McGuirk was trying to talk me into a C-section, though he always left the decision up to me. He laid out the facts so I knew the risks, but ultimately he let me make the decision. I appreciated the information, but I also felt like I was the only one who believed in myself. Most of my family sided with what the doctors said, that I should just schedule a c-section. I felt alone at times, but something inside of myself wouldn't let go of the desire to VBAC. I prayed about it a lot and I never got the feeling that I shouldn't try. So I just kept preparing myself and kept praying for guidance and safety! Weston was skeptical too, but he remained by my side the whole time and supported what I wanted to do. And I know my family just wanted us to be safe.

Our biggest concern with having a VBAC was whether or not it would be safe. Safe for me and safe for the baby. I liked Dr. Mcguirk because he would let me VBAC, let me know the risks involved, and he was willing to closely monitor me. If I had no shot of a VBAC, he wouldn't have wasted his time monitoring me. He wasn't going to let me go far past my due date unless my cervix showed some progress. He wouldn't induce me or use very much pitocin if my labor did start on its own. And if I wasn't dilating or effacing as my due date approached, then we would schedule a c-section. I felt that his plan was safe and that things could work out!

At 36 weeks I was dilated almost to a 2, 37 weeks I was still at a 2, 38 weeks I was at a 3 and he stripped my membranes, 39 weeks I was at a 3 and he stripped my membranes, and on my due date I was at a 4 and he stripped my membranes again. Because I was so close to going into labor, McGuirk let me go further than he normally lets his VBACs go. On the due date, May 28, we scheduled a c-section for the following week (6 days later). So I just had to go into labor before then!

Labor and Delivery:

After he stripped my membranes on the 28th, I had contractions that were about 10-20 minutes apart. I didn't think anything of them until about 7pm at night I realized they started getting closer, like 4-7 minutes apart. I probably could have gone to the hospital then, but I really didn't want to be in labor through the night and I knew that McGuirk wasn't in town this weekend so I'd be stuck with whoever was on call. I thought if I laid down that they might go away like they had weeks prior, so around 10:30 we went to bed. I texted my mom telling her to leave her phone on and nearby just incase we needed her tonight.

About an hour later, around 11:30, I was breathing through a contraction and felt a bit of pressure and a gentle POP & gushhhh - My water had broke! I gasped and said loudly, "Weston, my water broke!" Poor Weston, who was asleep and snoring, jumps up half asleep and starts getting dressed as I'm leaking all over our bed! I yell at him to stop putting clothes on and to get me a towel! He runs and grabs a towel for me and is scrambling and still half asleep trying to figure out what he should be doing next. I make it to the shower and continue leaking and I talk Weston through what he needs to be getting together for us to leave. He texts my mom and she's on her way over to stay with Ellie. Brownie points to my mom as she ended up cleaning our sheets for us too!

My contractions got wayyy stronger once my water broke, so I was going through a LOT of pressure in the car ride there. Since it was practically the middle of the night, there was no traffic so we got there in about 10 minutes. It took us another like 10 minutes to find the ER entrance and another 5 minutes to make it to L&D on the other side of the hospital! So we checked in at about midnight. We get to triage and things are going 100 miles an hour. I'm contracting every 3 minutes and the nurses are asking me a million questions! They check me and I'm at a 7! Woohoo! I had hoped to go without an epidural this time around, but once the nurse asked me if I wanted one, I initially said no. They wheel us to the delivery room and I'm struggling to keep my breathing going during contractions. So I ask for the epidural. The nurses were rushing to get the room ready for delivery and didn't really pay attention to my request for the epidural.

I start feeling urges to push (though it really felt like I just needed to poop). I start pushing on my own with the contractions and the nurses realize that I'm ready. The nurse checks me again and says I'm complete and fully dilated! I realize that I'm not getting my epidural and while that's a good thing, I'm just exhausted and not sure how I'll be able to push the baby out. The doctor still hadn't made it there yet, so the staff doctor is there for my first couple pushes. The baby's heart rate does go down with each push, like it did with Ellie, but the nurses reassured me that she was okay and that her heart rate does go all the way back up each time. What a relief!

I can feel everything which I love and hate at the same time, the doctor makes it there and with a few more pushes and awesome coaching from the nurses and doctor - the baby is OUT! At 1:10AM Lydia Mae was born! Just over an hour after making it to the hospital. It was the coolest feeling, she came out and all that pressure in my belly was now gone! They laid Lydia on my chest and I just start crying that we did it! Lydia was all blue and gooey, but I didn't care, she was beautiful and healthy and crying and it was awesome! Holding Weston's hand and this beautiful baby that I just pushed out was so surreal! I couldn't believe that I did it! I got to VBAC! It was such a special moment, and an answer to many prayers. I did have a 4th degree tear, which Dr Bruce (who was the Dr on call) spent about an hour stitching up - that was not fun. But most importantly, both Lydia and I made it safely through the delivery.

We love miss Lydia - she is already such a sweet baby. We feel so blessed to have her as a part of our family and look forward to helping her grow in the years to come! Heavenly Father does hear and answer our prayers! He has perfect timing! We are so grateful to have these special little girls join our family so close together!

Ellie LOVES her little sister. Each morning when she sees Lydia for the first time is so sweet - lots of "Ooooos" and "Ahhhhs" and "Hi!!"s. Ellie is adjusting well for the most part and is living up to her role as big sister! When did my 16 month daughter get so big???

We just love our little family and we are loving this chapter of our lives!