My VBAC Success Story

The births of my two children are worlds apart. While pregnant with my first child, Joel, I prayed and planned to do things the “natural” way. Unfortunately this didn’t happen. At 39 weeks gestation his heart rate was randomly dropping and an ultrasound proved that my fluid was low and the placenta was aging. The doctors strongly suggested I be induced. Shortly after being induced, his heart rate plummeted again. Doctors and nurses bombarded the room and my water was broken without me being asked permission. No one took the time to explain to me what was happening until they knew his heart rate went back to normal. After being told it was too risky to continue with the induction I found myself being whisked off to the emergency room , where I faced my two worst birthing fears, an epidural and a cesarean section.

When I think of my son’s birth I actually can’t remember much – I was pretty drugged up, even for the days following. Emotionally, I was quite happy to have my son, but deep down, I was avoiding what happened. For the first six months of my son’s life, I didn’t think about the birth. I blocked it out. But after watching the movie, “The Business of Being Born”, I decided to face my son’s birth. It was traumatic, it didn’t go as “planned” and I had some emotional scars to deal with. I started to read about Vaginal Births After Caesarean (VBAC) and tried to learn as much as I could about them.

Preparation

When I finally got my positive pregnancy test I decided that I would do everything I could to try and make this baby’s entry as peaceful as possible. I was hoping to have a natural vaginal birth. I made it my mission to get midwives. At the time I thought this would be the “ticket” to a VBAC. Unfortunately for me, I got pregnant the month that midwifery funding came in. This made it nearly impossible to get midwives. I called all the local midwives and was placed on the waiting lists. I called midwives in Edmonton, British Columbia, and even Montana. No one would take me. After realizing I needed to use a doctor, I debated trying a different maternity clinic from the one I had with my son. In the end I decided that I would face my fear head on and go back to the same clinic. After all, at my six week post partum appointment, the doctor strongly recommended I try for VBAC with my next birth.

I also knew that this time around things would be different because of the knowledge I had. I knew what questions to ask and which interventions I could refuse. I was fairly confident that this birth wouldn’t be a repeat of the first. I knew that even if I needed a cesarean birth, I would make sure that I felt informed and convinced that it would be necessary.

I also made sure to hire a doula. I found a wonderful doula who had plenty of experience with VBAC.

I tried to find as much information and support locally for VBAC. I attended the Health Region’s VBAC class and found it helpful, especially because I was going to be birthing in a hospital. The local VBAC Support Group had stopped running just as I got pregnant so there weren’t any planned meetings. However, I really wanted to meet with other women who had VBACs, so I organized a one time VBAC meeting with other mothers who shared their birth stories with me. After that meeting I was really inspired! It was amazing to hear each woman share their birth story.

The Birth

On Wednesday, December 23 , I had a bad case of cabin fever. My son Joel and I had been hanging out at home the past few days due to the cold weather. I called my cousin, Alisha, to come over with her boys so our kids could play. The boys played while we chatted. I lost some of my mucus plug throughout the day and in the evening I shoveled the walk (I had done this a few times throughout the week). For supper I picked up some delicious East Indian food from a nearby restaurant (which also happened to be my last meal before going to the hospital with Joel). That night I went to bed at 10 pm. At 11 pm sharp I woke up with what I could only think of as a contraction. With both of my pregnancies I didn’t experience Braxton Hicks so I wasn’t completely sure what I was feeling. But I was sure I wanted to go the bathroom. After a quick trip to the bathroom I went back to bed and woke up my husband, Mike, to let him know something was happening. I then slept until 11:30 pm when I had the next contraction. At this point I decided to call my doula, Tracey, to let her know I was having contractions. She told me to go back to bed and try to get some sleep. Mike and I lay in bed for a while but neither of us could sleep. It seemed like I was just waiting for the next contraction – not in fear, but excitement. I was so thrilled that my baby was coming on her own. Because I was induced with Joel I was very excited to be going into labour naturally.

The contractions just started coming faster and faster. 30 minutes, 15 minutes, 10 minutes, seven  minutes. Between 1 and 2 am they had become seven to eight minutes apart. I called Tracey to let her know.

By 3:30 am the contractions were getting stronger. With almost every contraction I really felt like I needed to be on the toilet. It was my safe place! I called Tracey again when the contractions were five minutes apart. She told me to try having a bath and that if the labor slowed down we still had lots of time but if things picked up then we were in real labor.

I loved the bath. I can totally understand why some women opt for a water birth. Unfortunately due to the hospital rules a water birth was not in my future. While in the bath the contractions slowed down a bit but once I got out they were coming every four minutes. My mom arrived to watch Joel who had woken up while I was getting out of the bath. He was rather concerned with all of the noises that I had been making. Mike tried to explain to Joel that Mommy wasn’t feeling good and that he should go back to sleep. Unfortunately every time I had a contraction Joel would wake up. Oops!

I talked to Tracey and told her I wanted to go to the hospital. When I told my mom she seemed worried. She didn’t want me going too soon. I agreed that I didn’t want to go too early but I felt ready (and besides I was keeping Joel up).  I had stayed home as long as I could and at this point I was getting irritable with both my mom and Mike.

Driving in the car was not fun but thankfully it was 5 am and we only live five minutes away. When we pulled into the parking lot I waited for the next contraction before attempting to get to labour and delivery. When I got to the labour and delivery desk I couldn’t speak as I was waiting for the contraction to pass. I couldn’t understand why people were trying to talk to me.

We got into triage very quickly. The nurse checked me and I was three to four centimetres dilated, paper thin, fully effaced, and plus two station. They said the baby’s head was super low. All good news! Because I was having a VBAC it was strongly suggested that a fetal heart monitor be used as well as an IV throughout labour. I agreed to both and was hooked up during the rest of my labour. Amazingly, I wasn’t bothered or restricted by these attachments. Tracey did a great job of making it seem as though I wasn’t attached to a machine at all.

When we got into the birthing room the staff was going through a shift change. The current nurse introduced herself and laid out some “rules”. I immediately didn’t feel comfortable around her. I asked how long she would be on shift and she said “20 minutes”. I felt relieved knowing that. I likely would have requested a new nurse had she been working longer. I wanted someone I would be comfortable with.  The new nurse came on shift and introduced herself. She was 34 weeks pregnant and I felt like she could “sympathize” with me a bit. She really understood and tried to accommodate me as much as possible.

The doctor on shift was one of my favourite doctors from the clinic. I was a little bummed when she told me she’d be off in an hour. She was very supportive of my VBAC though and was preaching to the choir when she told me I’d needed to be up and about in labour, telling me to sit on the birthing ball etc.

The next doctor on shift was also really supportive and I felt comfortable with her.  Like most doctors she wasn’t around much, just came checked on me every once in awhile.

It’s hard for me to think of time in labour. I know we were in the birthing room by 7 am but after that I lost track of time. I lost track of how often the contractions were coming. The only way I can describe what I was experiencing is to say I was “in the zone”.

Tracey suggested that I start out sitting on the birthing ball. She offered me great counter pressure on my lower back. It was so awesome to have that physical support. Tracey truly knew how to soothe me. I then laboured for awhile standing and lunging.

I wanted to go back to my comfort zone, the toilet. Because baby’s head was so low, I continued to feel comfortable on the toilet. The nurse was very helpful as she literally pushed the monitor machine all the way to the toilet so I could stay there as long as I wanted. After labouring there for some time I moved back to the bed so I could labour on my hands and knees. I quickly realized that in this position I could hardly control my body’s urge to push. I stood up for awhile but then went back to my comfort zone in the bathroom.

The next time the doctor came in she told me I was doing great and asked if I wanted to be checked. I wasn’t sure. In some way I wanted to know how much progress I’d made, but at the same time I didn’t want to be disappointed if I hadn’t dilated much. I ended up choosing to be checked. Good thing! I was eight centimetres dilated and that gave me a lot of encouragement. I actually broke out in tears – I was so elated. I was so happy to have made it even that far along!

The doctor told me I had a cervical lip and so Tracey got me into positions to help with that.

After side-lying to help with the lip, I made my way back onto my hands and knees. With the top of my body resting on the head of the bed, Mike and Tracey stood on either side of me. All of a sudden in the midst of a contraction we heard a loud pop and gush. It was so forceful it shocked all of us. That was another exciting moment for me! My water broke on its own.

Not much longer, at about 10 am, I was fully dilated. It was time to start helping my body with that uncontrollable need to push! Everyone was open to me trying to push in positions I wanted to try out. I started out with the squat bar. I didn’t really like that position and tried going on my hands and knees again, with my top half leaning on the head of the bed. I figured that since I had such uncontrollable urges to push earlier in that position, it might work well. Unfortunately it didn’t seem to help. I honestly think that at that point I didn’t realize just how hard I needed to push! The doctor suggested we try with me sitting up on the bed with my husband/doula/nurse holding up my legs. Prior to labour this was the last position I wanted to try. Having my support people helping me I finally realized just how hard I needed to push my baby girl out.

There were several times during pushing when everyone kept commenting on the baby’s head. “Oh we see the head! She’s right there!” Everyone kept talking about her long brown hair. I couldn’t believe it! My son was bald when he was born so I was shocked this baby apparently had so much hair. The doctor told me to reach down and feel her hair. I did! A nurse brought a mirror in so I could see my daughter’s head crowning.

At 10:54 am on Christmas Eve I pushed our baby girl out. What followed were significant things we weren’t able to do with our son Joel after his birth: Our baby girl was placed directly on my chest, I cuddled her, Mike was able to cut her chord, when she started rooting I nursed her. I was so happy to be able to hold her close.

During pushing I got two tears, a minor first degree tear and another tiny little one. While the doctor stitched me back up I was able to continue holding my baby girl. I was so happy with how the birth went and that she was healthy.  I believe at this point I just kept crying tears of joy and saying “I did it!”  At 11:40 am they weighed and measured her. She was seven pounds 11 ounces and 19.5 inches long. On Christmas morning we decided her name would be Isla Myka. Santa came around the post partum unit and handed out small gifts. We were able to get a picture of Isla with Santa.  By noon we were able to bring our precious Christmas gift home.

Reflections

Even now as I write this, I am still really amazed about the VBAC. I am so happy that I was able to have such a positive birth. It really was a fairy tale birth story. I did it naturally and vaginally. I felt supported and informed. Not once during the labour did I worry about a uterine rupture. I didn’t seem to experience “transition”. I thought I would come to a point where I couldn’t take it anymore but it never came! I never felt like giving up. The thought of using drugs never crossed my mind. I was never tempted to use them.

I just felt blessed to be experiencing labour and birth the way it is supposed to be. My theory is that I felt honoured to be experiencing something that I missed with my son’s birth. Instead of fearing labour and birth, I welcomed it.

So in the end, Isla is a beautiful Christmas gift and her birth brought much healing and peace to my soul. It was a prayer answered. God has blessed me with two amazing children and a wonderful husband.

Kristy Hwozdecki

Kirsty Hwozdecki is married to her best friend Mike and they’ve been blessed with two children. She also co-leads the local ICAN Calgary group offering VBAC support.

This birth story was taken from our Spring 2011 issue of Birthing Magazine