VBAC Vs. C-section Pros/cons + COST

Ok... first of all, you made me laugh with your euphemisms. Thanks for that...

I can't give you experience on the VBAC, but I think if you get another C, you need to try a different hospital. I held my baby right after they cleaned her up and weighed her. Believe me... I have pictures to prove it. And, yes, if you are going to control the pet population, I would highly suggest you stick with the C. Otherwise, they are going to have to cart you off away from your baby right after it is born. Can't really do major surgery in a birthing room...

I personally don't get all the hype about the "birthing experience", but that's just me. I don't need to brag about the way my baby came into this world and I don't need the pain to prove she got here. She's here, she's healthy, and my recovery was awesome! Up and out in 2 days and home with my girl.

I would think cost would go up with a VBAC just considering the unknown complications and the unscheduled delivery. Again... I'm just reaching here, so don't quote me on that one.

Have a great Monday and take my opinions with a grain of salt.. Best of luck to you and your new little one! :)

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Hi C.,

Do your research - and make sure it is current. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynocology (ACOG) changed their position last year - it is now recommended that moms with one or two prior c-sections have a trial of labor (TOLAC) with a plan for VBAC. I am not sure how your seizure disorder will figure in - discuss that with a VBAC friendly doctor in your area.

I had a c-section for my first baby due to a failed induction. The induction was so that my doctor could keep her planned vacation and get the $$ for my son's birth. There was no medical indication for the induction given or in my medical records. I didn't know any better.

My second baby was a planned VBAC turned CBAC at the last minute. Even so, I am glad that I went into labor with him naturally and labored, drug free for 42 hours. He is a much healthier baby than my first, breastfed better, etc. There is lots of medical information that everything from asthma risks to celiac disease risks, etc are higher with c-section babies. Risks for mom and baby are higher with a repeat c-section than with a VBAC - it is that simple.

The second c-section was a much more difficult recovery for me. Partly because I had a 4 year old to take care of as well. Also, keep in mind there are alternatives besides a surgical tubal. You can do a tubal with less-invasive laproscopic surgery and you could look at Ensure (an in office option with virtually no recovery time).

If you decide to VBAC with your doctor's support, get a doula to help you and make sure you are educated about labor. A very good friend VBACed on Friday and she said that it was the best thing that ever happened to her and she had labored since Wednesday night! Contact ICAN and look to your local chapter for support.

C.

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Due to your seizure disorder... you'd have to find a willing OB - Midwives would most likely not take you on, unless they were part of the OB team. ICAN would be able to give you referrals to VBAC friendly OBs in your area.

http://www.ican-online.org/

So - after all your body has done for your husband and family - pregnancies, surgical birth, possible VBAC - your husband will not do a simple 15 minute procedure which he will be back to the man he was the day after... would rather you suffer from more surgical procedures that requires anesthesia (which vasectomies do not) because not only is he a wimp, but he can't hack it as a man of his family? That's pretty sad.

VBACs will be cheaper... cesareans start at $16K in FL, so I"m assuming at least that much in TX. VBACs would be around $6-9K since it's a vaginal birth and you should not be getting all those extra interventions (pitocin, epidural, etc) due to it messing up the rhythm of labor and child birth. Those interventions cost a lot of money!!

Cesarean is not a necessity to have if you finally do go thru with getting a tubal. I'd seriously look into that syndrome many women get when they have a tubal before the onset of menopause... that may be something you and your husband discuss for your health, before getting it done. Tubals can be done thru the belly button laproscopically... no cesarean necessary.

http://www.tubal.org/symptoms_of_pts.htm

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It sounds like it's worth interviewing care providers to find out what your options are. If you're up for a bit of a drive, Dr. Cummings in Denton is an excellent OB who does VBACs, and he won't steer you wrong if it's not in your best interest to try for one.

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I think you need to talk to a Dr. and Midwife, before you try to argue a position. You might not be a candidate in any situation, period. I know the birthing center in my community, would probably not allow you to do a VBAC. I had far less complications, and I am not a candidate. If you are deemed a possible candidate, then you can start making your decisions and arguments. I am not against VBAC, at all. However, we can't properly access your risks. I would get a copy of your chart and take it to both a Dr. and Midwife, and see what they say. If you want to get a tubal, a c-section could be your best option.

Birth is expensive. REALLY expensive. Either way you do it, you'll be out thousands and thousands of dollars (Without insurance.) A C-section (I believe) costs more then a VBAC. Keep in mind, an failed attempted VBAC that turns into a c-section, is more expensive then either.

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I don't have a lot to add. My first child was a horrendous c-section and it was an awful recovery from which I suffered post-traumatic stress (it was a true emergency, with docs rushing in and slamming down on the table, and their arms up me, etc.). If I had the choice with a 2nd child, I would try a VBAC.

However, if you opt not to do a VBAC -- and ICAN, aka International Cesarean Awareness Network is a wonderful resources; contact them for local providers who are VBAC supportive -- you can opt to get your OB on board for a "natural c-section"--it's a much better experience for you & baby:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/ar...
And do find another hospital if you can.

If I were having my tubes tied, I might go for the c-section, just to have it all done at once & avoid another abdominal surgery (the more times they cut open your abdomen, the more likely, you'll end up with adhesions & other nasty complications).

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Funny you should talk about your 'baby story' moment! That is what I always say when I think about my birthing experience. Leading up to my first I watched that show all the time and would cry every time when the baby came. When if came to my delivery my labor did not progress and they had to do an emergency C section and then my son was not healthy so had to go straight to NICU. I was so depressed about being deprived of this imagined joy of when the baby was first put into my arms. A part of me will always be a little sad for that. When I was pregnant with my second I thought about a VBAC-but then quickly decided that my baby was more important than my personal need for this satisfaction and fullfillment of a vaginal brith. The second C section was 100 times easier than the first and I never regretted it for a single second. And you know what-I do not have ANY of the problems that all of the vaginal birth moms seem to have now-mainly the bladder issues. My lady parts are entirely still in place-a nice side effect of a C section. I don't know anything about cost-we have 100% coverage insurance.

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if you are going to get "spayed" than i would go with a C. i did with my second. much less complicated, and i actually felt much better with the second C than i did with the first. i was able to leave the hospital a day early. i'm also not sure of the cost. if you have insurance you should be able to call the insurance company. at my hospital with the second baby, we had to have a pre-registration where they told us the cost of everything. i don't know if you would have that also.

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I debated on whether to answer your question because I didn't have a c-section. I always felt like if I needed one it wouldn't bother me, but I haven't actually been there, so like the first poster said, take what I say with a grain of salt.

Ok so that being said, I really hope you will go with another c-section. My best friend in the world attempted a v-bac and she was one of the rare cases that her uterus ruptured. Both her life and her baby's life was in danger (both ended up fine only because she was already in the hospital when it happened). It was scary and she says now that it wasn't worth the risk. Plus, if you are going to be "spayed" anyway seems like a c-section is the logical choice.

Congrats, by the way, on the new baby!! Whatever you decide I'm sure you will have a happy, well-adjusted child (how couldn't you with your great sense of humor!!). Good luck!!

Your health care provider is in a business contract with you. Yes, they are bound to do what's medically best for you and your baby HOWEVER they must also reconcile that with your medical choices.

If I were you, and this is only if I were in your position, I would create a birth plan since you're a planner. Create your IDEAL labor and delivery step by step from when you first go into labor until you leave the hospital and get home. The portion the doctor and hospital will be interested in is the part where they participate :-) .

So then what you do is you bring the birth plan, henceforth C.'s Birth Plan, to your OB/midwife/whatever. Your doctor should let you know what s/he has concerns with, what can definitely be accommodated, and what is a definite health risk. Decide together what to adjust on the birth plan.

Next, compromise on whether or not you can attempt a VBAC prior to a C-section. You can have acceptable planned safeties in place with your doctor in case a seizure occurs or other possible situations based on your health and history and build that into C.'s Birth Plan. You can also build into C'sBP when you would be comfortable allowing a C-Section.

The point in going through all of this with C.'s Birth Plan is to make sure you have a measure of control and it shows that you've thought through things ahead of time with your doctor and your husband. Plus, if you're in the throes of exhaustion and feeling indecisive at some point, your husband will have C.'s Birth Plan available to refer to and help you make a decision based on what you had talked about before and there won't be any confusion because it's already written down with built in alternatives and allowances for veering away from the Birth Plan. Choice is built right into it.

What Bug said! And I know that the midwife I bill for charges $1900 for a vbac home birth because insurance doesn't cover it. So you'd pay that in cash. We have one hospital here that does vbacs so then it would be covered by insurance. And a csection should be covered by insurance. Depending on what your insurance covers, a csection should cost anywhere from 5-10k, so take into account any deductible and coinsurance percentages. HTH!

I researched VBAC's and as long as there are 24+ months between the deliveries, and you are fine going unmedicated, you should try it. I labored and all that unmedicated with my first child, but she was a 'star-gazer' and had to be taken via C-section......my second was born just shy of 14 months so we did NOT opt to do the VBAC, but if it was closer to that 24 months, I definitely would have. If you doctor will not honor your requests, find a new doctor. I know the doctors at Craig Ranch OBGYN were willing, although very nervous due to closeness in births....totally understood and they let me decide. They said I could try but it was especially risky with such a short recovery between pregnancies/deliveries.......

I do know the costs are quite different! Especially when you labor unmedicated, there is no anesthesiologist bill, no OR bill, no recovery room bill, etc.....plus you stay longer in the hospital for a C-Section. Definitely more expensive.

I almost didn't answer your question because i'm sure you'll get more answers that will have your specifics.

But i just wanted to say, I had preeclampsia too, and was induced and gave birth vaginally, a month early, My dr encouraged teh vag delivery because she said it helped to mature the baby's lungs, the hormones surging through me, would help him. He didn't have any complications.

I would think C sections would cost more because you need a surgeon and ansesthesia and are in the hosptial longer.

Honestly, i would look for another dr and another hospital and get their opinion on how to handle a VBAC. your situation is a bit complicated but i have heard that it is possible. and your story about the tears in your ears is totally choking me up, I so want you to hold that sweet baby right away!! good LUck!