There are many reasons why a birth ends with a surgical delivery. You would now like to attempt a vaginal birth after a cesarean or VBAC (VBAC means Vaginal Birth after Cesarean). The reason for your previous cesarean delivery may not be the same as why another woman has had one.
A vaginal birth after a cesarean delivery (VBAC) is a hot topic of political debate between obstetricians and pregnant women. You also might have emotional reasons as to why you would like to attempt a vaginal birth. Whether you feel supported in your decision and hope to have a vaginal birth or not, there is a great deal that you can do for yourself.
There is no doubt there is lots of support for your decision by other women who have had a VBAC. There are also two important things that are rarely discussed about VBAC. The first consideration is knowing that if you believe another cesarean delivery is the right or safe thing to do, you can still enjoy preparing for the birth of your child and use birth skills during the surgery and recovery.
The second consideration is to know that preparing your body for giving birth is vitally important in your goal to have a VBAC. However, this can also lead to feeling positive about the birth if it is another cesarean delivery. Birth is birth. You, your partner and child are having a very unique experience and all births should be positive experiences.
By learning very specific breathing and relaxation skills that can be used during both labours/births and non-labour/cesareans may lend toward healing a lot of the shame, blame and guilt that often surrounds birth today.
Whether you will labour and then give birth vaginally, labour and have a surgical delivery or have a non-labouring cesarean birth your pregnant body is preparing to give birth. One hundred percent of pregnant women will give birth. How we give birth can be hugely influenced by the skills we bring to that birth experience.
Giving birth is not a noun or inaction even in a surgical procedure unless you are unconscious. Giving birth is something to be prepared for being completely involved in. This is all about learning birth skills and preparing your pregnant body to give birth.
Giving birth is a process of action for you and your baby. Your baby has to come out of your body. Your body is a ‘container’ or vessel for your baby, it’s important that this ‘container’ be prepared to liberate a large object. There are ways to prepare your body to do this during pregnancy that are based on what we all share in common, our birthing body.
We can learn how to keep our inside soft tissue relaxed, how to keep the bony pelvis mobile and how to prepare the exit so it opens. This can be done during pregnancy no matter what birth will eventuate.
By preparing our birthing body we get to enjoy the experience, take charge of the changes our body is making toward giving birth and to feel more involved with the process. Preparing our birthing body can also give us more confidence.
Learning birth skills such as Directed Breathing, the Pelvic Clock or Deep Touch Relaxation not only increases that confidence, the skills become applicable for the task of giving birth. You are much more likely to know that you will be able to achieve a vaginal birth after a cesarean, unless there are medical reasons affecting you or your baby.
Keep in mind that childbirth is called ‘labour’ because it’s hard work. When you have learned the appropriate skills to do the hard work then you are more likely to accomplish the task. This is particularly true when you have prepared your ‘container’ for the task ahead.
You can then work with your baby’s efforts to be born during the actual process of birth, particularly when the work gets harder and more painful. Having a vaginal delivery after a cesarean is a working event, not an outcome. And even if you have another cesarean you can still use these skills, having enjoyed preparing your birthing body and have a positive birth.
No matter how you give birth, it is an action word and when you take your birthing skills and use them throughout the whole experience then you will feel like you’ve had a natural birth experience rather than feeling like things happen to you.