This is hard to know. Each person is different and this may depend on the reason for your first cesarean or how your surgery was done. Some people should not try to have a Vaginal Birth after Cesarean (VBAC) and others may not want to try due to the risks or benefits of each. You should talk with your health care provider and make an informed decision about what is right for you.

Personally, I have zero fear of VBACs/HBACs or even UBACs as long at the mother feels empowered and healthy. Problems, should they come up, can be dealt with as needed. Unfortunately, these days, I appear to be in the minority. To be fair, there are several different concerns for women who have previously delivered their babies surgically.

a breed, they have large heads and small hips and therefore small birth canals. Puppies can easily get stuck in the birth canal. This makes whelping much more difficult on the bitch, and can possibly cause respiratory distress. In this situation, there is a chance of losing both the bitch and any puppies that are stuck. Additionally, bulldog bitches, due to their high tolerance for pain, often ignore nature's signals to "push" the puppies out.

Most pregnant women have their babies vaginally. Still, the rate of babies born by cesarean section (C-section) in the United States is on the rise. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, 1 in 3 babies in the United States is delivered by cesarean section. Many experts think that up to half of all C-sections are unnecessary. Please see the C-section link for additional information.

Once you have had an incision in your uterus, it is weaker in that area. When labor begins, that weakened area can rupture. Although the chance of a rupture is only about one percent, it can be catastrophic, leading to severe problems, even death of the mother or fetus. You must speak with your physician about the risks and benefits of avoiding a cesarean section. In some cases, with close observation, you can attempt a vaginal birth.

If your cesarean section is either scheduled in advance or a non-scheduled c-section that is NOT an emergency, usually ONE person can be with you. This is decided on a case by case basis, depending on the circumstances. In the event of a maternal or fetal emergency, we request that the coach not be in the OR.

Yes you can. Most women find that after having a C-Section, a flat abdomen is very difficult to obtain and they are thrilled with the results.

From the Guide to Effective Care in Pregnancy and Childbirth:"The available data on outcomes after a trial of labour in women who have had more than one previous caesarean section show that the overall vaginal delivery rate is little different from that seen in women who have had only one previous caesarean section."... and also ..

Although you will need more support and help after the operation, there is no reason to give up breastfeeding. Many mothers have breastfed successfully even after serious medical interventions during labour. It is important to inform everyone attending the birth that your intention is to breastfeed and that you do not want to give anything else to baby even if you are still under sedation.

Your anesthesiologist will use the epidural for the surgery. This involves a larger dose of medication which will make your entire abdomen numb. Occasionally, if the epidural does not provide enough pain relief, your doctor may elect to place another epidural, a spinal block or administer general anesthesia.

The collection process proceeds essentially the same way with a cesarean section as it would in a natural birth and only ViaCord can offer you an FDA-approved, preloaded cord blood collection bag for use in sterile C-sections.

Direct Entry Midwives are not required to have formal back up arrangements. We are independent practitioners. Midwives do all of your prenatal care, delivery and postpartum care. However, should the need arise to consult with a physician, we make arrangements for a doctor to see you. The genuine need for a cesarean delivery is lower, statistically, than you may realize, especially in the population of low risk mothers, who qualify for out of hospital delivery.

Even when a cesarean section is needed, participants still find childbirth classes a valuable experience. Classes will cover issues surrounding a cesarean section birth, teach relaxation skills for before and after the cesarean section and cover many other topics that are relevant to pregnancy, birth (whether vaginal or by cesarean section) breastfeeding and the postpartum period.

Whether you should deliver by Cesarean-section or vaginally depends on your HIV viral load level (how much of the virus is circulating in your blood) at the time of delivery. If you are not taking any medication to lower your viral load or if you are just taking zidovudine, it is likely that your viral load will not be low enough to deliver vaginally without a significat risk of transmission of HIV to the baby. In this case, a Cesarean section would reduce the risk of transmission by half.

Vaginal birth after cesarean (V.B.A.C.) Continuing education module in this site's Perinatology Corner section.

Recent studies have shown that there was an over 80% success rate for VBACs. Finding a care provider who is supportive and being educated are still the keys to preventing an unnecessary cesarean, even if it is a repeat cesarean. One of the biggest fears of having a woman labor after having had a previous cesarean was the fear that her scar would tear. That is very unlikely, especially with the mid-line (bikini-cut) incisions that are the most popular today.

Keep the incision clean and dry. You will be showering in the hospital and instructed to pat the incision dry. Continue this at home while your incision is healing. Avoid wearing undergarments that irritate the incision.

True fetal distress is rare, and only a handful of cesareans are done for fetal distress. One study indicates that fetal distress only occurs in 1.5% of all VBAC attempts (Finley, Gibbs), while another showed that of mothers who had a primary cesarean for fetal distress, the second labor had 3% of those mothers with fetal distress (Paul, Phelan, Yeh). This brings us to fetal monitoring.