What You Need to Know about Having a Natural Birth After a C-Section

Can you have a natural birth after a c-section? Short answer, most likely, but it depends on a few important factors. By the way, this type of birth is called a VBAC, and here’s everything you need to know about it!

 

Can you have a natural birth after a c-section? Short answer, maybe. It’s called a VBAC, and here’s everything you need to know about it!

Putting aside the fact that the term “VBAC” sounds more like something you’d call an HVAC guy for than a term for vaginal birth after a c-section, it’s actually fairly common. Once upon a time, women were told that if they delivered one baby via c-section, then they’d have to deliver all their babies that way. Doctors didn’t really even ask how you wanted to deliver your next baby, they just scheduled your c-section like it was written in stone.

Thankfully, both medicine and doctors have evolved with the times, realizing that a whopping 90% of women who delivered by c-section were candidates for a VBAC with their next baby, according to American Pregnancy. Here is everything you need to know about having a natural delivery after a c-section.

Can you have a natural birth after a c-section?

We already determined that a HUGE percentage of women who give birth by c-section are perfectly capable of going on to have a natural delivery with their next baby. In fact, more and more doctors are getting on board with a trial of labor after cesarean (TOLAC). That’s their fancy way of saying “hey, we’ll give VBAC a try and see how it goes!” Of course, it’s not always as cut and dry as statistics make it seem. Let’s look at what makes a good candidate as well as the potential complications and other things to consider.

Why would you consider having a natural birth after a c-section?

First, I think it’s important to clarify what we mean when we say “natural birth after c-section.” For the purposes of this article, I’m talking about vaginal delivery. There are SO many ways to define “natural birth” these days, from hospital births with a myriad of pain relieving options to home deliveries in a relaxing pool of water.  It’s easier if we stick to just defining it as a vaginal delivery, otherwise things get all sorts of confusing.

So, why would you consider having a natural birth after a c-section? I think the answer is pretty obvious. No one really wants to be cut open! I delivered my son via c-section and the recovery was kind of a nightmare. Granted, I had extenuating circumstances (namely, an improperly closed incision that burst open, got infected, and had to be packed for six weeks), but still. Even under the best of circumstances, your recovery time is far longer than when you delivery “naturally.”

Beyond the obvious reason, though, there are other reasons to consider VBAC. These include:

1- Lowering the risks associated with c-sections

While c-sections are generally safe procedures (after all, about 32% of pregnant women have one), it IS a surgery and comes with risks. These run the gamut from minor infections to major bowel and bladder injury. Each surgery also creates new scar tissue, which can later adhere to your colon, bladder, ovaries and pretty much everything else in its path. The only way to get rid of scar tissue is to cut it out, which in turn creates MORE scar tissue.

2- Potentially preserving fertility

While it’s unlikely that a c-section will damage your future fertility, those aforementioned adhesion CAN wreak havoc on your future baby-making efforts. In fact, c-section adhesions interfere with future fertility in about 20% of cases. Note that I mean 20% of all women with adhesions have difficulty getting pregnant, not 20% of all c-sections in general.

3- Emotional reasons

Medical benefits aren’t the only reasons to consider a VBAC. For many women, it comes down to the emotional investment in the delivery. When I got pregnant with my son, I planned to have a “natural” delivery. Okay, so to me, that meant a vaginal birth but with a big old epidural to ease my pain, but still, I had this perfect vision in my head of how my delivery would go. It took me forever to get pregnant in the first place, and I wanted the whole Hollywood experience. Rushing to the hospital, my family around me in the delivery room, that amazing moment when they lay your newborn on your chest for the first time.

I didn’t get any of that. Instead, I got rushed to the hospital at 32 weeks because my kidneys were failing and my blood pressure was astronomically high, thanks to preeclampsia. Then I got an emergency c-section a day later because my son’s heart rate was dropping. Since he was a preemie, the whisked him away before I could so much as get a glance. I didn’t really see him until over 24 hours later. It took me a long time to get over the fact that I didn’t get to have my perfect Hollywood birth experience, so I can totally understand how another mom-to-be would choose a VBAC for emotional reasons.

What makes you a good candidate for VBAC?

Whatever your reasons for choosing VBAC, there are a few things that factor into whether or not it can happen for you.

  • Previous vaginal delivery. If you’ve had a successful vaginal delivery in the past, then you are more likely to tolerate a VBAC.
  • Your baby’s weight. your previous babies weigh, on average, less than 8 pounds. Large babies aren’t a deal breaker, but they do increase the chances of needing a c-section.
  • Your pregnancy-related health. If you needed a c-section because of placenta previa, fetal distress or because your baby was breech, then there is a higher chance you’ll have the same problems with subsequent pregnancies. While I opted to have an only child and my baby-making boat has sailed, if I did have more babies, my risk of developing preeclampsia again is pretty high, especially because it came on so early in my pregnancy. Again, that’s not a VBAC deal breaker, but it does make things more complicated.
  • Your labor is progressing relatively normally. A ton of factors come into play during labor itself. Is labor advancing on a fairly normal schedule? Are you dilating at a reasonable rate? Is your baby in a good position? Again, none of these things are the be all/end all for determining if you can have a VBAC, but they definitely help.

Every single pregnancy is different, and honestly, only your doctor (or midwife) knows if you’re a good candidate for a natural birth after a c-section. While how you deliver is your personal decision, I highly (HIGHLY HIGHLY) recommend delivering in a hospital just in case things go awry and you end up needing a c-section at the last moment, at least for your first VBAC. If that goes off without a hitch, then you can talk to your doctor about other options if you have your heart set on a home birth experience.

What are the potential risks?

There are potential risks with a VBAC as well. These include:

  • Failed labor (basically, your labor didn’t progress or go as expected). In this case, your doctor may decide that you need a c-section after all.
  • Uterine rupture: this is the biggest risk, since it’s the most dangerous. It happens when your uterus bursts along the scar line from your previous c-section. It’s rare, occurring only in about 1 out of 100 VBAC deliveries. Still, it’s crazy scary and needs immediate attention.
  • Risks associated with a vaginal delivery: The rest of the risks can occur in both VBACs or in women who never even had a c-section. These include things like tearing, hemorrhaging, and blood clots.

Again, like the benefits, there may be other risks specific to your pregnancy, so you’ll need to discuss them with your doctor.

Bottom line, VBACs are becoming increasingly common and, for most women, having a natural birth after a c-section is totally possible. It’s incredibly important to discuss it with your doctor early in your pregnancy. This allows you and your doctor to come up with a TOLAC plan that is best for you. It also gives you plenty of time to find another doctor if yours just isn’t comfortable with it. While the majority of OB/GYN doctors are up to date on the risks and benefits, a few still feel repeat c-sections are the best way to go and flat out refuse to consider a VBAC. This has more to do with litigation worries if something goes wrong than your actual chances of a successful natural birth after a c-section. Of course, if 5 doctors say it’s not a good idea, you may need to adjust your plan.

Did you have a natural birth after a c-section? Was your experience a good one? Can you think of anything else to consider before doing it? Share your thoughts below.

9 thoughts on “What You Need to Know about Having a Natural Birth After a C-Section”

  1. I’m looking forward to a TOLAC in about 3 months! Wish me luck! My first delivery went nothing like I had planned. I went to 41 weeks and was sick the last two weeks of my pregnancy. A biophysical profile showed that baby had stopped moving and there was almost no amniotic fluid left. I was sent straight to the hospital where we tried to induce labor, but baby was distressed and a cesarian was the safest option.

    Currently 28 weeks and my doctor has said that I’m a good vbac candidate because the turn of events that occurred is highly unlikely. I’m both nervous and excited!

    Ps. I see from other comments that some people get offended by the idea that c-sections aren’t “natural.” But that’s the truth. They aren’t natural while vaginal birth is. Stillbirths are also natural, but that doesn’t mean they are good. Lots of things that can be used to save or improve lives aren’t natural. That’s totally ok.

  2. I’m currently pregnant and planning my 3rd all-natural VBAC. My pregnancies/labors have all gone super smooth, no issues. 1st pregnancy ended in scheduled c-section due to breech (and my not knowing I had other options). I hated the recovery and most especially the pain drugs made me a zombie (at the time I thought it was normal). Next pregnancy I was determined to get educated about options and evidenced based birthing. I studied-up like crazy. I finally found an amazing OB (more like a midwife approach) and the hospital even had a super fancy built in water birth tub (helped with pain amazingly, especially with the tiny bit of pitocin). Also had a doula. The recovery was night and day. We were released from the hospital about 26hrs after delivery; I was energetically pacing the floor, holding baby, waiting for our discharge paperwork. If you’re interested in a VBAC, I’d recommend contacting your local chapter of ICAN (International Cesarean Awareness Network) as they are a wealthy of information and support. Best wishes to all for your best pregnancy and birth! :)

  3. This is a conversation that opens doors to all sorts of other conversations that I won’t even go to. My c-section saved my life and the lives of my twins. If I had planned to have more kids, I would have elected to do it again. I prefer to distinguish the two as a Vaginal Delivery and a C-Section. Calling one natural and the other X presupposes there is something wrong with a medical approach that saves lives. Again, it is a solid option that has saved the lives of many moms and their babies and it is not unnatural. Thank you for your insights.

  4. These are some amazing tips. I am so supportive of those mamas who are wanting to have a VBAC. I think it’s the most incredible thing and every mom should have the opportunity to experience it. <3

  5. Eileen Mendoza Loya

    My sister had to undergo an emergency c-section because her son passed meconium and it may be aspirated/swallowed by the baby. Her second pregnancy was delivered vaginally without complications. I think VBAC is possible if pregnancies were spaced 3-4 years apart (which is right about the amount of time a woman’s body needs to recover from pregnancy and childbirth).

  6. This is really great information. My cousin had a C Section for her first child and was thinking about having another baby. i will share this with her.

  7. Great info! Sharing these with my sis-in-law, who’s currently pregnant with their second child. She’s considering NSD this time because C-section delivery is quite expensive here, haha!

  8. Sarah Crowther

    Lots of good information here. When I was younger I thought once you had a C-section you always had to have them and i think maybe that used to be the norm, but doctors are branching out to do the VBAC. Thanks for the detailed info.

Leave a Reply to RebelSweetHrt Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *