My journey to VBA2C

This editorial series, Stork Stories, is brought to you by Des Moines Moms Blog and MercyOne. All 8 original articles from the Stork Stories series can be found here.

I will never forget laboring for hours and wondering if it would really happen. I wasn’t afraid of the .4% chance that my uterus would rupture, but I was terrified of having another c-section. As if at any moment the nurse would walk in and say, “times up!” and they’d whisk me away to the O.R.

But let me step back for a moment because my VBA2C (vaginal birth after two c-sections) journey isn’t complete without sharing how I got there in the first place.

My journey started 7 years ago when I had my first emergency c-section – it was a bit traumatic. I not only had a serious abdominal surgery to recover from and a newborn to care for, but I was also diagnosed with a very severe infection 6 weeks postpartum. I ended up in the hospital for a week and left with drains in my stomach. Needless to say my first birth experience was not ideal. 

Fast forward 3 years and I was pregnant again. I was hopeful and found a doctor I thought would be in favor of a VBAC. I see it so clearly now that they weren’t and were just feeding me lines. At the last minute they said “no” to my desire for a VBAC. I felt like I didn’t have any options and heartbreakingly scheduled my second c-section. I so wish I could go back and advocate more for myself, but I didn’t realize at the time it was possible. 

Fast forward another 3 years and this time, I’m not taking no for an answer. I had done my research, I knew my risks (which were very low!) and was determined to find a very supportive doctor. But call after call to local doctors each one told me the same thing…there were no doctors who would take me on since I had had two c-sections. But then I had a glimmer of hope from a midwifery office who told me to call the University of Iowa Hospital in Iowa City. 

I immediately dialed Iowa City and spoke with a nurse about having a VBA2C there. I cried after that call. The nurse I spoke with acted like having a vaginal birth after two c-sections was no big deal. They did them all the time she told me and it wasn’t an issue for them. Right away I scheduled an appointment and couldn’t wait to meet my doctor.

We drove the two hours to Iowa City and from the moment I stepped into my doctors office I knew I was in the right place. My doctor, Dr. Shaffer, was and is absolutely incredible. She was so encouraging and never once tried to bully me or change my mind about having a VBA2C. In fact, she cheered me on. 

I won’t forget the time we were sitting in her office during one visit and her telling me, “Kara, I thought of you this week. A laboring woman came in and had a second c-section scheduled but we told her this would be her only chance at having a vaginal birth and ask if she wanted to try. And she did it!” 

My jaw was on the floor. “You mean you actually asked her if she wanted to have a VBA2C?!” Without a doubt I had found my supportive doctor. 

My journey had a lot of hurdles to jump through not just with finding a supportive doctor but also being dropped by a local doctor who originally said I could do shared care with them so I could have a local doctor nearby just in case. It was frustrating, but I realized it was for the best after they told me I would die if I tried to have a VBA2C. Definitely not a doctor I wanted to receive my care from. I didn’t need that negativity.

At 40 weeks I was still very much pregnant and we talked about inducing. I know induction is not common for VBAC patients, yet another reason why I LOVE Iowa City. Because of my two previous c-sections, I was limited to a very low dose of Pitocin and putting a cook catheter in (this is a tool that manually dilates you to 5-6 cm). 

We scheduled my induction for 41 weeks and I tried EVERYTHING to go into labor before then because I wanted to have the absolute best chance at having a VBA2C. But on May 30, 2019, I woke up still pregnant so we drove the 2 hours to the hospital to be induced. I was excited and nervous all at the same time. I wanted this VBA2C more than anything! 

When we arrived at the hospital we went over the game plan, hooked me up to Pitocin, and let things run their course. Every so often a nurse came in and upped the Pitocin a little bit to get things moving. I was constantly being monitored to make sure baby and I were doing okay.

After some mild contractions for a few hours, I was checked to see if I had made any progress. I hadn’t. 

Fighting discouragement we decided to put the cook catheter in. Up until this point, I was unmedicated and shortly after the cook catheter was put in everything got super intense. Contractions were excruciating and relentless – one on top of the other. I couldn’t catch my breath.

I remember moaning and breathing through them but according to my husband, I was screaming. 

I decided to try the tub to see if that would help alleviate some of the pain but things just kept getting more intense. The last thing I wanted was an epidural because I didn’t want anything to hinder my chances. But I was exhausted. I felt like I was being pulled apart, so after 5 hours of intense labor an epidural was ordered. 

I cried and felt so defeated. I felt like my chances of having a VBA2C were slipping away. 

Soon after the doctor came in to see if I had made any progress. I thought for sure after 5 hours of intense labor I had made a lot of progress…but again I hadn’t. More sad tears.

At this point I really felt like maybe my body was broken. Maybe I couldn’t give birth naturally after all.

Thankfully my doctor and the staff were nothing but encouraging and in no rush. They said I had plenty of time. This was so reassuring and gave me so much hope that they weren’t putting a time limit on my labor like so many doctors do.

I was fighting major anxiety at this point. Worried that my body didn’t work or was broken. I was never fearful about my uterus rupturing. (This is the number one reason why most hospitals won’t allow you to have a VBAC — even though the risk is between .1 and .2%.) My biggest fear was a repeat C-section. Which I know might not make sense to some, but I was more scared of that than anything else going wrong. 

Normally we only hear about the dangers with VBACing but never the complication with C-sections — especially repeat ones which have an even higher risk of complications.

A little while after receiving the epidural I heard a little pop between my legs – it was the cook catheter. When you reach 5-6 cm it comes out on its own. My doctor checked me and sure enough, I was dilated to a 6, 90% effaced, and my bag of waters was sitting low. 

I cried all the happy tears at this point because I had never gotten this far in labor. I was one more step closer to having a VBA2C.

They broke my water around 3 am and soon after that I began to feel a lot of pressure down there. At one point I reached my hand down over my pubic area and felt a big bump. I quickly realized baby’s head was moving down! 

At this point, I was beyond excited. It was happening! Everything was going smoothly and I was so close to meeting my sweet baby. My doctor came in around 4:30 am to check me and said, “Oh wow! The head is right there. It’s time to push!”

I was a little shocked! “Wait, what?! I get to PUSH?” 

This was my dream. Thinking back to this moment still feels like a dream to me. It wasn’t just 9 months that I fought for this chance. It was a 7-year journey that had brought me to that point. All that time I had been dreaming of getting to have a baby vaginally. I started pushing and felt so incredibly calm and focused. 

In the back of my mind, I still had a little fear. “What if they tell me to stop pushing?” And “what if something goes wrong?” So with each contraction, I pushed as hard as I could to get this baby out as fast as possible before they could tell me to stop. 

I pushed a few times and the doctor said the head was right there. I reached down and felt it – it’s truly amazing what our bodies can do. 

After pushing through a contraction, I looked at my doctor with tears in my eyes and said “I’m doing it! I’m actually doing it!” She cheered me on and was so excited for me. 

I pushed for a total of 30 minutes and we got the best surprise ever – a BOY! We chose to wait to find out the gender and it was such a special moment.

I was elated. Not only because I was getting to meet this sweet boy of mine but that my dream – a dream I had fought for, prayed for, relentlessly pursued – had finally come true. I got to experience a natural birth and I am forever grateful. I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat. It will forever be one of my favorite experiences and something I will never forget. 

At 5:12 a.m., on May 31st we welcomed Shepherd Alan Swanson into the world. He weighed 8 lbs 6 oz and was 21 inches long.

It is so important to be your own advocate for your health and body. Don’t ever forget that you do have a voice! Don’t take “no” for an answer. Research and do your homework. Find a doctor who is supportive, even if it means a 2-hour drive for each appointment. It’s so worth it and I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat.