[Deb]

Dear Debra,

I promised you a recount of my VBAC experience. Here it is.

I was very worried about the possibility of a uterine rupture despite the 3 years that had passed from my previous C-section. However I still wanted to give VBAC a try, to give myself the chance to experience giving birth. I had provisionally scheduled aC-section for the day after my due date and I was hoping something would happen before. Supposedly VBACs are less likely to be successful once one has passed her due date.

I was lucky. Two days before the date of the C-section, I noticed that the sensation of discomfort I was experiencing was coming and going quite regularly. I timed it. It was every 18-20 minutes for about 25-28 seconds at a time. A few hours later I was certain these were signs of early labor. I
called my doctor, she advised me to go to the hospital if they become 7-10minutes apart given that we were dealing with a previous C-section. The night was quite uncomfortable but went by uneventfully. I went to my OB’s office for my scheduled appointment at 11:00 am. They put me on a monitor – real contractions every 20 minutes and 1 cm dilated. My doctor sent me to the hospital so they could keep an eye on me. When I reached the hospital at 12:00 I was already 3 to 4 cm. However at 3pm things seemed to have slowed down since I was still 4 cm dilated and contractions were quite far apart - 16 to 18 minutes. They gave me Pitocin and 5 minutes later I was soooo ready for the Epidural. After 3 more hours I was 10 cm and the pushing began. I could feel the contractions and my abdominal muscles so I was able to push and bear down. I was giving birth and I was thinking of you, Debra :-) Those exercises with the lifting and lowering of the abdominal muscles came in so handy. I had to come to your yoga class to remember I had those muscles and that I still could use them even if I had a baby
inside. It really helped. It was key to getting that baby out. The pushing took one hour and a half. That moment, when my baby girl shoot out of my body, was so amazing, so unbelievable, I would do it again tomorrow. It made worthwhile all my anxieties, my worries, my going back and forth between choosing a planned repeat C-section or the unknown, the uncertainty of a VBAC. However I have to admit, if it weren’t for the epidural, my words would be different. I am so happy that I was able to experience this without the pain. The one hour it took for the epidural to take effect, my whole body was in so much pain, I couldn’t move. I didn’t even dare to move, but the anesthesia took the pain away so I was able to relax and focus on the task at hand: pushing :-)

Thank you so much for everything. You made such a difference to my pregnancy. Your classes helped my body and my spirit throughout the months. I so loved the stories and examples you were taking from everyday life and translated them into yoga and pregnancy. You helped me so many times to center myself and be in the moment. And feeling physically great was a bonus.

Thank you , thank you, thank you.

See you soon.

Mihaela