I haven't kept up well with my blog in the past but recent events have inspired me to make it a point to share about my most recent journey. I guess I'll start at the beginning...
I'm 15 weeks pregnant with my 4th child and have had 2 previous cesarian births. The first, I was induced before my due date and didn't dilate quick enough and had a c/s. The second pregnancy, I had twins. I was still a candidate for a vbac as long as my girls stayed head down, which they did, until 2 weeks before they were born. Because "baby a" turned transverse, I had no choice but to have another c/s. That was all when we lived in Maryland.
Now to more recent events...
We have since moved to Oklahoma and this is the first baby we've had that would be born here. It never fazed me I'd have much trouble to attempt to have a vbac (vaginal birth after cesarian) since my Doctor in Maryland had no issues with it, even with twins. Oklahoma isn't quite as easy to have one. I would have options in Oklahoma City or even Tulsa, but we are a good hour and a half drive from OKC and much further from Tulsa. The original doctor I saw (Dr. Lepp), which removed my IUD delivers at one of the 2 hospitals in town and that hospital (Comanche Memorial) does not allow vbacs to be performed due to insurance issues. They did however find out that Southwestern does allow them and got a few names of doctors that deliver there to try.
I called one and when scheduling my appointment they acted as if it was no problem at all and that the Doctor (Dr. zweig) had no issues with doing them. I went in for my first appointment and his nurse was asking me questions and we got to what brought me to that office. I told her I was switching because my current office wasn't able to perform vbacs and her response sent me into an instant panic. She told me that Dr. zweig doesn't either! She said in the 2 years she has worked there he had only performed ONE. She said I was more than welcome to discuss it with him though and see if it's something he would be willing to do. I decided to talk to him since I was already there and figured it was worth a try. After talking to him he seemed a bit open to the idea and said he'd need to get my records from my last c/s to be sure nothing was noted about my incision being thin or anything that could increase risk of rupture. I was skeptical but decided to give him a shot and see how things seemed once he got my records and I scheduled my next appointment.
A month later, I had my second appointment with Dr. zweig. He did an ultrasound to check the heart beat and make sure everything looked good which he said it did and then said ok see you in another month. But wait, what about my records? I questioned him about them and he checked the computers to see if they got them, which they had. He read them over quickly and said didn't really say much about it and tried to brush me out the door. I came out and asked him if the records showed anything he was concerned about for doing a vbac and he stated no. I then said, "So, I should be able to attempt to have a vbac then, right?" His response was far less than reassuring. He told me "Well, we'll just have to see when it gets closer to that time." His response gave me absolutely no hope at all to attempt a vbac with him as my doctor.
In the meantime, I had asked around on local groups about options as far as home births and other doctors that may be able to help me in the birth I really want. In that search, I found a wonderful local doula, Jasmin Williams, who was incredibly willing to help me any way she could. She suggested I try a doctor in Duncan. She had attended births at that hospital and said the environment was very calm and the staff was wonderful at sticking to the patients wishes, birth plan and anything else they needed. After the negative feelings I got with Dr. zweig, I decided it was time to give the doctor she suggested a call. I called their office and waited for Dr. Elfrink's nurse to call me back to help me with the questions I had regarding my possible vbac. When she called me back, she informed me that the hospital in Duncan does not allow vbacs to be performed either due to insurance limitations. She was very concerned for me and listened to what I had figured out so far. She suggested a doctor she felt very highly of that delivers at Southwestern, in my town. She wasn't sure his stance on vbacs but knew he delivered at the hospital that would allow them.
Today, I called the doctor that the nurse suggested to try to get some answers and possibly some hope. They said the best thing for me to do was to get them a copy of my records from my previous birth so they could look them over and make sure nothing indicated I would be at higher risk of complications. They were incredibly nice and assured me that Dr. Martin Jones does do vbacs and they would know more about my possibility once they had my medical history. I contacted my doctor in Maryland to have them send over my records and filled out the release and faxed it back. At this point I'm in limbo, waiting for Dr. Jones to review my records and give me a call to let me know if I'm ok to proceed at this point.
I also called my insurance company just to double check if we had any coverage for a Doula or a Midwife home birth. They dont cover a doula at all and while they cover midwives, it's only if you have a birth in an approved hospital under a licensed doctor they work under. They told me they do not cover planned home births AT ALL and they consider them "medically inappropriate." I actually found that a bit unsettling. Child birth is one of the most natural things a woman can go through and in most cases, there is no need for any medical intervention and no reason why someone couldn't safely deliver their baby at home. I honestly find it far more inappropriate the amount of unnecessary inductions and cesarian births and the huge limitations put on vbacs.
I will be sure to update with anything else that comes up through this entire journey and I hope, if anything, this is able to help someone else out there to attain the type of birth they feel is best for themselves and baby.
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