I am so so SO happy to announce a completely drug-free VBA3C after inverted T (incision)!!

I had been having prodromal labor off and on for the last week. I was having contractions every 4 minutes Sat evening but they didn’t seem to be going anywhere or getting any more intense so I just dismissed it as more of the same. I slept pretty well, except for the usual 6 or so trips to the bathroom, until about 5:45 when I woke up to a small gush. I figured a contraction just caused me to wet myself and was honestly so tired I was just going to ignore it. Then another little gush and I realized what was happening so I jumped up and raced to the toilet and as soon as I sat down, a big gush came.

I was actually pretty perturbed. I did not want to labor without my water! I woke my hubby and called our doula and another friend who were going to help us.

I took a shower and my support started arriving at about 7. I was now having bigger contractions but nothing even remotely painful, just had to breathe and relax and it was fine.

My in-laws arrived about 8:30am to keep the kids and we got ready to go walk in the park across from the hospital. My doula and husband wanted to get within vicinity to the hospital because my OB had told us it would probalby go fast since the baby had been already engaged.

Still breathing through the contractions, and doing just fine, but the whole 30min drive I was pretty nauseated. We got to the park and walked for about 10 minutes then I started throwing up and feeling pressure so we decided just to go to the hospital.

All of a sudden the pain got way more intense and by time I got to my room I was complete, and at +1 station and all ready feeling the urge to push! I was so relieved to hear it was already almost over!

Well pushing was a bit more difficult for me than I anticipated, and the first position I tried really did nothing to help the baby down much more. So the doula and my dr suggested that I turn around and bend over the back of the bed to let gravity try to help. I immediately felt baby moving down and in less than 30 minutes he was out! His head and body came out with the same push so I ended up with a 2nd degree tear, but it was only superficial and it really has not bothered me much at all.

The whole ordeal lasted just about 6 hours, and really I was not having pain most of that time. he arrived at 11:34 am (8/16).

As soon as I turned around he was immediately put on my chest. I cannot begin to describe the euphoria of that vernix-covered baby put right up on me. We didn’t cut the cord till it finished pulsating, and I didn’t need any pitocin to help deliver the placenta. He lay on my chest for about 30 minutes then began to nurse, and nursed like a champ for about 45! He weighed 6lbs 7oz and was 19in long.

So we just got home from the hospital about 3 hours ago and I feel great! Tired, but incredible! I am so in love! And this is a million times better than recovering from a c-section and being drugged up!

This baby is such a miracle for us! I had given up hope on ever having a natural childbirth, because my first section was an inverted T-cut (due to footling breech position that was not discovered until I was in transition) and I had never heard it was even possible to try for a VBAC with that type of incision until this pregnancy. I have a wonderful OB in the DFW area if anyone ever needs a referral.

Also, this is our first full-term baby! it was so wonderful not to have your child whisked away to the NICU to be poked and prodded. My girls did pretty well at 35 and 36.2 weeks but my son born at 35.1 was very sick and still deals with affects from his prematurity today at age 8.

We are so thankful to God and I honestly feel like this was redemption for the difficult pregnancies and awful deliveries I had experienced in the past. I thank Jesus Christ for his power and faithfulness to help me!

Katie