The Great VBAC Debate

25 1/2 hours of labor, nearly 3 hours of pushing, third degree tearing and a plethora of pain pills, spray bottles, tea pads and cooling sprays later, I still would've chosen a VBAC over a C-section.

Why? You ask. Sounds crazy. You say? Why would I choose to have a vaginal birth over the convenience and minor pain of a c-section? Especially when most medical professionals encourage a repeat C-section?  

My answer is two-fold. One, uh...fold, sounds super spiritual and one doesn't.  Let's discuss the spiritual one first.

Choosing a VBAC was first about trust for me. There are a lot of scary statistics out there related to VBACs, and as I was deciding what I wanted to do, I heard a lot of scary stories, too. The biggest concern is that during labor, a woman's scar tissue from her previous c-section will tear causing uncontrollable bleeding that, if left uncontrolled for too long (a matter of minutes) can harm or kill the woman and her unborn child. Even though there is a less than 1% chance of this happening if the woman doesn't have any other pre-existing conditions, this the stat. that sways most women to the side of c-section. And I understand why. It's a scary statistic. Even I was on the repeat C-section band wagon until my 7 month of pregnancy as a result of this statistic. But then I realized something: I often let fear control my decisions. I was afraid something would go wrong, so I decided to take the route that seemed most safe. Not always a terrible way to make a decision, but in this case I felt like that wasn't the way to go, for ME. I asked myself two things: do I want a C-section or a VBAC, and do I trust God to keep me and the baby safe no matter what method of delivery I choose? I decided I really did want a VBAC, and that I wanted to trust God for it, so I chose the harder route- both physically and spiritually harder. God kept us safe and I got the birth I wanted. Sort of. Except for all the stuff previously mentioned in paragraph 1.

(By the way, if you are reading this and you chose a repeat C-Section, I am so not judging you. I'm just sharing why I did not.)

Second Fold:

There is NOTHING that can replace the experience of having that tiny, squirmy, slimy little bundle placed on my stomach after such a long haul. It was the most rewarding experience of my life. After all that, well, uh, labor, what an amazing reward. I will never forget that last push when my son entered the world. I felt relieved, liberated, proud, overwhelmingly grateful and elated, simultaneously. I missed out on that with our daughter. And all the pain and struggle was well worth that one moment. 

Now, I understand that not all VBACs go as planned. Sometimes they end up in C-sections anyway, and yes, sometimes, that scary statistic becomes a reality. So don't take this as a "Latrice said go for the VBAC" post, I'm just sharing with you my experience. But yes, I would encourage a VBAC if you want one and if the only thing holding you back is fear. Listen to your doctor, pray about your choice, and know that ultimately the Lord will determine the outcome.