[ang8318]

I went to the doctors yesterday. I am 31w pregnant with my second child. Planning on having a VBAC. In the very beginning of my pregnancy one of the docs moved my due date back two weeks saying the baby was small on the ultrasound. Since then the baby has gotten big. Yesterday when they measured me I measured 37 weeks. My last US was when I was 28 weeks and the baby was the size of 33 week fetus. They plan to send me for another ultrasound. I am getting very upset though because I want to attempt a VBAC, and if my baby is this large they will not let me. I asked yesterday if they may have made a mistake moving my due date and the doc said she would have to discuss it with the other docs in the practice. Which made me feel like she did not know what she was doing. I know a due date is an estimation but here is where the problem comes in. My ob office will not induce for a VBAC until you are one week overdue. If my due date is wrong, what they think is one week over due could be 3 weeks overdue, crushing my chances of a VBAC. My questions are: Is it normal for someone to measure 6 weeks bigger? Do docs ever change due dates late in pregnancy? Can I get a second opionion this late in pregnancy? Any responses will be helpful... I am just getting anxious about it and it is making me crazy.

[J_9]

I want you to remember that while VBACs are possible, they are very risky. The induction with pitocin increases the risk of a uterine rupture due to the scar tissue involved.

It seems as though your doctors are being very proactive in your health as they don't want this to occur. Many doctors these days won't even due a VBAC due to the possible litigation involved with uterine ruptures caused by pitocin induction.

I also want you to remember that the 2 weeks goes either way. A 40 week gestation could be a 42 week or a 38 week.

I am hoping you have done all of your research involved with the possible risks inherent with a VBAC.

[ang8318]

Thanks j9. I have done a lot of reading about VBAC. And spoke to several of my doctors regarding this. They are willing to let me try... as long as the baby is not much bigger than my first. I may have come across wrong. I am not willing to risk the health of my child to have a vaginal birth, my doctors and I have that understanding. I just want to know what labor feels like, with my first I had a section due to firstly-pregnancy induced hypertention, and secondly they estimated my son to be large. Thanks again for your answer.

[DoulaLC]

They may have bumped you back too far. Do you have a fairly good idea of when you think you most likely got pregnant? Some women will naturally measure quite a bit ahead, throughout their pregnancy, but if you are going with fundal height measurements, they are not wholly accurate. There are a number of factors that play into your measurement... number of pregnancies, length of your torso, amount of amniotic fluid, baby's position, etc..
The farther into pregnancy you go, scans become less reliable, but along with your doctor's ability to feel baby (which is often the best indicator if they are experienced enough in it), they are all you have to go on. See what they say with your next scan. You could ask for a second opinion, some doctors will do so.

I'm surprised as well that they are considering a VBAC with induction. Most doctors and midwives shy away from that. Even VBACs without inductions have declined due to liability factors. If you are a good candidate for a VBAC, and there are a few factors that are taken into consideration, risk of uterine rupture is there, but it is not common. Regardless, many doctors and midwives have gone back to once a c-section, always a c-section.

[ang8318]

I know exactly when my lmp was. My husband and I were trying, so I had everything on a calendar. I have a fairly long torso, and everything else is normal. This is my second child. As far as the VBAC is concerned, my doctors would prefer not to induce me, only if it would absolutely come to that, and if the baby is what they feel to be too large they will not induce me at all, which I am OK with as I do not want anything to happen to my little one. I am very fortunate that my doctor understands how I feel. She has had 3 scheduled sections, and said she understands how I feel. It may sound odd. But I would be content going into labor to feel what it is like and end up with a section. Emotionally after my first section I felt defeated, like my body could not do its job. I was very upset for a very long time, that is why I am trying so hard for a VBAC. I know some people will think that I had a healthy baby and that's all that matters. I did have a healthy baby and I thank god for that, but I never knew how badly I would feel knowing I did not get to experience labor at all.

[DoulaLC]

A healthy baby is obviously of the utmost importance, but you are right, the experience itself is important as well because it is something that will be with you always.
Discuss it with your doctors after your next scan. Hopefully you will all come to a decision that everyone is comfortable with.