TOLAC and VBACS and NUVBACS, Oh My!

We'll see how this blogging on a phone works... Forgive the typos.

Life is an adventure.

Life with twin boys is a great adventure.

They leave me rolling on the floor with laughter one moment, and have me pulling out my own hair out the next.

I have been so blessed to have them in my life. I am honored that they call me mommy. Except maybe when they are sopping wet and screaming it while dangling from the water fountain at the library.

My boys have brought me so much happiness and it's still crazy to imagine that in just over 3 months we will be adding another one to this wild family.

The delivery of the twins did not go as expected, nor planned, but how many births actually do?

I knew from the moment that I learned of this baby's existence that I did not want a other c- section. I didn't want the first one, but Gabe going into sudden severe distress required it, and I am thankful that we were so quickly taken care of.

Now I am climbing the mountain in preparing for a VBAC. I wish it was an easy task. Afterall, I am just a mama who wants to birth her baby "normally." Unfortunately, once you have a scar on your uterus there is no "normal" according to many doctors. Many hospitals ban the procedure. And if you find a hospital that lets you attempt a Trial of Labor After Cesearian or TOLAC, you need to find a provider who supports your decision and cross your fingers that they are the one on-call and not a provider who is scalpel happpy and dislikes tolacers.

My original OB told me that vbac mamas are held to a higher standard since we have a higher risk of uterine rupture. No inductions, and a scheduled section if you go over 41 weeks. Constant fetal monitoring and no walking around the l and d room. If your labor is "too long" then section, if you don't follow the labor curve, then section ; too long pushing, a section; baby decels more than desired, a section. Hearing all this at my OB appointments made me cringe, but never second guess my decision to attempt a vaginal delivery. Instead, it made me want it more, and it made me put the work into figuring out how I can increase my chances at doing it successfully.

So I began to read book after book, blogs and birth stories. And I learned so much along the way about birth, pregnancy, and that what many doctors have turned "birthing" in to today is not what it has to be.

I don't want to do the run of the mill race to the hospital at the first signs of labor, get an iv, strap me to the bed and give me an epidural kind of birth.

That's not me. That's not how I want my birth to go. From all the studies that I have read up on and from all the experts in birthing babies, that's not how to do it.

I am trying to take my pregnancyand delivery  to the next level.

I'm heading to a midwife. To someone who looks at me as a whole and sees a woman who has no reason not to be able to deliver her baby naturally. I am not a uterine rupture waiting to happen. Yes, there is a VERY small risk ,but that risk is just as small as it is for a placental abruption or cord prolapse for any "normal" woman. I am considered very low risk for a rupture, and I am considered to have an excellent chance of birthing this baby vaginally.

I am doing prenatal yoga and Spinning Babies exercises to prepare the baby and myself for our best delivery. The chiropractor is adjusting my back and hips for optimal alignment. I have gathered a strong support system with my husband, mother and best friend who are all amazing advocates and believers in natural birth. In the end, I just want a healthy baby, but in the meantime I am going to dream about just how that little one will arrive.

Baby is growing well. Big and active. I can see and feel a little foot poking me just next to my belly button as I write this. I love having this connection with a tiny person that I have not even met yet. 

My boys are showing a much greater interest in babies. Mainly in trying to hold their cousin, Rodion, who is practically as big as they are.

We didn't like referring to the baby as "it" so we decided as a family to name the baby "Piglet." And although we don't officially know the sex of the baby, they have decided it is a baby sister. Gabe will correct me at times and tell me that the baby is not named Piglet, it is named Baby Sister. Poor guy, I think he'll be upset if it turns out to be a boy.

Current Stats

27 weeks

Weight gain- 20 pounds (I might outgain what I did with the boys!)

Best moment this week- Sleeping straight through the night without needing a bathroom break.

Aches/Pains- Nighttime leg cramps have begun

Cravings- Can't say I have really had any recently.

Gender Prediction- 50/50  I honestly have no clue right now

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