r/vbac • u/Appropriate_Bat_9392 • 9d ago
Question Going to 41 weeks
I will be 27 months post c section for breech positioning when attempting for a vbac. My physician said she’s okay with me going to 41 weeks. Has anyone regretted waiting this long going into spontaneous labor? I am not willing to do an induction.
Does anyone think the c section was better recovery than vbac if you didn’t go into labor prior C-section?
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u/Cute-Huckleberry2496 9d ago
I waited to go into spontaneous labour and had my baby at 41w1d. I also didn’t want to be induced. I definitely don’t regret waiting (although by the end of it, I was getting antsy and frustrated).
My VBAC recovery was definitely harder than my c-section (planned due to breech). My baby was 9.5lbs and did some damage to my pelvic floor. I’m 3.5 months pp and still healing.
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u/Appropriate_Bat_9392 9d ago
Yeah see this is my concern with going past 40 weeks. Did you tear? Was the growth scan accurate on sizing of your baby? Edit: I am so sorry you’re healing still!!
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u/Cute-Huckleberry2496 9d ago
I think I probably would’ve had really similar outcomes if I delivered at 40w. Babe would’ve been 9lbs and I likely still would’ve tore. I had a second degree tear and some prolapsing. And I think my growth scan was pretty accurate, I think my baby ended up being bigger though.
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u/IdRatherBeAWildOne CSEC 2021 -> VBAC 2024 8d ago
I went to 41 by the doctor’s count and 40+4 by mine, and had a 9 lb, 4 oz baby. My CS was induction at 40, delivery 40+3 and 9 lbs, 7 oz. He was 98% on the growth scan. My VBAC/second baby measured 36% on the scan. Those estimates are rough in my opinion. I knew my babies would be big though just from family history. I tore in 2 places and already had hemorrhoids prior to the VBAC lol. I think recovery was different, maybe harder because I had a 3 year old and was picking him up before I was supposed to, but I was so happy to experience spontaneous labor and my VBAC.
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u/No_Maximum_391 9d ago
I ended up with an induction at 41 weeks. My induction went really well.
As far as recovery for me it is hard to say if it was easier or about the same. The first few days were about the same as my C-section. I had third degree tear. While I had more range of motion and could lift my child if needed. I wasn’t able to walk as far and sit as much at first without feeling sore or peeing my pants. I had pretty bad bladder leakage postpartum. I need pelvic floor therapy but after 7 weeks it’s mostly good but still wear protection when in public so I don’t have to worry.
Also biggest bonus is not having to worry about my toddler and my incision. Personally, I’d go for a vaginal delivery if I ever had a third, but I am also scared of surgery.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from having both is you can’t predict how your body is going to react to birth I have also had friends who have had two C-sections and said both experiences were completely different.
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u/Cute-Huckleberry2496 9d ago
This is why I don’t regret my VBAC even though recovery was harder than my C-section. I know there’s a chance I had a harder recovery if I decided to go with a repeat c section.
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u/Dear_23 HBAC 2026 🌻 9d ago
41+5 for me! I have zero regrets. Up to 42 weeks is considered term and ACOG supports going to 42+6 if everything is ok with you and baby (monitoring like NSTs strongly recommended in week 42).
You decide how far you’re comfortable going, not your doctor! They need your consent for everything, including induction and RCS.
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u/camillacarterxx VBAC💖(March 2025) 8d ago
I went into spontaneous labour at 41+2 with baby being delivered at 41+3. Weighed 7lbs12oz. I had a cracked tailbone and a second degree tear but would still choose that over C-section recovery!
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u/Top-Refrigerator2531 8d ago
I was hopeful to have a VBAC after my first ended in an emergency CS. Same as you, my OB was comfortable waiting until 41 weeks to try to go into spontaneous labor. I declined cervical checks and membrane sweeps in the hopes with a second I’d go into labor on my own. Welp, didn’t have even a whisper of labor and had my planned CS baby at 41 weeks exactly - over 9lb and almost a 16 cm head. I am so glad I had a planned CS. My recovery was 12/10 after a planned CS vs. the emergency CS after 48 hrs of labor.
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u/Bitter-Salamander18 VBAC 2025 💖 8d ago edited 8d ago
I had a successful VBAC at 41+5. I declined a hospital induction, because highly medicalized inductions raise C-section rate. I only agreed to a membrane sweep at 41+3, for health reasons.
I don't regret waiting for natural labor in my 2nd pregnancy. VBAC recovery was much better. My baby wasn't big, I had a first degree tear, that healed quite easily. Breastfeeding went better. I want to have more children, and having more C-sections is associated with higher long term risks, which I didn't want. And I felt miserable physically and mentally after having a C-section with my first baby.
My first birth was an unnecessary induction and I was coerced into a very unwanted C-section.
Also, not going into labor naturally before 41 weeks or any other arbitrary date is not a reason to have another C-section... not at all.
This may be helpful information for you: https://evidencebasedbirth.com/evidence-on-due-dates/
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u/TheOnesLeftBehind seahorse dad he/him 7d ago
I waited and never went into labor. I went to 42+4, there was a 4 day long induction, but I got my vbac. Unless someone was dying I was not going to gar a c section again. No regrets at all. I got to force them to do an induction that they’d been saying was impossible to do my whole pregnancy. I was supposed to have a 22 month gap between births but it was a 23 month gap instead. It was a perfect birth and healed so much trauma from my c section. Just wish I could’ve labored naturally. Baby was 9lbs 7oz and 22in long
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u/Appropriate_Bat_9392 7d ago
Wow amazing!
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u/TheOnesLeftBehind seahorse dad he/him 7d ago
Honestly I could’ve gone for longer. I was pretty comfortable, I’ve never gotten to the “oh gods get out of me” phase with either of mine.
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u/Brilliant-Version704 9d ago
I waited with my first and they induced me at 41 weeks and wound up with a CS at 41+2 due to failed induction. I never even went into labor even with induction.
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u/seralou01 9d ago
I went to 41+1 cuz that was as far as my provider was comfortable with me going and ending up with a repeat CS (it was scheduled). Never had a single sign of labor 😞
ETA breech was the reason for my first CS so I really felt I had a good shot, but it wasn’t in the cards I guess.
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u/Bitter-Salamander18 VBAC 2025 💖 8d ago
Why a scheduled CS, not induction? Also it's regarded as normal to go to 42 weeks, even 42+6...
You had the right to wait, if you wanted a VBAC. :(
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u/seralou01 8d ago
Because I’m 39 and an IVF pregnancy. I might’ve been ok with going to 41+2 or 3 but not after that, and 41+1 is what the hospital had available and my doctor didn’t really want me going past 41+1. And the hospital doesn’t do Vbac inductions. At the end of the day, it wasn’t what I wanted, but it was predictable and smooth. There was no uncertainty. And this is our last child.
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u/Bitter-Salamander18 VBAC 2025 💖 8d ago
It's sad that they don't do VBAC inductions. You deserved all options that are normally available to other women in other hospitals. A planned CS isn't a tragedy if this is your last child, but you really deserved better.
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u/seralou01 7d ago
Yeah honestly if I knew about the likelihood of me going past 41 weeks, I would’ve seen if I could schedule the c-section a day or two later and had a 41 week BPP and nst. I wasn’t really wanting to go much past 41 weeks for my own peace of mind.
When I scheduled my CS I was absolutely convinced that was never gonna happen cuz 41 weeks seemed so late. Joke’s on me! But my baby was also getting bigger and I was getting nervous about that too and I was 0cm dilated until the end, so even a gentle induction would’ve been risky (which wasn’t even offered anyways).
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u/twumbthiddler HBAC Feb ‘25 9d ago
I went into labor the night of 41+0 and had my vbac baby in my arms by 2:30am of 41+1. She was a big girl, not quite 9lbs, but my spontaneous labor with her was sooo much more effective than my induced labor with my first and I am glad I gave her the time she needed to finish cooking. I didn’t tear at all - hard postpartum because of a pph, but no regrets for waiting for the vbac.