Can a big belly make a VBAC difficult?
He is worried the baby is too big. I would seriously seek out a second opinion. My c/s was in my record as being because of CPD (cephalopelvic desproportion) where the pelvis is supposedly too small to delivery an average baby…My c/s baby was 8 lbs 14 oz. I had a VBAC a home (HBAC) 5 years later and my baby was 8 lbs 10 oz, but had a 14-inch head circumfrence!!! And she came just fine. Some Dr.’s are overly conservative…They wil say they support VBAC but when it comes down to the wire they find a reason to say no, because in all reality they are playing it way way too safe, and are affriad of being sued.
Im not quite sure as to why he said your belly is too big, he might have meant that the baby was going to be a big baby (since you are measuring bigger). And having a big baby can make a VBAC difficult. A VBAC is already kinda dangerous in its self and having a big baby could effect the scar on your uterus. So if i were you i would ask him what does having a big belly have to do with it. But i would think that it would be because the baby is probably big, which with a really big baby you would have a harm time progressing.
The size of your belly (assuming you mean the abdomen and its fatty tissue) should not affect the workings of the uterus and progress in labor. My OB/BYN discussed weight with me with my second child, as I am very heavy and said that he has delivered women who weigh in excess of 400 pounds and had no problems. The doctor doesn’t sound like he is comfortable with VBAC. Did you discuss this with him at your first appointment? If not, you should have, but you should still impress on him that you wish to do VBAC. I’m afraid if he is so against it, he is going to look for any small alteration in progress, vital signs, etc to find an excuse to ship you into surgery, but stand up for your patient rights and don’t allow yourself to be pushed. Talk to your partner about being there for you to assess the situation as well. Good luck.
It’s not the size of your belly, but the size of your baby. I would seek a couple of different opinions from doctors who don’t work in the same practice as he does. Particularly see if you can seek a midwife for her advice. Some doctors just do not support VBAC and there is no point in trying to convince them if their mind is made up. I would be particularly wary of this doctor since you took so long to recover from your c-section. Seriously I wouldn’t visit him again after something like that. Educate yourself on the topic as well. Lots to read on the Internet as well as groups of women on-line who have had successful VBACs. I’d find one and talk to them. They will have a ton of knowledge and advice.
