Vbacs

I had a C-Section 4 years ago and then delivered my second baby last year at Good Sam. I asked about VBAC but I think my OB told me that Good Sam could not do them. There's a nationwide trend of insurance companies insisting that hospitals have an extra surgeon around at all times if they're going to do VBACs. (The surgeon would be rushed in to repair a dangerous ruptured uterus which can happen in VBAC). The insurance co's won't cover most hospitals to do VBACS anymore. According to the research I did on this a year and a half ago, the only hospitals that can meet those standards are the big teaching and research hospitals. In our area, that means Stanford. So as I understood it, the smaller hospitals won't do VBAC because the insurers who insure hospitals won't cover them unless they have an extra surgeon ready to rush in during a VBAC that goes wrong. It's worth asking around in case things have changed, but that was what I learned when I looked into it.

I have not had a VBAC, but the conversation did come up with my OB last August after fear of my first baby being breech. She decided to flip around during delivery!
My doctor was willing to try a VBAC next time, if I had to go with C-Section this time. Her name is Zena Levine. She and her staff were wonderful. And I delivered at Good Sam.
I also had a doula. They were a great pair! My doula's name is Veronica Wagner. She is a Midwife and would be a wonderful help in fighting for a VBAC. Good luck!

From my Labor & Delivery classes recently, VBACS is totally possible if your baby isn't breech this pregnancy. You can have a regular delivery. You don't have to have a C-section again just because you had one before. Since you are going through Good Samaritian, you should ask your ob/gyn regarding VBACS.

Hi K.,

I go to a wonderful doctor I changed to 2 days before delivering my first child. He is Dr. R. Michael Contro. He is on National Drive near Good Sam and is at ###-###-####. I had been going to a different doctor who insisted on giving me a csection for my first child. I didn't like our visits and would argue with him to just letting me try to push my child out naturally. I asked my friends, and three of them went to Dr. Contro. I went to him on Oct. 4th and he wondered why I changed doctors so late. I told him the other doctor wouldn't let me try to push my baby out naturally and if he was going to say the same thing I would walk out the door and keep looking for a doctor who would let me have a vbac. He accepted me as a new patient and I had my daughter two days later on the 6th pushing her naturally out. He is wonderfully gentle, soft spoken, and thorough. His staff is really nice and know you by your name each time you walk in. I have had three children since my first visit with him and wouldn't change my doctor ever!!

Good luck!

Hi K.... This is just fyi. I delivered at Good Sam in SJ. I remember being told that Good Sam does not allow VBACs in their hospital. I believe I heard this in the birthing class I attended at Good Sam. I'll keep my ears open for docs that may perform them. Perhaps you can ask some doula's if they have any info on this? Congrats on your pregnancy and good luck!

Los Olivos Women's Medical Group. ###-###-####
15151 National Ave.
Los Gatos, CA 95032

This is close to Good Sam!

I had my son delivered by Dr. Majors, however Dr. Reimnitz, Dr. Imig , Dr. Silverman,
they are a wonderful team of OB/GYN"s.

R. Kane

There's an organization called ICAN (International Cesarean Awareness Network I think!) and there's a local chapter based in Palo Alto (may also be others further south). You can look them up online and search for the local chapter who can provide you all kinds of info about hospitals and doctors that may support your VBAC. Good luck! www.ican-online.org

Good for you! I attempted a VBAC with my second child and found it to be a wonderful experience even though it ended in a C-section. As a women we should be able to experience child birth naturally, and I did all the way through transition and pushed for two hours. The most important thing is to find a doctor who is willing to work with you and support you. My doctor was with me the whole way and it was such a different experience than when our first was born (very healing for me).There are VBAC support groups (I'm in Santa Cruz so not sure where to find one in San Jose) and great books to help you educate yourself on VBACs. Good luck!