VBAC7 min read
Preparing for a VBAC or VBA2C in the UAE
I had a successful VBA2C myself, so this topic is personal. VBAC is available in the UAE, but support varies enormously between hospitals and between individual consultants — which means your choice of provider matters more than almost anything else you do.
Find out if your provider is truly supportive
"I'm happy for you to try" is not the same as active support. Ask direct questions and listen for specifics rather than reassurance.
- How many VBACs have you attended in the last year, and how many were successful?
- At what gestation would you start talking about scheduling a repeat caesarean?
- What's your approach if labour starts slowly, or if I go past 40 weeks?
- Do you require continuous monitoring, and is wireless monitoring available?
- Under what circumstances would you recommend moving to a caesarean?
Debrief the previous birth first
Before planning the next birth, it helps enormously to understand the last one: what happened, in what order, and why. Requesting your operative notes and going through them with someone who can translate the language often replaces vague dread with clear information.
Practical preparation
- Write birth preferences on one page, in your consultant's language, and share them at anytime possible or atleast around 34 weeks.
- Plan for a spontaneous start where possible, and know your options if induction is discussed.
- Arrange continuous support in labour — it's associated with better outcomes across the board.
- Prepare for both outcomes. A planned, gentle repeat caesarean is a good birth too, and preparing for it takes nothing away from your VBAC.
Want to talk this through?
A free 30-minute discovery call is the easiest place to start.