Need advice/personal experiences from moms who had repeat csections or VBAC!

Hey everyone! So I had my first child in November 2019. I had it all planned out to do the totally all natural, vaginal delivery and of course (haha) plans did not go that way. I ended up having an unplanned, non-emergency c-section.

So a little backstory, I was induced and had got no sleep the night prior because I started contracting immediately with just the cervical foley thing. Then the next morning I started receiving the pitocin, so that caused even more contractions. All the while, I never dilated. Like, at all. However I contracted and labored so much that my water ended up breaking and they believed there was meconium in the water and my baby was becoming more stressed. Therefore, we decided to do the c-section then before it got serious, after many tears and hard conversations. My doctor then informed me that he believed my pelvic bones are very close together which may have hindered my son from dropping down. But he also said his umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck twice. So I believed that played a huge part into how my labor went.

Anyway, now I’m considering having another baby. It’s just the labor and delivery was so traumatic for me, I’m terrified to go through that again. I had a terrible, long recovery, and dealt with a lot of PPD and PPA. Thankfully, I was able to recover from the mental and physical aspects and feel better than I ever have to this day.

What I really would like to know from other moms who have had more children and had repeat c-sections is, is it just as bad as the first time or is it a little easier the second time around? And should I seek out another doctor and get a second opinion about my pelvic bones? I really do trust this doctor, as he was so caring throughout the whole thing, but I just wonder if maybe he’s wrong about that and I could try for a VBAC? I would love to attempt it but I don’t want to labor for 20+ hours like I did the first time.

So please give me all the advice/personal stories/personal opinions, etc. all of it!! I would really like to have another child, but I am so terrified I’ll have another experience like I did with my first.

Thanks so much in advance to anyone who can help me out!

UPDATE: thank you mamas so much for sharing your experiences and helping me gain some knowledge and insight into c-sections!! Y’all are so wonderful! I think I’m coming around to having that second baby 😉 thank y’all so so much again!! 💞💞