VBAC - Vaginal Birth After Caesarean

Having had a vaginal birth after two caesareans myself, I know that it is indeed possible, but I also know what is required on a soul level to achieve it. Unfortunately the current medical birthing environment is not always set up with the best options or support for women wanting a VBAC, and these options and support seem to vary widely from care provider to care provider.

There is a lingering fear around VBAC that I’d like to see kicked to the curb once and for all. The ‘once a caesarean always a caesarean’ days of classical or low vertical scars still echo in the ears and voices of some, but with the rise of awareness around choices and women’s body autonomy, VBAC is becoming more and more requested and subsequently more and more care providers are needing to accept that not only do women want it as an option, but that with the right care and support, there are generally very successful outcomes and not many more risks involved than in a normal birthing woman.

Finding the right care provider to support you, surrounding yourself with a circle of support during birth, and being a ‘willing woman’ during pregnancy to work on the many layers all spiritual, physical, and emotional that VBAC require will prepare you in every way to achieve the birth you are wanting for this baby. In doing this work and preparation, there is also access to creating a very empowering birth experience for yourself, regardless of how baby ends up being born.

EBAC stands for ’empowered birth after caesarean’ and every single woman birthing after a prior caesarean deserves to experience this. It can include, but is not exclusive to VBAC (vaginal birth after caesarean). It means that no matter how your baby is born, even if by repeat caesarean, that you come away having had a positive, empowering and healing experience. This can come in the form of making informed choices, being respected, feeling heard and knowing that however your baby is born, it was done with choice, consent and necessity as determined by you.

There are many benefits for having a VBAC, especially healing any unresolved issue of body failure or self-doubt from your previous birth, especially if your previous caesarean was for ‘failure to progress’, a term which I feel should be changed to ‘failure to wait’ or ‘failed induction’ if that was the case. ‘Failure to progress’ put’s the blame on the woman’s body and can leave a woman with the feeling of having failed as a woman, failure as a breeding human mammal. This can rock your primal humanness to the core.

I offer a VBAC specific session to help you create your own unique plan for approaching your VBAC. The purpose of this session is to inform and empower you in your journey to a healing birth experience, and to pass on resources that will enable you to make informed decisions.

Session are 4 hours and can be in person or online - $390.  If you decide to book me for doula support after this session then the fee will be deducted off your doula package. Please get in touch via the contact page to make a booking.

To read my birth stories of a caesarean, an EBAC and a VBA2C click here.

VBAC Information

Some awesome VBAC resources are found here:

Birth After Caesarean Book - Hazel Keedle PhD
Facebook ~ VBAC Australia Support Group
The VBAC Link
VBAC Facts
VBAC.com
Australian VBAC Birth Stories
VBAC Village


Trial of Labor follows a small group of pregnant women and their journeys back to trusting themselves and their bodies after previous births ended in unplanned surgery.