In this bonus episode we speak with Hazel Keedle who is a lecturer at Western Sydney University, PhD Candidate, and midwifery researcher who focuses on women’s experiences of vaginal birth after caesarean. Hazel’s passion for VBAC stemmed from her own personal experience of having a VBAC only 14 months after her caesarean section. She has worked in all midwifery models of care including Midwifery Group Practice (MGP) and as a privately practicing midwife, and now as an academic she spends most of her time producing VBAC research. She undertook a Masters Honours thesis on why women have a VBAC at home, sparking her journey to her PhD looking at women’s experiences of planning a VBAC in Australia. She shares insightful findings from her research with us in this interview, which makes for important listening not only for those who are considering VBAC but health care providers too.
Topics discussed:

• How to increase your chances of having a VBAC and feelings of positivity about your birth experience regardless of the outcome
• Control in birth during current Covid-19 pandemic
• Ways to heal birth trauma
• Language and attitudes in birth and their effects
• Is there such thing as a good candidate for VBAC?
• Understanding risks associated with VBAC and repeat caesarean
• What Australia can learn from countries with higher VBAC rates

~ Notes ~
Hazel’s VBAC researcher Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/VBACmatters/
Book reference:Birthing Outside the System - The Canary in the Coal Mine
Publications Hazel has worked on:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Keedle%20H%5BAuthor%5D&cauthor=true&cauthor_uid=26337330
**VBAC Birth Stories is a podcast where we share women’s lived experiences. It is not intended to replace medical advice. Should you have any concerns at all during your pregnancy please always consult your healthcare provider.
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