May 30, 2025

E16 "Hospitals Cannot Legally Enforce VBAC Bans" and Other Juicy Advocacy Tidbits with Barbara Stratton plus Next VBAC Facts® Training, Reader Stories, & TikTok Traps

2 hours 15 minutes

Want to change hospital policy, VBAC ban, placenta policy, or otherwise? Barbara Stratton is your gal.

In this interview, Barbara reflects back on over 20 years of activism and shares her biggest tips to changing hospital policy as well as what first time parents wish they knew.

She shares insights on speaking to the media, planning a rally, searching for the perfect VBAC plaintiff as well as the secret to activism.

The discussion also includes:

how Medicare/Medicaid said hospitals cannot enforce VBAC bans,
caution for hospital based childbirth classes
as well as birth centers inside hospitals, and
why she created her Birth Words Poetry Magnet Set!

Plus Jen shares:

her upcoming speaking engagement with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health,
reader Katelyn's experience with the VBAC calculator, and
observations from VBAC Facts'® first month on TikTok including
why mothers shouldn't always "listen to your doctor" and
the privilege embedded in the statement "find another provider/hospital who is supportive of VBAC."

All this and more in episode 16 of The VBAC Facts® Podcast!

01:55 Upcoming Events & News

03:53 Reader Katelyn's Experience with the VBAC Calculator

07:16 TikTok: "Listen to Your Doctor!"

16:01 Anonymous, Disrespectful, and Full of Disdain

18:21 Showing Up on Social Media

19:47 Concerns About Litigation

27:21 The Bait & Switch

31:31 Why "Find Another Hospital" Is So Hard

34:39 Meet Barbara Stratton

35:20 Birth Words Poetry Magnet Set

37:04 Her Cesarean Poem

40:24 Her Journey to Birth Activism

45:33 Finding Post-Cesarean Support

46:57 Learns About VBAC Bans

48:02 Planning Her First VBAC Ban Rally

55:07 Fighting the VBAC Ban

55:58 First VBAC Ban Reversed!

56:20 Woman Wants VBA2C, Declines Third Cesarean

57:52 Maryland Attorney General: "Generally it is not legal to section a woman against her consent"

59:34 Resources for Fighting VBAC Bans

01:00:43 Goal: To Reverse All VBAC Bans

01:04:17 Hospitals Cannot Enforce VBAC Bans

01:09:28 The Secret to Activism

01:15:50 Work with Barbara 1:1

01:16:49 Speaking Even When Your Voice Shakes at the NIH VBAC Conference

01:19:02 Changing Hospital Placenta Policy

01:21:16 Examples of In-Hospital Advocacy

01:22:44 Biggest Issue in Birth Activism: The Elusive First Time Mother

01:24:58 Mothers: "I Wish I Had Known..."

01:32:28 Most Successful VBAC Ban Reversal Strategies

01:35:00 A Forced Cesarean

01:44:47 The Idea of Fault

01:47:21 VBAC Planning Tips

01:52:00 Hospital Based Childbirth Classes

01:55:14 Searching for the Perfect VBAC Plaintiff

01:56:11 Denied VBAC a Week Before She Was Due

01:56:44 Physician Preference Drives VBAC Ban Reversal

02:00:31 Advice for Birth Professionals

02:04:39 Key Differences in Birth Centers

02:07:19 Advice for Parents

02:09:14 Mutual Appreciation ❤️

02:12:29 VBAC Bait & Switch

Have a comment or question for the podcast? Want to suggest a guest we should interview or a topic we should discuss? Go to https://vbacfacts.com/podcast to give us your feedback!

The Truth About VBAC™ for Families | VBAC Facts® Course for Parents
Schedule a consulting call with Barbara Stratton
Only two hospitals in state ban VBAC, Nov 27, 2005 | Archives | fredericknewspost.com
Hails reconsideration of FMH VBAC policy, Jul 25, 2006 | Archives | fredericknewspost.com
FMH rethinks ban on VBACs, Jul 7, 2006 | Archives | fredericknewspost.com
E13: Why This OB/GYN Passionately Supports VBAC Access (And You Should Too) with Dr. Chris Stroud │ The VBAC Facts® Podcast - Apple Podcasts
E6: Decoding the VBAC Calculator: Science, Bias, and Decision Making │ The VBAC Facts® Podcast - Apple Podcasts
E5: Autonomy, Authority, Coercion & Consent: Who Decides in Maternity Care? │ The VBAC Facts® Podcast - Apple Podcasts
E14: An OB Scientist's Caution on the VBAC Calculator and Informed Consent with Dr. Nicholas Rubashkin MD PhD │ The VBAC Facts® Podcast - Apple Podcasts
California Abundant Birth Project - Los Angeles County Department of Public Health
Birth Words - poetry magnet set with free shipping │ Etsy
Sign up for your copy of the VBAC Planning Checklist! | VBAC Facts®
Consulting for Parents, Professionals, Legal & Policy Teams │ VBAC Facts®
Professional Speaking with Jen Kamel │ VBAC Facts®
Sign up for your copy of the Top Three VBAC Myths! | VBAC Facts®
Sign up for your copy of the Uterine Rupture Report! | VBAC Facts®
VBAC Facts® Professional Membership | VBAC Facts® Continuing Education

Tools Jen loves (affiliate links)

Made with Descript!: https://get.descript.com/h450nx6hehq4
Host your podcast with Captivate: https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=ytczmzd
Use Kit for your email marketing: https://convertkit.com?lmref=Q3Cbxw

Music produced by (Analogue)/(prod. Analogue).

Instagram: @prod.analogue

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