Australian VBAC Stories

EP35 - Jessica’s VBAC (hospital birth, big baby, PROM, augmentation, meconium liquor, homebirth, private midwife, postpartum transfer, NICU, birth with COVID)


Listen Later

In this powerful episode we hear from Jessica Tabb, a mum of two boys from the Hawkesbury, who shares a deeply reflective and empowering journey to her vaginal birth after caesarean. Jessica’s story is one of navigating uncertainty, learning to trust her body, and overcoming the emotional residue of a first birth that didn’t go to plan.

Jessica’s first birth started with her waters breaking, resulted in an augmentation with Syntocinon and involved fears around a 'big baby'. After a long labour and reaching fully dilated Jessica was encouraged to consider an instrumental birth or have a caesarean. Her son was born via caesarean but due to staffing issues, Jessica was not able to have her baby in recovery with her and this led to a period of separation of mum from baby.

Her second birth, an unmedicated homebirth VBAC, was not only a physical triumph but an emotionally healing journey as well. While she was able to recognise the power of her body and heal some of those wounds that had been created from her first experience, she also ended up being separated from her baby for a significant period post birth, with baby transferred to NICU and Jessica in an isolation room due to being COVID positive. Jessica shares about the tools that helped her achieve her VBAC: from mindset work, advocacy and sourcing aligned care providers to understanding the risks without letting fear take the lead. She shares the devastation of being separated from her baby again, how she navigated establishing her breastmilk supply while being separated from her son, and how they found their way back to each other over the days post birth.

This episode is a fantastic listen for anyone planning a VBAC or supporting someone through one, with sharing of lots of curveballs and changes in plans, but a beautifully positive thread of power, support and advocacy shared throughout. We hope you enjoy it as much as we loved sharing it.

With special thanks to the amazing women who supported me along the way. Teena and Emma from @hawkesbury_midwife, B from @coreandfloorrestore, Amber from @hawkesburyfamilyhealthco and Brooke from @herhealth.physiotherapyBIO

I am a mum of two boys, Oliver (4) and Jacob (2). I live Hawkesbury region of NSW with my husband Rowan and our two dogs (our first babies). We love where we live which is close to family and plenty of open spaces with fresh air we can enjoy with our boys. We went into parenthood with intention and have had two very different birth experiences, I hope by sharing my story impending mums can learn from my hindsight, and women planning a VBAC can feel part of a group of extraordinary women, full of determination and so willing to support each other on their journey. I am so grateful to have found my “people” throughout my second pregnancy who supported me, without question, along the way.

Please join us on our journey to bringing you all kinds of VBAC stories from across the country from here on in by subscribing and following us on social media, @australianvbacstories on Instagram and Australian VBAC Stories on Facebook. 

If you enjoyed this episode, we’d love to rate or review, and tell your friends!

If you are feeling that you might benefit from mental health support after listening to our podcast, please reach out to one of the organisations below:

PANDA ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://panda.org.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Gidget Foundation ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.gidgetfoundation.org.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

COPE Australia ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.cope.org.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you've experienced mistreatment or disrespectful care in your pregnancy, birth or postpartum and are seeking advocacy support, please contact one of the following organisations:

Maternity Choices Australia ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.maternitychoices.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Maternity Consumer Network ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.maternityconsumernetwork.org.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Thank you for tuning in to our podcast.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Australian VBAC StoriesBy Australian VBAC Stories


More shows like Australian VBAC Stories

View all
Australian Birth Stories by Sophie Walker

Australian Birth Stories

182 Listeners

KICPOD by LiSTNR

KICPOD

166 Listeners

Life Uncut by Brittany Hockley and Laura Byrne

Life Uncut

289 Listeners

Outspoken the Podcast by Outspoken the Podcast

Outspoken the Podcast

40 Listeners

The Kick Pregnancy Podcast by Dr Patrick Moloney and Brigid Moloney

The Kick Pregnancy Podcast

48 Listeners

The Imperfects by Hugh van Cuylenburg, Ryan Shelton & Josh van Cuylenburg

The Imperfects

398 Listeners

Beyond the Bump by Sophie Pearce & Jayde Couldwell

Beyond the Bump

91 Listeners

VBAC Birth Stories by Melissa Merino & Stephanie Cannavo

VBAC Birth Stories

14 Listeners

Darling, Shine! by LiSTNR

Darling, Shine!

316 Listeners

Pop Culture Parenting by Dr Billy Garvey, Nick McCormack

Pop Culture Parenting

39 Listeners

The Great Birth Rebellion by Dr Melanie Jackson

The Great Birth Rebellion

77 Listeners

Two Doting Dads with Matty J & Ash by Matty J & Ash

Two Doting Dads with Matty J & Ash

71 Listeners

Eat Sleep Repeat by Kelly McCarren and Kee Reece Searles

Eat Sleep Repeat

7 Listeners

Ready or Not by Ready or Not  | ODd Network

Ready or Not

4 Listeners

Growing by Beth Ryan and Lilly Claxton

Growing

5 Listeners