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After an emergency cesarean at 29 weeks due to HELLP syndrome with an ICU stay for herself and a 2-month NICU stay for her baby, Yazmine was told she would never have a vaginal birth. She was also given mixed information about the type of uterine scar that she had. But with lots of diet changes and medication, Yazmine didn’t have preeclampsia or HELLP the second time around. She chose a repeat cesarean following her doctor’s strong recommendation. 

During her third pregnancy, Yazmine educated herself on VBA2C, found a supportive provider through another TVL mama on the podcast, and continued with the same lifestyle changes as before. She had PROM at 38+6, labored for 40 hours with a Foley bulb, Pitocin, and got an epidural before having her beautiful VBA2C at 39+1. Yazmine had no tearing and the amazing recovery she was hoping for! 

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Alexis is a Type 1 diabetic mom of three boys from Nevada. Her first birth was a 37-week induction due to her diabetes that ended in a vaginal delivery. For her second birth, Alexis was told she needed a cesarean because her baby was expected to be "massive," but after birth, he was perfectly average-sized. In the OR, her providers admitted their prediction was wrong, and Alexis was devastated. Alexis was determined more than ever to educate herself and advocate hard for her next birth.

During her third pregnancy, Alexis navigated polyhydramnios, multiple provider changes, and concerns about possible fetal heart abnormalities that ultimately turned out to be no issue after birth. But even with these challenges, still advocated and achieved her unmedicated VBAC. Her labor ended with a shoulder dystocia with her baby having a broken arm, but with a smooth recovery. Alexis shares how TVL, research, informed decision-making, educating her support team, and using the B.R.A.I.N. acronym helped her throughout her pregnancy and birth journey.

Note from Alexis: “There was never a real explanation as to why they suspected he had ARSA, the increased velocity, or the small hole in utero. And as a tip for anyone in labor, honey is considered a clear liquid, and the cheap honey bears at Walmart are great during labor! I took swigs off of it during labor for energy and to keep my blood sugar up. The midwife came to check on me at one point mid-swig and said that was the first time she had seen that in her 25 years. I couldn’t find honey sticks locally for a reasonable price, but I could find local honey bears.”

Keywords: VBAC, Type 1 diabetes, juvenile diabetes, induction, 37-week induction, scheduled cesarean, suspected macrosomia, big baby, polyhydramnios, unmedicated VBAC, shoulder dystocia, broken humerus, birth injury, fetal heart concerns, ARSA, informed consent, B.R.A.I.N., VBAC prep

Natural Birth for Type 1 Diabetics Facebook Group

T1D Pregnancy Course 

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The Ultimate VBAC Prep Course for Parents

Online VBAC Doula Training

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Allison Parker is a pelvic floor physical therapist and mom of two from South Carolina, joining us today to share her journey to an induced VBAC after a cesarean for breech presentation. She talks about navigating a failed ECV, postpartum hemorrhage, postpartum preeclampsia, and her tough second pregnancy which ultimately led to an induction at 37 weeks due to preeclampsia. Allison tells us what helped her feel prepared, including finding a supportive provider, hiring a doula, hearing other women’s stories on The VBAC Link (!), and learning to pivot when things had to change.

As both a VBAC mom and pelvic floor PT, Allison also shares practical advice for preparing for birth and recovering postpartum. We discuss perineal massage, C-section scar massage, open glottis pushing vs. when to use closed glottis pushing, pelvic floor recovery, healing after a 3rd degree tear, and why the mental and emotional preparation are just as important as the physical. 

Keywords: VBAC, induced VBAC, breech, ECV, preeclampsia, postpartum preeclampsia, postpartum hemorrhage, pelvic floor physical therapy, 3rd degree tear, pelvic floor recovery, vaginal recovery, C-section recovery, scar massage, perineal massage, epidural VBAC, supportive provider, doula

Rome Physical Therapy

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Celia is a mom of four, an Air Force Technical Sergeant, and a passionate advocate for evidence-based communication in birth. In this episode, she shares her four very different birth experiences: a 36-hour induction ending in a forceps delivery and severe tear, another induction that turned precipitous, a breech Cesarean that felt calm and healing, and ultimately a hospital water birth VBAC at a hospital that DIDN’T allow water births! Celia opens up about prenatal depression, birth trauma, knowing your worth, switching providers, and the reality that both cesareans and vaginal births can be traumatic, and both can also be healing.

Celia also sheds light on the power dynamics with navigating military maternity care as an enlisted service member treated by officers within the system. She talks about healing from an abusive relationship, how she opened her heart to love and trust again, and the unique challenges that come with a blended family. We encourage all Women of Strength to give grace to the younger versions of yourself just as Celia so beautifully exemplifies!

Keywords: VBAC, hospital water birth, birth trauma, military maternity care, MTF, active duty VBAC, switching providers, forceps delivery, breech cesarean, advocacy, prenatal depression, precipitous labor, healing, hospital policies

Postpartum Support International Provider Directory

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May is Maternal Health Awareness Month, and at The VBAC Link, we deeply believe that maternal health is so much more than physical well being. We recognize the complexity of every birth experience, and for those struggling, we send our love, solidarity, and support.

In this HIGHLY anticipated episode, Lily and Paige sit down with birth trauma therapist Ashley Ward, LPCC about what trauma is, the many different ways it can present itself, and where to find healing. They talk about the culture of “ranking” birth stories and normalize the experience of feeling icky about a birth story, even if everything seemed perfect on paper. 

Ashley also shares her personal experiences with birth trauma in her most traumatic birth that appeared to be picture-perfect at a birth center. Her perspective gives both clinical insight and validation for experiences that are often minimized or misunderstood.

Ashley believes that sharing birth stories matters, and they deserve a witness. In a world where shame can become the loudest voice in the room and birth conversations can split into divisive binaries, she aims to bring nuance, compassion, and dignity-informed care into the perinatal space. Birth does not happen in a vacuum, and Ashley beautifully reminds us that every birth is part of a larger story, one that existed before labor began and continues long after delivery.

Topics include:

• What a panic attack can feel like
• The definition of trauma
• Birth trauma vs. medical trauma
• Ranking birth stories as “better” or “worse”
• Feeling unsettled by your birth story
• Radical acceptance
• Grieving things you may never experience
• Body acceptance
• Postpartum mental health
• Birth story processing
• Shame 
• Finding joy 
• Signs that you need professional help

Keywords: birth trauma, healing, postpartum, VBAC, CBAC, birth after cesarean, cesarean, C-section, mental health, postpartum anxiety, postpartum depression, panic attacks, radical acceptance, birth story processing, motherhood, trauma-informed care, postpartum therapist, birth center, induction, maternal mental health, perinatal therapy

Postpartum Support International Provider Directory

Ashley Ward Therapy

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The Ultimate VBAC Prep Course for Parents

Online VBAC Doula Training

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We are honored to have THE Jen Hamilton join us on the pod today! Jen Hamilton is a labor and delivery nurse, viral TikTok creator with over 6 million followers, and author of Birth Vibes: Stories and Strategies for an Empowered Birth (May 2026), a warm, clinically grounded guide to navigating childbirth with confidence and calm. She is the founder of Hot Mess Express, a nonprofit offering judgment-free house cleaning and organizing for women in need, and a passionate advocate for dismantling systemic racism and misogyny in obstetrical and gynecological care. 

A 2026 President's Award recipient from the American Nurses Association and a frequent presence in outlets including CNN, The New York Times, and The Huffington Post, Jen has become one of the most recognizable voices in modern nursing through her signature blend of clinical expertise, frank humor, and deep empathy. She is funny, kind, generous, gracious, and quickly becoming a household name!

In today’s episode, Jen sits down with Lily and Paige to chat all about creating the best vibes for your birth. They do a deep dive into VBAC, and ask questions that came directly from you all. This is an episode you DO NOT want to miss.

Today’s topics include: 

• Using interventions as tools
• Why a provider may be the factor if someone will have a VBAC or not
• Dirty secret of OB
• How Jen feels about doulas
• How to ask for a new nurse
• Debriefing your birth 
• Preparing for a different birth experience
• Expectations around coping techniques
• Giving yourself grace
• Baton race of coping analogy
• Funny and memorable stories in L&D
• Unique VBAC circumstances
• Failure to progress
• How she would improve cesareans and humanize the experience

Keywords: Jen Hamilton, labor and delivery, L&D nurse, OBGYN, cesarean, vbac, birth after cesarean, cbac, doula, birth vibes, epidural, failure to progress, tolac, vbac consent, hospital vbac

Email [email protected] for Jen's free Closure Vibes Debrief Questionnaire.

Birth Vibes: Stories and Strategies for an Empowered Birth

Jen's Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Substack, Website

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Tatiana is back with her second VBA2C story!! She first joined us on Episode 107 in 2020 where she dove into all the details around her first two C-sections and her first VBA2C. It was a planned HBAC turned hospital delivery with a supportive OB, but her heart still craved the home birth experience. In this episode, she returns with a full-circle update on the birth of her fourth sweet boy. 

Her fourth birth was the HBA2C she was hoping for, aka a hotel birth after two cesareans with a midwife she deeply trusted. If you’re scratching your head wondering about these logistics, don’t worry! Tatiana shares it ALL. 

We dive into a critical conversation around access. Many providers and hospitals still restrict VBA2C, and it is especially difficult to find support for an out-of-hospital VBA2C. Tatiana shares why expanding midwifery care matters, how pelvic floor therapy during pregnancy can support better outcomes, and why finding a provider you trust (no matter the distance) can make all the difference.

Keywords: VBAC, VBA2C, HBA2C, hotel birth, out-of-hospital birth, cesarean, prior vaginal birth, VBAC after two cesareans, birth access, midwifery care, pelvic floor therapy, provider support, informed consent

Episode 107 Tatiana’s VBA2C 

NYT Article on Continuous Fetal Monitoring

The VBAC Link Blog: The 5 Most Common Reasons for C-section

The VBAC Link Blog: How to Navigate VBAC Hospital Policies

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The Ultimate VBAC Prep Course for Parents

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We are closing out our Cesarean Awareness Month series on the most common reasons for C-sections with a deep dive into all things fetal monitoring! CNM Paige Boran, who attended Lily’s VBAC and who we deeply love and trust, answers every question you can imagine. This is definitely an episode you will want to save and listen back to often!

Midwife Paige talks about:

• The history of continuous fetal monitoring
• The differences between continuous, internal, and internal monitoring
• Bradycardia and tachycardia readings
• CFM and VBAC
• When she recommends having CFM
• How to advocate informed consent and declination
• Early, variable, and late decelerations
• Head compression and cord compression
• When fetal heart tracings become concerning & what empowered conversations look like
• Ways to help resolve decels
• Placental insufficiency
• All signs of uterine rupture
• How to make the decision of going for a C-section or continuing to labor 
• Evidence on continuous fetal monitoring

And more!! We are so grateful for providers like Midwife Paige who we have seen in action and are willing to take the time to help educate our community. For those who question if they made the right call to have a cesarean or continue to labor due to fetal heart readings, we send you love. It is so tough!

Fetal heart tones are so nuanced. We hope that with this episode, you feel empowered with more knowledge to find a team that gives you the support and individualized care you deserve. 

Evidence Based Birth®: Evidence on Continuous Fetal Monitoring

NYT Article on Continuous Fetal Monitoring

The VBAC Link Blog: The 5 Most Common Reasons for C-section

The VBAC Link Blog: How to Navigate VBAC Hospital Policies

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We’re so excited to bring you another episode in our Cesarean Awareness Month series! This one was highly requested in our VBAC Link Facebook Community and we can’t wait for you to hear Catherine’s stories. Today’s topic is all about BREECH, one of the most common reasons for cesareans.

Catherine, a mom of four with a bicornuate uterus, shares her four births: a scheduled breech cesarean, a precipitous head-down HBAC, a breech CBAC, and a planned breech HBA2C that ended in a hospital transfer for a CBA2C but with a surprise breech VBA2C on the OR table!

Catherine opens up about how communication can shape a birth experience just as much as the outcome, and how even intended healing experiences can have traumatic pieces to them. She shares her passion for informed breech birth, patient advocacy, consent, midwifery care, and navigating both in-hospital and out-of-hospitalbirth settings, along with the importance of emotional processing and support.

Her message is a strong reminder not to settle, Women of Strength! When you understand your options, trust your body, and advocate for the care you deserve, you can move through birth feeling informed and empowered, even when things don’t go as planned.

Breech Without Borders

The VBAC Link Blog: The 5 Most Common Reasons for C-section

The VBAC Link Blog: ECV and VBAC

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As we continue our Cesarean Awareness Month series, CBAC and RCS moms, this one's for you. If your future birth looks like a subsequent cesarean, we want to make that cesarean the best, most peaceful, and empowering experience it can be. Better birth after cesarean means better options, and today's episode takes a deep dive into the option of Maternal Assisted Cesareans (MAC). 

We are joined today by Dr. Koen Deurloo from the Netherlands. Dr. Koen is a Dutch OB/GYN specializing in perinatology and family-centered cesarean birth. Since 2017, his team has performed more than 300 Maternal Assisted Cesareans, developing one of the most experience-based approaches to this technique. He is also the author of Door de ogen van een gynaecoloog and teaches widely on respectful, trauma-informed birth care. His work focuses on creating transparency and calm so parents feel genuinely involved and supported throughout the entire process, especially in the operating room. 

In this episode, Dr. Koen walks us through how he was first introduced to the MAC (spoiler: it was a mom and her doula!), how the procedure has evolved over time, what his patients have to say about it (another spoiler: 100% recommend it), and how to advocate for this kind of experience with your provider.

Birth after cesarean deserves dignity. It deserves options, and it deserves finding a provider who holds your stories with care and who speaks about birth the way Dr. Koen does.

We PROMISE this is an episode you will not want to miss!!!

Women of strength, we know how difficult it can be to choose between going for a VBAC, pivoting to a CBAC, or scheduling a repeat cesarean. Whether for medical or personal reasons, your choice is valid and good. There are so many brave ways to birth. As always, our team here at The VBAC Link is here to give you options, stories, resources, love, and support!

Through the Eyes of a Gynecologist by Dr. Koen Deurloo

MACAZINE

Paige’s Maternal Assisted Cesarean Story

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