The VBAC Link

 Heather endured 3 long days of labor before welcoming her baby into this world. Throughout her labor she told her doula and midwife that they didn't need to come, because she was doing fine. Eventually, her doula insisted that she come right away. Once she arrived, she saw that Heather's baby was in a posterior position by the way her sacrum was bulging. Her doula called her midwife to come immediately, but her midwife was at a wedding one and a half hours away. Not long after the call, Heather's body took over and started to begin pushing. Heather's sweet mother-in-law was there supporting her and told her she was ready to catch the baby. 

Heather's Facebook Page

How to VBAC: The Ultimate Prep Course for Parents

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Keywords/Topics: home birth, posterior

In this episode, Grace tells her story of finding a VBA2C supportive provider and having to do appointments online (due to Covid-19) after finding out her baby was breech. She tried EVERYTHING she could not knowing whether it was working or not until she could go into the office at 36 weeks. In spite of all her efforts, her baby continued to stay breech, but her doctor said he was still willing to move forward with her VBA2C! Listen to her talk about the importance of educating yourself, and sharing your story to help educate others throughout your birth journey.

You can find more on Grace and her husband Rico on their podcast All In With The Allens where they talk about everything from changing diapers to preparing for Super Bowl Sunday. 

All In With The Allens Podcast

Grace's Instagram handle: @grace.e.allen

Grace Allen's Website

How to VBAC: The Ultimate Prep Course for Parents

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Topics/Keywords: breech, VBA2C 

In this episode, Shilo shares her VBAC story where the majority of her prenatal visits were done virtually, because she lived 2.5 hours away from her provider (this was before Covid-19). She timed her contractions well and made it to the hospital 6 cm dilated, but only progressed one more additional centimeter in 5 hours. Her doula suggested doing a labor position called Walcher's Technique, which is extremely effective but very painful. Listen to her describe how fast her labor progressed after using this position.

Later in the episode, Julie and Meagan also discuss if having a virtual support doula is worth it or not. 

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Topics/Keywords: virtual support, Walcher's technique, baby positioning 

In this episode, Laura Hatch, an OG VBAC Link podcast listener, tells us about her 3 births with 3 different providers in 3 different hospitals. Those births include a vaginal birth, a Cesarean section with an anterior placenta, and a VBAC. Through her journey, she realizes how important it is to educate and advocate for herself - which led to her unmedicated VBAC. She discusses how important it is to have a team who is going to be supportive of your birth plan and to make AND act on the choices you make for you and your baby. 

Laura's written birth story 

How to VBAC: The Ultimate Prep Course for Parents

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Topics/Keywords: anterior placenta, placenta previa, low-lying placenta, hypnobirthing

Julie and Meagan talk all things postpartum! They go into detail of how a woman's body heals after giving birth via Cesarean and vaginal birth. In this episode, Meagan and Julie discuss when you should meet with a pelvic floor specialist, and talk about the importance of postpartum hydration. 

The VBAC Link

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Topics/Keywords: heal, hemorrhoids, postpartum, stitches, hydration, pelvic floor specialist

In today's podcast, Elyssa tells us what it was like to have her CBAC during the Covid-19 pandemic. She changed birth providers three different times. One being during her induction to a different hospital that would allow her doula to be there. After hours of Pitocin and not being able to find a good position for the baby to get enough oxygen, she decided to have a CBAC but was resilient in getting the care she and her baby deserved during and after her Cesarean.

Do you want to know more about how to process your birth if you don't end up with the VBAC you worked so hard for? Check out our blog, How to Cope When you Don't Get your VBAC. 

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Topics/Keywords: CBAC, preeclampsia, induction

Lynn, a women's health physical therapist, talks about the importance of Cesarean scar massage and how it can help relieve different pains and problems you may be having. In this episode, we also talk about birth trauma and how it can be affecting your body.

Lynn's website and directory

Lynn's Youtube Channel

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Topics/keywords: bladder frequency, painful intercourse, low back pain, sacrum, pelvic floor muscles, dense adhesions

Delivery nurse Liesel answers your questions about labor and delivery from a nurse's perspective.

Liesel is a labor and delivery nurse from Raleigh, North Carolina. She is a mom, wife, and business owner! She works part-time at the hospital she delivered her own son at, and spends the rest of her time blogging and creating captivating Instagram content for her brand - Mommy Labor Nurse! She started her brand in February of 2018 as a way to educate more moms in the online space about the birth process. After having such a fulfilling birth experience at her hospital, she felt that she wanted to educate other moms in hopes that more women feel empowered and educated about their births, instead of scared and anxious. She has always had a passion for educating women and thoroughly enjoys spreading knowledge and awareness about birth! 

Website: mommylabornurse.com

Instagram: instagram.com/mommy.labornurse

Birth Courses: mommylabornurse.teachable.com

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Topics/keywords: changing positions, TOLAC, cesareanrates.org, birth plan, uterine rupture, doulas vs nurses, VBAC unsupportive nurse, doula mommy.labornurse

First pregnancy- Pitocin, epidural, 8 hours labor, still at 4 centimeters dilation, so it was off to surgery for the C-section. Difficult recovery with infections and just a general traumatic over the experience.

For her second birth, she found a new provider who was very much more VBAC supportive than her first.

Labor for her second was just as long if not longer than her first. She elected for an epidural, which helped greatly, and actually may have been the pivotal decision in her path to accomplishing her VBAC.

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Topics / keywords: round ligament pain, placenta circumvallate, shoulder dystocia, IUPC inter uterine pressure catheter, epidural

Mary's first pregnancy was pretty normal, although she had it in her mind that she wanted a natural birth, she trusted her provider when it was suggested that a C-section was the better way to go.

Recovery did not go well for her, and some aspects of being a new mother, such as breastfeeding, were very much a daily struggle.

With her second, she attempted a VBAC, but her labor stalled and stalled and stalled, and she ended up with a second C-section.

Third time's a charm? Yep, third time's a charm.

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Topics/keywords: VBA2C, breastfeeding, postpartum