The VBAC Link

In today’s episode, Julie Francom talks with Diana, who shares her Cesarean and two very different VBAC stories. 

Diana’s journey began with a Cesarean birth including a velamentous cord insertion and a long, difficult recovery complicated by painful breastfeeding abscesses. For her second baby, she planned a home birth VBAC and euphorically welcomed her baby at home—only to need a hospital transfer for repair of a third-degree “starfish” tear. With her third, Diana prepared for another home birth and experienced her dream waterbirth VBAC with no tearing at all.

While Diana’s third birth was physically healing, she faced unexpected emotional struggles afterward. She opens up about her experience with postpartum anxiety and depression, reminding us that healing is not only physical, but mental and emotional too.

This episode brings important awareness to postpartum mental health and the resources available for support. Julie and Diana discuss the importance of community, professional help, and breaking the silence around postpartum mood disorders.

If you had an unexpectedly tough recovery after your VBAC, know that you are not alone! 

Postpartum Support International

The Postpartum Stress Center

Postpartum University

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The Ultimate VBAC Prep Course for Parents

Online VBAC Doula Training

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Did you know that The VBAC Link is made up of a whole team of VBAC doulas? 

Our Co-founder and Owner, Meagan Heaton, is joined today on the pod by TVL team members Lily (Director of Social Media & Community Engagement) and Paige (Production Admin & Community Liason) chatting all about questions we see from you in our community— topics like induction methods, providers, where to find info, prepping for VBAC, and the “why” behind everything we do!

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The Ultimate VBAC Prep Course for Parents

Online VBAC Doula Training

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Today we are revisiting another one of our favorite episodes! Episode 188 featured Lindsay’s amazing story of preparation and perseverance through doubt during her COVID VBAC.

Lindsay’s first birth was a planned home birth which ultimately resulted in a hospital transfer and emergency C-section. She was left feeling unprepared and unheard and committed to fighting for a VBAC next time. 

Lindsay worked for months preparing for a VBAC both physically and emotionally. Once labor started, she was coping extremely well with her intense contractions. She arrived to the hospital at 10 centimeters, ready to have her baby!

Until…her contractions completely stopped. Lindsay shares with us how she overcame ultimate doubt when pushing continued for over FOUR hours! 

Doubt can creep in at any time on your VBAC journey. Trust yourself and your preparation. Lean into your supportive birth team. We know you can do this!

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The Ultimate VBAC Prep Course for Parents

Online VBAC Doula Training

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

In today’s episode, Meagan chats with our friend, Hannah, who is a mom to three little ones under the age of 4. Hannah has had two VBACs that were both unique in their own ways. Her first birth was an induction that led to an unplanned Cesarean. She was induced for the convenience of avoiding the upcoming holidays and to prevent her baby from getting too big if she chose to wait for spontaneous labor. 

While her Cesarean was straightforward and a positive birth, avoiding another tough recovery was the biggest reason why she wanted to have a VBAC.

Hannah’s second birth included late onset gestational diabetes, PROM (premature rupture of membranes), and a VBAC with a 3rd-degree tear in every direction. With her third birth, she also had late onset gestational diabetes, spontaneous labor, a stall, a scary shoulder dystocia, and a VBAC with a 2nd-degree tear. 

Hannah says that even with the complications during her VBACs, she would choose those recoveries over her Cesarean recovery every time. We know the choice to VBAC is deeply personal, but an easier recovery is often a huge benefit to having a VBAC! 

Discussion Topics: shoulder dystocia, 18-month duration, close pregnancy duration, two VBAC stories, labor dystocia, calcium bicarbonate, TUMs, Pitocin, induction, uterine receptors, PROM (premature rupture of membranes), holidays, Cesarean recovery, perineal tears, late onset gestational diabetes, epidural, hospital VBAC, backup doula, unavailable provider, failure to progress

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The Ultimate VBAC Prep Course for Parents

Online VBAC Doula Training

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Our co-founder, Julie Francom, hosts today’s episode with Heather from Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Heather talks today about her journey with IVF for her first pregnancy and conceiving spontaneously with her second. 

Heather’s first birth involved infertility, ovulation inducers, IUI’s (including a chemical pregnancy), solo appointments during COVID, and a C-section due to fetal tachycardia. 

She conceived naturally with her second, and also talks about the power of a chiropractor and the details of her positive VBAC induction at 39 weeks at only 1cm and 10% effaced due to gestational hypertension. Heather had a Foley bulb, Pitocin, lots of movement, Fentanyl, an epidural, peanut ball, AROM, pushed for a few hours, and met her sweet baby! 

The Fertility Docs Uncensored Podcast

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The Ultimate VBAC Prep Course for Parents

Online VBAC Doula Training

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

We are so excited to have Deb Flashenberg on the podcast today! She is the founder and director of the Prenatal Yoga Center in NYC. Along with being a prenatal yoga teacher, she is also a doula, Lamaze childbirth educator, Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist, Spinning Babies Parent Educator and mother of two. 

After a tough first birth experience, Deb became incredibly passionate about all things pelvic health. She started her own podcast, Yoga | Birth | Babies, and joins Meagan today to show us the benefits of 360-degree breathing, being comfortable with the uncomfortable, which positions to shoot for in the each stage of labor, and how to find “Goldilocks” within our pelvic floor!

Breathe with Deb on YouTube

Deb’s Website

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The Ultimate VBAC Prep Course for Parents

Online VBAC Doula Training

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Happy Wednesday, Women of Strength! Today we are joined by our friend, Nichole, from Nevada who shares her SEVEN birth stories. Nichole has had a wild ride when it comes to birth. Every story is so different and so unique. This episode is jam-packed with things like placental abruption, NICU time, preeclampsia, a surprise HBA2C, induced VBA2C, changing providers, and two VBA3C stories. 

Her last birth, a 2VBA3C, sparks an important conversation about how interventions can sometimes be a necessary part of a successful VBAC. Knowing the general pros and cons of interventions is just the first step. We all then have to apply what we’ve learned to our specific situations, adapt, and do what feels best to us!

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We are bringing back the VBAC dads!! In this rebroadcast, Julie and Meagan interview 5 VBAC dads who share their tips, fears, and highlights of the VBAC journey.

Each dad answers these questions:

- What do you wish you knew before VBAC and what are you glad you did know?

- Did you have any fears for your partner and what helped you overcome them?

- Did you have a doula and would you recommend one?

- What advice would you give a birth partner preparing for a VBAC?

Let’s hear it for all of those supportive birth partners out there bringing in the oxytocin boosts and positive affirmations! 🙌

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After a peaceful, scheduled Cesarean for breech presentation, Erika knew she wanted a VBAC—even before becoming pregnant again. 

When red flags appeared with her original provider, she switched to a supportive OB who stayed steady even when Erika had doubts. 

Erika prepared deeply with The VBAC Link Podcast episodes, blogs, pelvic floor PT, chiropractic care, and a skilled doula. Her healing VBAC brought immediate skin-to-skin, a dreamy uninterrupted gold hour, and ultimately helped detect a rare condition of AVM that saved her baby’s life. 

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Felicia grew up with a profound trust in the power of VBAC— her mom was a midwife and had a beautiful home birth after four Cesareans! So when Felicia’s first birth ended in a Cesarean, there was no doubt in her mind that she would pursue a VBAC next time. She educated herself, built a strong support system, obsessed over all things VBAC, and went into her second pregnancy with clarity and confidence.

But birth doesn’t always go according to plan.

Felicia shares her journey of planning for a VBAC and ultimately having a second medically necessary Cesarean after laboring hard with grace and power. She reflects on her difficult recovery, navigating grief, reconciling expectations with reality, yet still finding peace, empowerment, and healing in her experience.

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