In today’s episode, Anne Marie shares her intuitive, unmedicated VBAC journey. From building a trusting relationship with her supportive OBGYN to finding peace with all possible birth outcomes, her story is a powerful reminder of the strength that comes from informed decision-making and listening to our bodies!.

Anne Marie takes us through her experience of moving freely during labor, naturally finding positions that worked for her, and ultimately pushing with her knees in—a position her body instinctively chose. She talks about how she worked through fears from her previous birth and how her provider honored her autonomy every step of the way.

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Vanessa was born and raised in Brazil, a country with sky-high cesarean rates. Moving to the US inspired her to pursue her doula career, even before she became pregnant herself. 

Vanessa’s own birth experiences were very different. Her first birth was a Cesarean after a birth center transfer. While it was medically necessary, it was very unexpected and traumatic. After a lot of processing and birth trauma therapy, she was ready to give birth again. Vanessa pursued a home birth for her second birth that was wonderfully straightforward and beautiful, surrounded by the people she loved most!

She now lives just outside of Boston with her husband, two daughters and her mother. Her passion is to support other immigrant women in her community navigate the US healthcare system, and to know they have options when it comes to childbirth, especially when it comes to VBAC. 

Vanessa’s Website

Vanessa’s Instagram

Vanessa’s Facebook

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We are so excited to have Nicole Vandermeyen with Subtle Healing Health on the podcast today!

Nicole shares how her history of childhood leukemia and awful first pregnancy and birth experience solidified her commitment to holistic health. Through subtle changes in nutrition and influence healing, her overall health improved drastically, and she now helps other women do the same! 

As a holistic health practitioner and a mother, Nicole specializes in working with clients who are working on building stronger family bonds and emotional resilience. She even shares some specifics techniques you can try that can make a huge difference!

Nicole’s YouTube Channel

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We are so happy to have Julie Sawaya back with us on The VBAC Link Podcast today! 

Julie is the co-founder of Needed, a mama, and a lifelong nutrition nerd. As the most nutritionally aware of their friends, Julie and her co-founder Ryan were shocked to realize through nutrient testing that they were severely deficient in key nutrients needed for a healthy pregnancy. They dug into the research and realized they were not alone. 

97% of women take a prenatal, and yet 95% have nutrient deficiencies. Most prenatal vitamins just weren't cutting it. So Julie and Ryan started Needed to create a new, higher standard for perinatal health. Together they've redesigned the products, education, and experiences women need. 

From their prenatals to their cognitive support to their collagen protein, our team personally uses and loves Needed products. We love Julie’s heart for educating women in an empowering way— exactly what we stand for here at TVL!

Needed Research Info

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Like the literal hurricane she labored through, Nicole’s story is one of overcoming life’s storms, giving grace, and finding joy. 

Nicole’s first birth was a C-section to best protect her daughter who had a low heart rate due to multiple congenital heart defects. But unfortunately after three precious years, her daughter passed. 

Nicole worked hard to find healing from so much layered emotional and medical trauma. When she was ready to have another baby, she knew she wanted a VBAC. Nicole researched heavily, formed a trusting partnership with her provider, and was very intentional about every decision along the way.

Her second birth experience was a true testament to the powerful lessons birth teaches in all of its intimate ways. Nicole’s second sweet daughter made her way into the world via VBAC at 12:21 am just minutes after her first daughter’s birthday— a powerful symbol that Nicole knew signified a new day and a beautiful new chapter.

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Lauren joins us today from New Jersey sharing her wild ride (literally!) to a VBAC! 

Lauren’s first birth was a spontaneous labor ending in a crash Cesarean under general anesthesia at 39 weeks due to fetal distress. Though she was complete and tried pushing, baby was still high and showing that he needed to be born right away.

She prepared diligently for a VBAC by listening to multiple VBAC Link Podcast episodes a day and included her faith every step of the way. 

Her second birth was a precipitous VBAC at 36 weeks after falling days earlier— ending in an unmedicated VBAC in an ambulance! It was not what she expected, yet everything she wanted. 

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”This VBAC has changed who I am as a woman.” 

Proactive preparation matters in birth!!

While we don’t want to obsess about it in an unhealthy way, prep work can make a huge difference in your birth experience. 

Chelsea is an amazing example of how that prep pays off. 

After a very long, exhausting 40+hr labor and Cesarean birth, Chelsea knew she needed a different experience the next time around. 

Chelsea took charge of what she could during her second pregnancy. She did deep internal work, vigorously prepped her mind and body, educated herself, and invested in an empowering birth team. 

Her intuition led Chelsea to birth at home, and it was a completely different experience from her first in so many powerful ways!

Chelsea’s Podcast: Growing Up Raising Us

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Andrea joins us in the podcast today from Kansas City! She is a mom of two and a pediatric oncology nurse. Andrea shares how her experience as a nurse impacted both of her very different births. 

After her traumatic Cesarean, Andrea knew how critically important it would be to find healing inside and out before giving birth again. 

Andrea sought EMDR therapy from a therapist who specialized in birth trauma. She describes her experience with EMDR, including specifics about the process itself and the exhaustion that came with it. She says that even though healing is HARD work, it made all of the difference during her second birth.

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Trish Ware is the Labor Nurse Mama! As a high-risk labor and delivery nurse for 16 years and mom of 7, she has helped deliver thousands of babies and seen it all. 

Trish founded The Birth Experience to help empower women through birth education. Her true passion lies in teaching families how to make informed choices. 

You will NOT want to miss this bold episode. Trish and Meagan do not hold back as they share the things they have seen in the birth space, what they wish birthing women/partners knew, and how to avoid common pitfalls to achieve the most empowering birth experience and outcome possible.

Labor Nurse Mama Website

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We are celebrating a HUGE milestone over here: 

400 episodes of The VBAC Link Podcast! 

Beginning as a phonecall in Target from Julie Francom to Meagan Heaton in 2018, The VBAC Link Podcast now has over 1.3 million episode downloads, guests from all over the world, a management and production team, parent and doula education courses, a thriving social media platform, and a legacy of stories from YOU that have allowed VBAC to be accessible more than ever before. 

Your stories have provided the inspiration and education to show women just how many options there are when giving birth after a Cesarean. Whether it is VBAC, HBAC, CBAC, VBAMC, RCS, MAC, or anything in between, it has been a privilege to connect with you and learn from you. 

We love you, Women of Strength!

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