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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 Needed Website: Code VBAC for 20% Off The Ultimate VBAC Prep Course for Parents Online VBAC Doula Training Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

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 Needed Website: Code VBAC for 20% Off The Ultimate VBAC Prep Course for Parents Online VBAC Doula Training Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Is it possible to have a VBAC with multiples? YES. In honor of Cesarean Awareness Month, Erin, a registered dietitian and mom of four (under 5!), shares her journey through cesarean, VBAC, miscarriage, and a twin VBAC. She opens up about navigating postpartum anxiety, benefiting from medication, and how her hard work and growth helped her have a different mindset when a lot of similar things happened in subsequent births.  Erin’s first birth was a cesarean during COVID due to fetal heart decels, her second was a healing VBAC and her third and fourth births were an induced twin VBAC for cholestasis. Her stories touch on miscarriage, close pregnancy intervals, di-di twin pregnancy, provider support, membrane sweeps, epidural and Pitocin.  She also shares the realities of postpartum recovery, breastfeeding with a nipple shield, and facing a neonatal emergency when one of her twins required surgery at just three weeks old. Erin’s big VBAC tips are to have birth preferences instead of rigid plans while holding strong to your boundaries, find care that is individualized to your unique circumstances, and lean into positive affirmations.  Connect with her on Instagram @the.dietitian.mama or at morningbirdnutrition.com. VBAC Certified Doula Finder The VBAC Link Supportive Provider List The Ultimate VBAC Prep Course for Parents Online VBAC Doula Training Submit Your VBAC/CBAC Story Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

April is Cesarean Awareness Month and Women of Strength, we are aware of YOU. All month long, we are bringing you VBAC stories & discussions featuring these most common reasons for cesareans: • Big babies • Failure to progress • Twins • Breech • Fetal heart tones And for our CBAC and RCS mamas, we’ve got a special episode all about maternal assisted cesareans, so stay tuned!!  In today’s episode, we talk with Katie, a Certified Professional Midwife from Oregon, whose journey into midwifery began after her own VBAC. Her first birth began spontaneously at the start of COVID and ended in a cesarean with an asynclitic, sunny side up baby. Her second birth was a healing VBAC at a freestanding birth center with midwives. Her third birth at home was longer than her previous VBAC and required her to let go of expectations and trust the process. This birth ended in a successful VBAC with a shoulder dystocia, postpartum hemorrhage, and a second degree tear. We’ll let you listen to the episode to find out just how big her record-setting baby was! Katie talks about just how different births can be, what it takes to become a CPM, ways to manage postpartum hemorrhage, shoulder dystocia maneuvers, safe transfer from out-of-hospital to hospital care, and recent policies that impact midwives attending VBACs.  Katie reminds us to choose your birth team wisely, the mind is a powerful thing, and sometimes letting go of expectations is the only way through. VBAC Certified Doula Finder The VBAC Link Supportive Provider List The Ultimate VBAC Prep Course for Parents Online VBAC Doula Training Submit Your VBAC/CBAC Story Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Rachel, a VBAC mom, NICU nurse, researcher, and soon to be women’s health NP, shares her healing VBAC journey with us today. Her first birth started as an induction and quickly turned into an urgent cesarean. She experienced a failed spinal, aggression from providers, and general anesthesia.  Rachel talks about some tough things she’s seen as a NICU nurse and how trauma can show up secondhand. She shares why it’s so important to process those experiences, and how she uses them to be a more compassionate caregiver. We also talk about what it means to truly be informed during birth. It matters so much to be humanized in those moments, to be talked to and included in decisions as they’re happening instead of being told after the fact. As she prepared for her VBAC, Rachel focused on evidence based care, setting clear boundaries, and building a supportive team around her. We talk about how physiological birth can still be supported in a hospital setting, practical prep like the role of Webster certified chiropractic care, and why partners need time and space to process birth too. Rachel also shares what it was like to have the same doula for both her cesarean and her VBAC and how that support made a difference, not just during birth but in processing everything afterward. Her story is such a good reminder that healing is possible, support matters, and you deserve to feel seen, heard, and respected every step of the way. Keywords: VBAC after traumatic C-section, NICU nurse VBAC story, informed consent VBAC Certified Doula Finder The VBAC Link Supportive Provider List The Evidence on Dates The Ultimate VBAC Prep Course for Parents Online VBAC Doula Training Submit Your VBAC/CBAC Story Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

If you’ve been with us for a while, you’ve probably heard women say they did all the things to get their VBAC.  But what actually are “all the things”?  This episode covers it! As moms prepping for their own VBACs and now doulas helping others do the same, Paige (coming hot off a birth!) and Lily sit down to talk about everything you can do before conception and during pregnancy to prepare for an empowering VBAC or repeat cesarean. Scar mobilization, acupuncture, therapy, Webster-certified chiropractic care, what books to read, how to find the right doula, choosing your birth location & team, finances, nutrition, processing trauma, positioning, and so much more. Comment on this episode and let us know what you did to prepare that we missed!  ALL THE LINKS:  How to Find a Truly Supportive Provider Signs It's Time to Switch Your Provider Deciding Home vs Hospital Birth Choosing VBAC or Repeat C-section Episode 119 Pelvic Movement in Pregnancy and Birth With Gina Conley Episode 160 Everything Left Unsaid Episode 386 Dr. Stu Fischbein & Midwife Blyss Young Our Favorite Books VBAC Certified Doula Finder The VBAC Link Supportive Provider List The Ultimate VBAC Prep Course for Parents Online VBAC Doula Training Submit Your VBAC/CBAC Story Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Breastfeeding is natural, but that doesn’t mean it always comes naturally. In this episode, we chat with Lily’s personal boob fairy🧚🏼 Angela Das (IBCLC, CLC, CNPE and two-time VBAC mom!) about how preparing BEFORE birth can make a big difference in your feeding journey. Angela first shares her own birth stories from her unexpected c-section to her two induced VBACs and the differences in her breastfeeding experiences.  She also shares practical tools like prenatal hand expression, what to do if you’re separated from your baby after birth or how to navigate NICU time, and how the hormones of breastfeeding support bonding and milk production. We talk about the differences women often experience when breastfeeding after a cesarean versus a VBAC, and how preparation and support can make all the difference. Angela also breaks down the differences between IBCLCs, lactation nurses, and CLCs, and what it takes to become an IBCLC, the highest level of lactation certification. And if your first breastfeeding experience didn’t go the way you hoped, Angela shares ways to reset and set yourself up for a more supported journey this time around. Most importantly, this episode sends love to every parent listening. However you birth your baby, your experience matters. One path isn’t superior to another. You’ve got options, you’ve got the TVL team cheering for you, and now, you’ve got Angela in your corner too!  Watch the full episode on YouTube Motherhood Untamed Lactation with Angela Das, IBCLC, CLC, CNPE VBAC Certified Doula Finder The VBAC Link Supportive Provider List The Ultimate VBAC Prep Course for Parents Online VBAC Doula Training Submit Your VBAC/CBAC Story Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Ashley Adynah is a wife, mom of four boys (one bonus son and three birth stories of her own), and the creator behind The Parenting Strategy. She went into her first birth aware of the gap in Black maternity care, spoke up, and was assured by her team that she would be well taken care of. But Ashley’s induction ended in a traumatic C-section compounded by a uterine infection, infected incision, passing out at home, and needing a home nurse. She was dismissed and not believed over and over again.  9 months later, Ashley became pregnant again, and knew she wanted a VBAC. She educated herself, switched providers at 38 weeks after being told she’d need another C-section for a “big baby,” labored at home, and was 8cm when she got to the hospital. She had a pain-free, unmedicated VBAC, delivering her 9 lb 6 oz son with no tears! Her third pregnancy brought new fears when her placenta grew into her previous C-section scar, aka placenta accreta. Lily, Paige, and Ashley dive into what placenta accreta is and what it means for birth. After meeting with lots of specialists and facing the possibility of serious complications, she leaned hard into her faith. During her cesarean, it was confirmed that her accreta had grown into her first C-section scar (and this is why preventing primary cesareans and having the option to VBAC matters!). But Ashley’s placenta detached on its own, she was able to have a horizontal incision, and keep her uterus. Her little boy was 4lb, 11oz and spent 11 days in the NICU. Ashley is incredibly resilient, strong, and so inspiring!  Keywords: Black maternal health gap, traumatic C-section, postpartum infection, VBAC story, unmedicated VBAC, placenta accreta, NICU, birth trauma healing, maternal advocacy, birth after cesarean VBAC Certified Doula Finder The VBAC Link Supportive Provider List The Ultimate VBAC Prep Course for Parents Online VBAC Doula Training Submit Your VBAC/CBAC Story Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Liz's first birth was an induction that ended in a cesarean. When she said, “I can feel that,” referring to pressure, her doctor put her under general anesthesia without consent. With her second, Liz planned for a VBAC. The midwife broke her water without consent. She labored to 9.5 centimeters and stalled with a cervical lip. She was overwhelmed by so many hands touching her as they tried to manually resolve it.  Liz was defeated and accepted another non-emergent cesarean, this time with the complicated layer of her father-in-law performing it. But before she knew what was happening, she was under general anesthesia again without consent. Twice, she did not hear her baby’s first cry and still has no idea how long it was before she held them. Liz sunk deep into postpartum depression and survival mode. It was years before someone told her what happened wasn’t okay. She began the long road of healing with pelvic floor therapy, talk therapy, and rebuilding her strength. She found God meeting her in the tiniest, most intimate details of her journey. For her third birth, she chose to invest. She traveled for her care. She chose loving, hands-off support with midwife Paige Boran at A Woman’s Place and her doula, Danielle Kent.  And this birth was every bit as different as she needed it to be. Spontaneous, waterbirth, en caul. Liz reached down and pulled her baby up out of the water. She heard the first cry. She held her baby first. While this birth didn’t erase what happened before, something in her soul was restored that day. Her autonomy was reclaimed. It was the fought-for and faith-filled waterbirth of her dreams. We get chills and tears every time we talk about Liz’s story, and we know you will absolutely love her like we do! A Woman's Place Danielle Kent Birth & Photography VBAC Certified Doula Finder The VBAC Link Supportive Provider List The Ultimate VBAC Prep Course for Parents Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Allison Champ is a mama of three and a VBAC Link Certified VBAC Doula serving families in the Dayton, Ohio area. Her first birth was an induced, epidural vaginal delivery with a premature manual removal of the placenta, which required a uterine scraping procedure. Allison, Lily & Paige chat about that third stage of labor and what is/isn’t evidence based.  Her second pregnancy began as a planned home birth but changed after a 20-week placenta previa diagnosis. Following multiple significant bleeds, she delivered by cesarean at 34 weeks, where placenta accreta was discovered. Allison walks us through what accreta is and what her doctor did to save her from having a hysterectomy. Her baby spent one week in the NICU and Allison shares how tough it was to not be able to go home to her toddler due to COVID.   For her third pregnancy, Allison planned a home birth (HBAC) with co-care. She had a fast labor, a surprise gender (boy!), and a shoulder dystocia that was smoothly resolved by her team. Her girls were right by her side taking pictures with their Polaroid cameras and cheering their mama on.  Allison wraps up her episode by saying how each of her very different births have made her a better doula. She is thankful that the tough moments have helped her savor the sweet ones even more. Keywords: induction, cesarean, NICU, VBAC prep, co-care, placenta accreta, placenta previa, advocacy, third stage management  Allison's Doula Website VBAC Certified Doula Finder The VBAC Link Supportive Provider List The Ultimate VBAC Prep Course for Parents Online VBAC Doula Training Submit Your VBAC/CBAC Story Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

“Women should feel excited about giving birth and every woman should feel confident in giving birth.” Brianna’s first birth didn’t feel this way. She transferred to the hospital from a birth center at 42 weeks for a Foley induction. And before labor even started, she was already mentally preparing for a c-section. Pitocin was started without her consent. After about 14 hours, an epidural, AROM, and being stuck at 4 cm, she ultimately had a cesarean at 6 cm after 30 hours of labor due to heart decels. “It breaks you down mentally and physically.” When she became pregnant with her second, Bri thought she’d have another c-section, until her provider told her about VBAC. Then she decided she was all in. Bri found The VBAC Link podcast and listened to three episodes a day on the treadmill. After hearing Lily’s 66-hour labor story, she thought, “If she could do it, I can do it.” She transferred providers and vigorously prepped physically and mentally. When the time came, she was excited to be in labor! She experienced moments that felt similar, but weren’t. She pushed for just 20 minutes, and her midwife later said it was the funniest birth she’d ever attended. Now, as a junior high health teacher, Bri is normalizing birth (and VBAC!) for 11-year-olds. We know you will love her just as much as we do. She is as hilarious as she is inspiring, and her stories are a joy! The Ultimate VBAC Prep Course for Parents Online VBAC Doula Training Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Our first VBAM (vaginal birth after myomectomy) was Episode 189 with Mabel back in 2022 and we are SO excited to finally be bringing you another! Maria Magdalena “Mags” Campbell joins us from Cape Town, South Africa to share her inspiring story through loss, fertility challenges, and ultimately TWO VBAM births.  With the support of Chinese medicine, acupuncture, progesterone, and a fertility coach, Mags went on to conceive her son naturally. She met with 8 doctors before finally finding a VBAM supportive provider and hospital at 32 weeks. After a successful ECV for a breech baby, she went on to have a hospital VBAM with an epidural at 9 cm at 40+1 weeks, welcoming her 3.9-kg son. Her second pregnancy came easily and felt very different. Mags prepped similarly with things like Chinese medicine and acupuncture, but leaned even more into holistic prep through breathwork, meditation, yoga, and doula support. Mags chose a hospital birth over a home birth and went on to have a euphoric, unmedicated vaginal water birth at 40+3 weeks, welcoming her 4.1-kg daughter. During her prep, Mags connected with Mabel and she hopes that her stories can bring the same inspiration that Mabel’s did for her. We are also posting a new blog all about VBAM in honor of Mags’ episode that you can find at www.thevbaclink.com/blog.  American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology (AOGS) PubMed Study European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada JOGC ScienceDirect Review Episode 189 Mabel's VBAM (Vaginal Birth After Myomectomy) Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

We’re thrilled to welcome back Dr. Hazel Keedle from Sydney, Australia! Dr. Keedle is a researcher, midwife, Director of Midwifery Academic Programs and Senior Lecturer at Western Sydney University back to discuss her book, A Clinician’s Guide to Birth After Cesarean, released in August 2025. In this episode, Hazel shares insight from her years of research into VBAC experiences and clinical care. She talks about birth and the “Olympic coach” analogy, how providers can balance risks between VBAC and repeat cesarean, and the best ways to use research in your decision making. Hazel, Paige, and Lily also unpack the importance of removing terms like trial, fail, and success to better honor every story. Hazel also graciously offers her personal perspective on how clinicians can process difficult outcomes and still show up with compassion, empathy, and belief to help every mother birth the way she desires. The Clinician’s Guide to Better Birth After Caesarean Birth After Caesarean: Your Journey to a Better Birth  The Birth Experience Study The VBAC Link Podcast Episode 209  Dr. Keedle’s Publication - Debriefing Women’s Birth Experiences The Perinatal Experience of Women With a History of Intimate Partner Violence  The Ultimate VBAC Prep Course for Parents Online VBAC Doula Training Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

After an induction at 41+3 weeks turned emergency cesarean with her first and a second cesarean at 42 weeks due to failure to progress, Irene had an unmedicated VBA2C with full placenta previa pregnancy that resolved at 30 weeks! Irene started her VBA2C pregnancy journey at a new practice that was not VBAC supportive and told her to schedule a cesarean at her first 8-week appointment. She switched providers at 20 weeks and owes her successful unmedicated VBA2C to the many different people and routines she incorporated into her pregnancy. Irene shares allll of her prep details with us including prayer, meditation, zoning out to Pink Floyd, and how she created a special labor visualization ritual so that when it was time for the real thing, she was excited, ready, and so at peace.  She says, “If providers aren't informing you about all the resources out there that you can utilize to prepare for your VBA2C, they're likely not going to be very supportive during your birth.” Keywords: VBAC, placenta previa, birth stories, maternal health, pregnancy, women's empowerment, childbirth education, supportive care, doula, prenatal preparation  The VBAC Link Blog: VBA2C: The Facts and Statistics The VBAC Link Blog: 6 Ways to Physically Prep for VBAC The Ultimate VBAC Prep Course for Parents Online VBAC Doula Training Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

“You only have to make one good decision at a time.” We are so excited to welcome our very own TVL team member, Ashley Marg, back on the podcast today! Ashley is our Maternal Health & Communication Strategist and you will find her beautifully writing VBAC content on our blog and in your email inboxes. You can find her first three birth stories in depth on Episode 249, but after a short recap, Ashley shares her rollercoaster of a 2VBA2C story. Her fourth birth was an induced 2VBA2C at 40+5 due to a failed biophysical profile and advanced maternal age. Ashley talks about her emotional induction with a Foley, the moment she knew she needed to ask for an epidural, and a surprise ending! More than anything, Ash wants our community to know that you do not have to commit to a date, a plan, or a schedule in birth. You just have to make the next good decision. Ashley also shares how her calm, steady doula changed the entire vibe of her birth. She talks about her path to doula work and how it led to joining The VBAC Link team. We are SO grateful to have Ashley as part of our team and know you will feel the warmth and wisdom that we love so much about her! Episode 249 Ashley's VBA2C + Postdates + Releasing Fears The Ultimate VBAC Prep Course for Parents Online VBAC Doula Training Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands