Greetings everyone! My name is Melek and I am excited to announce that I will be serving as the new ICAN blogger.  I look forward to maintaining an active blog full of recent and relevant information, inspirational stories and support for all of you, much as my predecessor Sarah did.

I just wanted to take a minute to give you a brief introduction to me, how I found ICAN and became involved in the VBAC community.  I won’t repost the full length version of my birth stories because they were published here earlier this year, but I will give you an abridged version.  My first son was born via cesarean after a failed induction in May 2008.  I became (and remain) involved with my local ICAN chapter during my second pregnancy, which was a planned HBAC that wound up being a very powerful and transformative CBAC in December 2010.  I found such amazing support and encouragement on my journey to and through my second pregnancy and birth through my local ICAN chapter as well as the larger ICAN community online.  I continue to be touched and inspired by the really wonderful women I have met through this network, whose courage and strength I draw on as I continue on my own personal journey towards a VBA2C in the future.

Shortly after my second son’s birth, I started a personal blog chronicling my journey towards an HBA2C (no, not pregnant yet!).   I discovered a real passion for birth, particularly VBAC, that could be teamed with my passion for writing in a really positive way and I haven’t looked back since!  When I found out the blogger position was opening up, I was very excited to be able to give back to ICAN in this way.  I look forward to sharing and connecting with all of you here on the blog.

Melek