International Cesarean Awareness Network

Education, Support, & Advocacy for Birth Justice & Healing

Breana’s Unassisted VBAC Birth Story

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Share your story with ICAN to be featured on our Instagram and Facebook! All cesarean and birth-after-cesarean stories are welcome: the difficult, the triumphant, the still-processing, and the stories which haven’t yet been shared. Sharing your birth story can be freeing, healing and profoundly powerful. It can bring others hope, comfort, and reassurance that they are not alone on their birth journey.

Submit your story HERE: https://airtable.com/shrJOtXla9O9MVBaj

March 26th 2020, we welcomed Riley June into our family. She was born in the front seat of our van.

Several months prior , I had searched for a doctor in Texas that would consider a VBAC. My 5th baby was breech and born via C-section. This was my 6th baby and I absolutely did not want or see the need for another C-section but the doctor I first signed on with would not preform a VBAC.

Around 7 months pregnant, I finally found a doctor 40 minuets away. He told me I was the perfect candidate for a VBAC, however as time went on there were more restrictions that came up such as, the baby had to be born by 39 weeks, I could only labor for 6 hours, and if I wasn’t progressing as quickly as the doctor wanted me to, he could call for a C-section at anytime.

I was scheduled for a c -section a week before my due date and I decided to skip it, hoping that my body would go into labor on my own. At 40 weeks and 2 days I began to have contractions. They started around 5 pm and not wanting to go to the hospital too soon (because of only being allowed to labor for 6 hours) I waited for too long before I said it was time to go. At this point my contractions were 2-3 minuets apart. Maybe it was adrenaline or fear, but I didn’t head to the hospital until 8:30, still unconvinced this was really it.

We had been driving for 15 minutes when my water broke in a massive gush. I yelled for my husband to pull over and we barely made it into a parking lot before I could get my pants down and when I did, my daughter’s head was out! I had one more contraction and luckily my husband made it to my side of the car just in time to catch the rest of her body.

Between my water breaking and my baby being born was 2 contractions and about 6 minuets total. We called 911 and I was taken with baby to a near by hospital, in shock the whole way. This was a successful VBAC, in a car, unassisted, natural birth that I am so grateful didn’t end up with any major issues!

P.S. Always keep extra towels and blankets in your car!

Congratulations, Breana, and thank you for sharing your story with us!

Veronica’s HBAC Birth Story

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Share your story with ICAN to be featured on our Instagram and Facebook! All cesarean and birth-after-cesarean stories are welcome: the difficult, the triumphant, the still-processing, and the stories which haven’t yet been shared. Sharing your birth story can be freeing, healing and profoundly powerful. It can bring others hope, comfort, and reassurance that they are not alone on their birth journey.

Submit your story HERE: https://airtable.com/shrJOtXla9O9MVBaj

(HBAC 20 months after a planned cesarean for frank breech during peak of COVID shelter in place)

Labor started on Tuesday evening after very light contractions since the night before. Surges were 5-7 min apart but slowed overnight to every ten minutes. By Wednesday afternoon my labor shifted to be more “active labor” for another 26 hours. (It all felt active to me). I was in a multi day start and stop labor and I could tell baby wasn’t descending. It was a physical, mental, emotional rollercoaster.

My birth doula came on Tuesday night at midnight. (She was actually a backup doula because my main doula who I had been working with had had a fluke fever within the two weeks prior of birth for one night, so according to the rules with COVID precautions she wasn’t allowed at the birth). Our backup doula had to spend a lot of her time just helping with our toddler because we couldn’t have a specific person in our home for childcare due to COVID as well, and I wanted him at home for the birth and not with another family due to COVID precaution.

On Thursday am, we called the midwives (who we thought we were going to call either of the two nights before but didn’t because labor slowed back down so much.) They arrived at 8:20 am on Thursday April 9. I was given a bag of IV fluids to help me replenish since I’d been going for so long with labor.   The midwives determined that the baby’s head may be a bit posterior with the baby at an LOT position instead of LOA position. We needed to shift him. So while getting the IV, I used a peanut ball and did the exaggerated side lying pose on my right side to turn him. I could feel him moving and contractions were painful in that position but turns out it worked. I had two requested cervical checks that morning but I chose to not be told what my dilation was at either. I wanted to trust my body to know when it was ready to push without having outside guidance telling me and I didn’t want the additional mental challenge of knowing certain numbers of dilation and feeling defeated if they weren’t “high enough” or whatnot.

The marathon I had been running felt like such a mental and emotional challenge when I’d get up to 3-5 minute contractions consistently, thinking I was near the end, but then not…because it wouldn’t stay there. After such a long labor, I mentally wouldn’t be able to hear that I was “only” at a certain dilation. I also had the knowledge that those numbers don’t necessarily correspond to lengths of time to completion. Birth is not a linear process. (This is one of the main reasons I planned for a home birth with midwifery care. I knew my labor and birth wouldn’t be put on a timeline or be forced unnecessary interventions like what happens in the majority of maternal care policies and just the cultural norms.) The mental “mind fuck” of knowing the dilation numbers wasn’t a risk I wanted to take after an already very challenging 2 days of labor at home (physically and mentally).

I came to find out after the fact that at 8:30 am on Thursday I was around 4 cm dilated and sometime around noon I was 9/10 cm and by 2:30 pm I was spontaneously pushing. I remember right before pushing that I told my midwife I wanted to but I was afraid And I don’t think I can labor for ten more labors, and she just replied with “listen to your body.” She didn’t say yes, do it, no, don’t. I had to trust that it was ok and truly just listen in to myself and my power and move past the doubt that I was just in that same start/stop labor as before. Once I started, the midwives started moving much faster in the bedroom prepping all of the materials needed, as I literally was birthing probably in the most inconvenient spot in our bedroom, blocking being able to walk to and from in the room. I could feel him moving down and at some point they said they saw the head and I was able to touch it. I was on all fours with a birth ball, pulling on my husband’s arms, next to the birth tub which we only used a few times during the two day labor.

Baby was born 35 minutes later. It happened quickly and I had my husband held captive on the other side of the birth ball, pulling on him so he couldn’t catch the baby as planned. The student midwife (who was awesome) caught him and pulled him up under me as I sat back to pull him up. They helped us onto the edge of the bed as they were checking him. I birthed the placenta not long afterwards. Our first son was able to join us soon afterwards to meet his little brother.  

So, it was an extremely long labor which gave me a great opportunity for mental strength and a very short, spontaneous pushing phase which taught me full on personal power and trust. I should add, little man also surprised us with a nuchal hand (hand presenting alongside his head as he came out). I am so very grateful to my fantastic midwife team (Michelle Freund, LM and Christina Evans, student midwife) and my extremely loving and supportive husband. The long labor was hard on him too but he never gave up on me or us. He understood my desires for a spontaneous normal birth for my VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) and he showed up for all aspects of the prenatal care and supportive role before, during and after labor. I am so proud of the team our family of four has become. I’m so grateful I was able to give birth to my son at home with a normal, spontaneous birth. I planned a homebirth way before COVID hit but I was even more grateful to have planned one when it did. Although it wasn’t without stress, I felt safer from interventions or policies that I didn’t agree with. I now have experience having a son by scheduled cesarean in a hospital with no labor, and a long labor, nuchal hand HBAC. Grateful for the blessings and lessons with each. 

Congratulations, Veronica, and thank you for sharing your story with us!

Margaret’s VBAC Birth Story

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Share your story with ICAN to be featured on our Instagram and Facebook! All cesarean and birth-after-cesarean stories are welcome: the difficult, the triumphant, the still-processing, and the stories which haven’t yet been shared. Sharing your birth story can be freeing, healing and profoundly powerful. It can bring others hope, comfort, and reassurance that they are not alone on their birth journey.

Submit your story HERE: https://airtable.com/shrJOtXla9O9MVBaj

I want to share my story not because it’s flawless but because success looks like a lot of different things. This birth experience was empowering and healed a place of lingering doubt in my heart.

After 3 nights of prodromal labor that subsided by morning, on Friday June 26, I finally woke up to contractions that were still 8 min apart but not necessarily progressing.  I got an NST at my OB office to check all was well with baby and was encouraged that waiting was a perfect option. I went home to take a nap and within the hour could no long sleep through contractions. They came fast and hard, 5-8 min apart. I hopped in the shower and called my doula. 

Both she and my husband weren’t totally convinced I was in active labor so we decided to all get some dinner. In the time it took my husband to cook a frozen pizza and make me a smoothie, my contractions started jumping closer to 3 min apart and my Hypnobabies training kicked in and I KNEW it was time to go to the hospital. 

I was 6 cm and 100% effaced upon arrival to the hospital and was admitted. By midnight I was at 8 cm and set up for delivery. However my water just wouldn’t break so we labored all night with my doula and husband applying counter pressure to my hips and back. 

By morning I was 9 cm with a residual cervical lip. After another hour my water still had not broken and lip did not resolve. I was nervous to start intervening due to my history and previous birth, but my OB and incredible nurse took the time to explain with love and patience every procedure that would be done and the specific way they felt it would help me achieve my VBAC. 

After some emotional decision making, we broke my water to try to resolve the lip but it did not work. I was allowed to start pushing since the lip was so soft but her posterior position made me not feel an urge to push, instead my back labor got really intense and I was asking for the epidural.  Everyone encouraged me to push for a bit without it and see what happens. 

After an hour with no push urge, and severe back labor my OB suggested the epidural might actually resolve the lip that was still present and allow baby to turn into the correct position. After about an hour with the epidural, I was complete with no lip, my baby had turned completely around, and it was time to push again! At that point I KNEW this was going to be a VBAC and my whole care team was encouraging me – they could see her hair!

My OB told me her head likely molded to the posterior position so pushing could be more difficult. After 2 hours she just wasn’t getting around my public bone (come to find out later her feet were tangled in her cord and possibly holding her back just enough that her head molding combined just wasn’t letting her come down). 

My OB offered to let me keep pushing since she was doing fine or he could use forceps to guide her head. I decided on forceps because I just didn’t see the point of trying for a whole hour when I was fairly certain we’d be in the same spot. After showing us the forceps and explaining so patiently exactly what he would do and what would happen, he gently went in with the forceps, narrating the whole way, and 2 pushes later she was in my arms!! 

This birth was the most empowering thing I’ve ever done. I birthed my 8 pound baby surrounded by a team of nurses cheering for me, a husband actively involved in the process, and an OB with such wisdom and patience I’ll forever be grateful for. It was informed consent all the way through – every decision was mine and every choice we made was given to me as a person not a patient. This experience was everything I’ve ever wanted and more.

Congratulations, Margaret, and thank you for sharing your story with us!

Jennifer’s CBAC Birth Story

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Share your story with ICAN to be featured on our Instagram and Facebook! All cesarean and birth-after-cesarean stories are welcome: the difficult, the triumphant, the still-processing, and the stories which haven’t yet been shared. Sharing your birth story can be freeing, healing and profoundly powerful. It can bring others hope, comfort, and reassurance that they are not alone on their birth journey.

Submit your story HERE: https://airtable.com/shrJOtXla9O9MVBaj

From the moment I found out I was pregnant with Baby #2, I fought so hard for a VBAC. I hired a doula and switched care providers twice to find the support I needed—settling on an independent midwife for prenatal care and checking into triage to give birth with hospitalists.

Then, I delivered my precious Baby Boy #2 (aka Tank) via unplanned repeat Cesarean. However, because of the choices I made, I feel empowered and grateful.

I went into spontaneous labor New Year’s Day at 41 weeks, 3 days. I hadn’t had a “normal” labor experience with Baby #1, so this was my first time having regular contractions.

The birth stories I’d read reassured me all the sensations I felt were normal, and I settled in to labor at home as long as possible. I enjoyed being in the comfort of my own home, despite knowing I’d be delivering at the hospital.

In the afternoon, I noticed contractions were getting a little stronger (5-8 minutes apart and about 45 seconds long). Laying down wasn’t as comfortable anymore. I kept checking in with my midwife and doulas, who encouraged me to take a bath and rest as much as possible.

I was a little worried because it was New Year’s Day and my care team was scattered, but they assured me I’d have help when I needed it.

I had planned for an unmedicated labor and drew on all my strength from prenatal yoga to breathe through each contraction. (We opted not to take another birth class this time around, figuring I’d listen to my body and rely on our doulas. Not sure if I’d change that, in hindsight.)

My favorite position was kneeling draped over my yoga ball. Sitting and laying down were NOT my friends.

Around 7 PM, I was 5 cm dilated. My midwife said I could likely labor at home longer, but the frequency of contractions was worrying me. I was also experiencing a stabbing/burning sensation through my back with every contraction (back labor), and felt more comfortable heading in before things intensified.

I decided I would probably need an epidural. I’d wanted to avoid interventions, but I could tell I was tensing up and knew I needed to fully relax or I might inhibit my body’s ability to progress.

Afterwards, I was disappointed in myself for this choice. I wondered why my support team didn’t try to talk me out of the epidural. I’ve since learned that since I was talking calmly about the epidural BETWEEN contractions, they knew I was making an informed choice rather than an emotional one. That was a cool realization.

I had progressed to 7 cm by the time I arrived. I was happy I’d made it almost to transition. I still felt confident in my decision to get an epidural to relax and work with contractions. Not only was the back labor intense, but I was nervous about feeling the pushing part.

By early morning, I was 9 cm and 90% effaced! But I stayed there, and that’s where things started to slowly take a turn.

The biggest concern was the discovery of meconium in my fluid. Baby started having heart rate dips, so I received a low dose of pitocin and extra positioning to see if we could finish things up.

Baby wasn’t liking pitocin, and I started melting down, seeing some of the same signs from birth #1 that things might take a turn.

When the doctor on call realized there was only a small lip of cervix holding things up, I was told I could push. I was so sure they were about to call the surgery. However, I got the experience – terrifying and amazing- of trying to push out a baby.

I pushed on two separate tries. The on-call midwife coached me while I held my husband’s and doula’s hands. They even said I was doing a great job with it, despite being able to feel NOTHING thanks to the epidural. I’m proud of that.

Unfortunately, Baby’s head kept peeking out during pushes then disappearing again, and decelerations continued.

After 29 hours of labor, we made the decision for a C-section. By that time, I’d made my peace and realized my strength–I really had done it all. I’d been given every opportunity for success, but baby had other plans.

There was no pressure and everyone on staff was supportive and reassuring. I remember when things first started turning, as I lay there crying, the on-call midwife told me it was okay to be feeling emotional and reassured me that I had done well. She took the extra moment to honor all the baggage I had brought with me into that room, and I will never forget that.

The fact that everyone acknowledged baby’s safety was #1 while also allowing me every chance to succeed and honoring my feelings made all the difference in the world. I delivered my 10 lb. 5 oz. Tank a short time later. We still can’t believe he was that big!

Tank’s real name means “healer,” and he certainly healed my heart through this experience. I realized we don’t always get the birth we want; we get the birth we need.

Through birth, we learn that things don’t always go according to plan. We learn acceptance. We learn how strong we can be. We are humbled. And as long as we can look back and say, “I did everything in my power to stack the odds in my favor,” and “I was seen, heard, and respected,” we find peace at the end of our birth journeys.

Congratulations, Jennifer, and thank you for sharing your story with us!

Amanda’s VBAC Birth Story

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Share your story with ICAN to be featured on our Instagram and Facebook! All cesarean and birth-after-cesarean stories are welcome: the difficult, the triumphant, the still-processing, and the stories which haven’t yet been shared. Sharing your birth story can be freeing, healing and profoundly powerful. It can bring others hope, comfort, and reassurance that they are not alone on their birth journey.

Submit your story HERE: https://airtable.com/shrJOtXla9O9MVBaj

I had posted on this page a few months ago after being discouraged by my doctor and his staff about having a VBAC. Well, after 30 hours in labor my VBAC was a success! I’m proud and happy about it! I’m not only sharing to share my VBAC story but to raise awareness of issues that can happen before, during and after birth, cesarean or not. I suffered a bilateral pulmonary embolism just a day after giving birth to my daughter via VBAC.

I had leg pains after giving birth but the nurses told me it was normal after birth. The next day the pains seemed worse. I was about to get discharged when the spoke up about the pains again. This time is spoke up my nurse and her supervisor had just walked in. The doctor ordered an ultrasound and they found my left leg filled with blood clots. Later that night I grew faint and had shortness of breath. They found two large blood clots in my lungs. I was in the ICU for a few days. I am recovering at home now.

I had leg pains on and off and shortness of breath during my pregnancy. These symptoms are very similar to having blood clots but I never thought I’d have one. I am very lucky to be alive today. Please speak up about any symptoms you might be having. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

Congratulations, Amanda, and thank you for sharing your story with us!