“This is the story of my Home VBAC Water Birth after a traumatic cesarean birth and a miscarriage. My story really begins with the birth of my first son. It is fairly lengthy, so I didn’t want to repeat the whole thing here. Some of what I will share will make more sense if you do read it. It was written…
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Deep Rooted Faith Leads to a Healing Second Birth
Surita Carstens from South Africa described her first baby’s birth as, “…one of the most traumatic experiences in our lives.” We published that story in 2012 and it moved many of us to tears with its senseless cruelty. At the end of it she wrote, “I hope that one day I can have a VBAC to empower me and feel…
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Awesome Waterbirth {HBAC Birth Without Fear}
“My sweet man will be a year old tomorrow so I wanted to share my story and pictures. I wrote this a couple of weeks after his birth and never could have realized how much this baby would change and bless our family. We’ve come a long way in our almost 15 years of marriage. My story does leave out…
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VBAC: What ACOG Really Says {Birth Without Fear}
VBAC – Vaginal Birth After Cesarean. The term and action is wrought with political and emotional meaning in the birth world. Can you have a VBAC? Does your doctor or hospital “allow” a VBAC? Under what conditions can you have a VBAC? Should it be called a TOLAC (trial of labor after cesarean)? What sort of prior birth history is…
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Loving My Body {One Scar at a Time}
My fourth baby, an attempted VBA2C, left me with my final scar of childbirth. After 3 premature deliveries, progesterone shots allowed me to carry to 38 weeks 6 days. Labour began on its own and after a stalled labour, forehead presentation and Bandels Ring I delivered by a calm and quiet c-section, the final chapter in my family’s growth. I…
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I Am Strong {2 Sets of Twins}
I am strong because after 5 years of TTC, I became pregnant with a set of twins. I am strong because after fighting to keep them in, I went into labor at 32 weeks and had to have a c/s. I am strong because they were in the NICU for over a month and a half, fighting for normal breathing and heartbeats. I’m strong…
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A Much-Desired VBAC with a Supportive ObGyn
The stories of my children’s births are both my worst and best day ever. My son was born February 26, 2011. I had wanted a natural childbirth, unfortunately that did not come close to what I got. I was called by my midwife on the 23rd, stating that she had concerns regarding some of my blood work and said that…
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An Empowering and Healing Cesarean Section
My first pregnancy was one that was mostly good, but the bad was very bad. I had extremely bad swelling. So bad I thought my skin would split open by the end of my workday. And the carpal tunnel was sheer misery. At eight months pregnant, the beginning of October 2008, I had cortisone shots in my hands to make…
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A Cesarean followed by a {Healing} Medicated VBAC
On October 16th, 2008, my son came into this crazy world. He was born via emergency C-section, which to this day I am still not too sure how I feel about it. I was induced not even being a week overdue. I was anxious, uneducated and just wanted to have my baby here. My blood pressure was up and I…