VBAC Birth Stories Melissa Merino & Stephanie Cannavo

In this episode we chat to Sydney mum of two Rachel who experienced an unmedicated VBAC in a private hospital setting after going through 35 hours of labour. Following her caesarean Rachel went on to experience poor postpartum mental health and reflects how her first birth unfolding the way it did could have contributed to those feelings. 

Rachel reveals her reasons for wanting to try for a vaginal birth again and one of those reasons is not one that we would immediately think of, but Rachel so eloquently explains how just the very process of going on a VBAC journey can have the potential to teach us important life skills. 

Thank you Rachel @rachelraez (Instagram) for sharing your story with us and thank you to our patrons for helping to bring this episode to you.

 ~ AFFILIATES ~

Access discounts with our amazing affiliates:

Birth Time film:
20% DISCOUNT CODE: CICADA20
https://www.birthtime.world/a/2147503775/Eb2Kfvxt

Partum Panties:
10% DISCOUNT CODE: Vbacbirthstories
https://www.partumpanties.com.au

The Birth Store:
10% DISCOUNT CODE: VBAC
https://thebirthstore.com.au/?ref=VBAC

A big thank you to our patrons for helping to bring this episode to you. Please consider supporting the podcast from as little as $2 a month. Your donations go toward the up-keeping costs of running the podcast and really help us to keep going with the pod.

https://www.patreon.com/vbacbirthstories

~ Notes ~

Book: Ina May Gaskin 'A Guide to Childbirth'

Facebook group: VBAC Australia Support Group 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/342851302473349

Doula: Amanda @essentialmeservices (Instagram) 

https://www.essentialme.com.au

IBCLC finder website: www.lcanz.org

~ Birth Trauma & Post Natal Depression/Anxiety support ~

If this episode raises any concerns for you please don't hesitate to contact:

The Gidget Foundationhttps: //gidgetfoundation.org.au/get-support/

In this episode we speak to Adelaide mum of two Rosalie about her two births. Rosalie underwent IVF and speaks about the unique challenges women in same sex relationships face when dealing with healthcare.  Her first birth was an emergency caesarean which followed an induction for having a macrocosmic baby and being post-dates. Rosalie was very well educated about birth and was planning a public hospital funded homebirth before she was 'risked out.' She knew about the cascade of intervention yet she was coerced into a procedure that she did not want. This coercion was the catalyst for her birth trauma and PTSD. 

In her next pregnancy Rosalie hired a private midwife and a doula to give herself the best chance of having a physiological birth at home...but once labour was underway she knew on an intuitive level that there would be a curveball right at the end. 

Rosalie shares a wealth of knowledge about birth in this episode which is important listening for anyone who wants to give birth. A must listen for anyone working in maternity too, to understand the ways they can support mothers and prevent birth trauma from occurring to 1 in 3 women, and the 1 in 10 Australian women who are diagnosed with PTSD following their births. 

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Shop:
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~ AFFILIATES ~

Access discounts with our amazing affiliates:

Birth Time film:
20% DISCOUNT CODE: CICADA20
https://www.birthtime.world/a/2147503775/Eb2Kfvxt

Partum Panties:
10% DISCOUNT CODE: Vbacbirthstories
https://www.partumpanties.com.au

The Birth Store:
10% DISCOUNT CODE: VBAC
https://thebirthstore.com.au/?ref=VBAC

A big thank you to our patrons for helping to bring this episode to you. Please consider supporting the podcast from as little as $2 a month. Your donations go toward the up-keeping costs of running the podcast and really help us to keep going with the pod.

https://www.patreon.com/vbacbirthstories

~ Notes ~

Birth Preparation Course: Calmbirth
www.calmbirth.com.au

Book: Reclaiming Childbirth as a Rite of Passage
www.midwifethinking.com

Midwife: @embracemidwifery on Instagram

Doula: @brookehiltondoula on Instagram

Psychologist: Heather Matter
https://www.mtloftychiropractic.com.au/staff/heather-mattner/

Optimal positions for pregnancy and birth: www.spinningbabies.com

"Dimensions, not weight" Instagram reel by B from Core, Floor & Restore: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CftTT7Vj7XH/?igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY=

VBAC Australia Support Group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/342851302473349

Induction of Labour Facebook group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/inductionoflabour

~ Birth Trauma & Post Natal Depression/Anxiety support ~

If this episode raises any concerns for you please don't hesitate to contact:

The Gidget Foundationhttps: //gidgetfoundation.org.au/get-support/

**VBAC Birth Stories features women's lived experiences. It is not intended to replace medical advice. Should you have any concerns during your pregnancy please always consult your healthcare provider.

Today we have the honour and pleasure of chatting to Hazel Keedle once again on the podcast. Hazel is a lecturer at Western Sydney University and midwifery researcher who has primarily focused on women’s experiences of vaginal birth after caesarean and is now a lead researcher in the Birth Experience Study- the largest study on women’s experiences of maternity care in Australia. Since we last spoke Hazel has completed her PhD and is now an author with her newly released book Birth After Caesarean: Your Journey to a Better Birth. We spoke to Hazel way back in Season 1 and you can find this interview by searching for our 7th episode. 
In this episode we cover:
The inspiration for the book Birth After Caesarean: Your Journey to a Better Birth and what readers can expect to gain from reading itInteresting preliminary observations from data collected from The Birth Experience Study Survey which had almost 9000 respondentsFeminism and birth and the impact of social mediaImpact and importance of continuity of midwifery careEncouraging words of advice for midwives and student midwives navigating fragmented care in our Australian maternity system + much more
Follow Hazel at these locations:
Instagram: @hazelkeedle
Facebook: @VBACmatters 
https://www.facebook.com/VBACmatters
Twitter: @HazelKeedle
For links to papers, events and more:
https://linktr.ee/hazelkeedle
Buy the book on Amazon: 
https://tinyurl.com/vbac-book
Stay tuned for a GIVEAWAY of Hazel's book Birth After Caesarean for VBAC Birth Stories listeners :) Be sure to be following the pod and Hazel on social media.

Instagram: @vbacbirthstories
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vbacbirthstoriesAU

Support the podcast on Patreon:

~ PATREON ~
Please consider joining our Patreon if you are enjoying the podcast and would like to help support us by making a donation:
https://www.patreon.com/vbacbirthstories
~ AFFILIATES ~
Access discounts with our amazing affiliates:


Birth Time film:
USE DISCOUNT CODE: CICADA20
https://www.birthtime.world/a/2147503775/Eb2Kfvxt


Partum Panties:
USE DISCOUNT CODE: Vbacbirthstories
https://www.partumpanties.com.au


The Birth Store:
USE DISCOUNT CODE: VBAC
https://thebirthstore.com.au
**VBAC Birth Stories features women's lived experiences. It is not intended to replace medical advice. Should you have any concerns during your pregnancy please always consult your healthcare provider.
Please connect with us on Facebook or Instagram: @vbacbirthstories

In this episode we chat to Shelley, a mum of two from Adelaide. Shelley reached out to us shortly after having her baby because she wanted to share the unique circumstances surrounding her first birth and VBAC. Shelley lives with Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Genital, it is classified as a type of STI, and because of the stigma this carries Shelley could not find any stories from women who have navigated pregnancy and birth with this condition. 

It is estimated that three-quarters of Australian adults are infected with HSV1.
Shelley talks about how her genital herpes affected the outcome of her first birth, and although a very empowering and positive caesarean she still held the desire to have a VBAC for next time. Unlike her first birth genital herpes didn't play a role in the outcome of her second birth, however being covid positive at the time her body went into labour certainly did. Shelley got covid twice during her VBAC pregnancy.
Although her VBAC didn't go the way Shelley envisioned- there was intervention there- she felt in control the entire time due to the preparation she had done during her VBAC pregnancy. Shelley also shares how she had a positive breastfeeding journey with her second baby, which wasn't the case with her first baby.  
A big thank you to our patrons for helping to bring this episode to you. Please consider supporting the podcast from as little as $2 a month. Your donations go toward the up-keeping costs of running the podcast and really help us to keep going x 


https://www.patreon.com/vbacbirthstories

~ AFFILIATES ~
Access discounts with our amazing affiliates:


Birth Time film:
DISCOUNT CODE: CICADA20
https://www.birthtime.world/a/2147503775/Eb2Kfvxt


Partum Panties:
DISCOUNT CODE: Vbacbirthstories
https://www.partumpanties.com.au


The Birth Store:
DISCOUNT CODE: VBAC
https://thebirthstore.com.au/?ref=VBAC


~ Notes ~
Books:

The Birth Map by Catherine Bell
Birth Skills by Juju Sundin with Sarah Murdoch

Pregnancy Loss:


Https://www.bearsofhope.org.au
Https://rednosegriefandloss.org.au
Https://miscarriagessupport.org.au


**VBAC Birth Stories features women's lived experiences. It is not intended to replace medical advice. Should you have any concerns during your pregnancy please always consult your healthcare provider.


Please connect with us on Facebook or Instagram: @vbacbirthstories

Amielia is a 21 year old Djab Wurrung woman and this week we would like to share her birth stories in celebration of NAIDOC week.


Amielia only found out about the details of her indigenous ancestry when she was 12 and who her family were related to. She grew up learning about her cultural practices and a part of the disappointment in her first birth was the disconnect between these practices and the public hospital system. Later she would learn there was a program dedicated to indigenous women that she would seek to be a part of in her next pregnancy.


When she first fell pregnant it was unexpected but despite this her partner vowed to support her no matter which path she took. She speaks about the lack of knowledge she had going into the pregnancy and how it felt going through her first pregnancy amid Covid lockdowns in Victoria.


At 41 and 5 days, doctors suggested an induction which she agreed to. She had tested positive for Group B Strep. After what was deemed ‘failure to progress’ at 2cm dilation Amielia felt powerless and agreed to an emergency caesarean after her baby’s heart rate started to show signs of distress.


After this experience Amielia did not want to be induced again. She hired a student doula and ended up experiencing the vaginal birth she always wanted at almost 43 weeks. Due to her baby passing meconium in her womb she agreed to have her baby tested for infection and tells us how her baby ended up staying in hospital for 5 days and what that experience was like for her.


Thank you Amielia for sharing your VBAC journey with us.


NAIDOC week: https://www.naidoc.org.au


~ PATREON ~


Please consider joining our Patreon if you are enjoying the podcast and would like to help support us by making a donation:


https://www.patreon.com/vbacbirthstories


~ AFFILIATES ~
Access discounts with our amazing affiliates:


Birth Time film (20%):
USE DISCOUNT CODE: CICADA20
https://www.birthtime.world/a/2147503775/Eb2Kfvxt


Partum Panties (10%):
USE DISCOUNT CODE: Vbacbirthstories
https://www.partumpanties.com.au


The Birth Store: TENS Machine hire and more (10%):
https://www.thebirthstore.com.au/?ref=VBAC


~ Notes ~


Doula: Courtney
https://beyondbirthcollective.com.au


Instagram of womb specialist: @rosewomb_x


VBAC Australia Support Group (Facebook):
https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=vbac%20australia%20support%20group


Perinatal Depression & Post Natal Depression/Anxiety support: If you or anyone you know is affected by PND symptoms please don't hesitate to contact the following support networks.


The Gidget Foundation
https://gidgetfoundation.org.au/get-support/,


PANDA
https://www.panda.org.au/info-support/pandas-national-perinatal-anxiety-depression-helpline


Beyond Blue
https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/get-immediate-support


Cope
https://www.cope.org.au


**VBAC Birth Stories features women's lived experiences. It is not intended to replace medical advice. Should you have any concerns during your pregnancy please always consult your healthcare provider.


Please connect with us on Facebook or Instagram: @vba

Today we meet Tina a registered nurse and mum of two who lives with her husband in Melbourne. She shares her two very different birth and postpartum experiences with us. After Tina's son was born via an emergency caesarean he experienced what is called TTN (Transient Tachypnea of the Newborn). Babies with TTN have extra fluid in their lungs or the fluid leaves too slowly from their lungs. It is more likely to occur in c-section babies. She shares what it was like for her having a baby in special care and then the NICU ward. Having an unexpected surgical birth played a heavy role in her overall mental wellbeing in those early days.


In her VBAC pregnancy Tina opted to have a student midwife follow her on her journey, and we are very thankful that Tina invited her student midwife, Rebecca, to join us in today's interview. You'll get to hear her perspective on VBAC and following women on their journey to birth during the show.


~ PATREON ~


Please consider joining our Patreon if you are enjoying the podcast and would like to help support us by making a donation:


https://www.patreon.com/vbacbirthstories


~ AFFILIATES ~
Access discounts with our amazing affiliates:


Birth Time film (20%):
USE DISCOUNT CODE: CICADA20
https://www.birthtime.world/a/2147503775/Eb2Kfvxt


Partum Panties (10%):
USE DISCOUNT CODE: Vbacbirthstories
https://www.partumpanties.com.au


The Birth Store: TENS Machine hire and more (10%):
https://www.thebirthstore.com.au/?ref=VBAC


~ Notes ~


Student Midwife: Rebecca. Instagram: @becletts


Resources:


The Birth Map. Instagram: @birthmapping. Website: https://birthmap.life


Core & Floor Restore: Instagram: @corefloorrestore. Website: https://coreandfloor.com.au


Evidence Based Birth: Instagram: @ebbirth. Website: https://evidencebasedbirth.com


The Naked Doula: Instagram: @thenakeddoula. Website: https://thenakeddoula.me


Perinatal Depression & Post Natal Depression/Anxiety support: If you or anyone you know is affected by PND symptoms please don't hesitate to contact the following support networks.


The Gidget Foundation
https://gidgetfoundation.org.au/get-support


PANDA
https://www.panda.org.au/info-support/pandas-national-perinatal-anxiety-depression-helpline


Beyond Blue
https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/get-immediate-support


Cope
https://www.cope.org.au


**VBAC Birth Stories features women's lived experiences. It is not intended to replace medical advice. Should you have any concerns during your pregnancy please always consult your healthcare provider.


Please connect with us on Facebook or Instagram: @vbacbirthstories