How to Have a Successful VBAC
Compiled by LLM
In 2001, the US VBAC rate dropped by 72%* (see
end). This is not because VBACs have become physically
more difficult to have- but because "care"
providers are increasingly refusing to attend
them.
Regardless of this shocking and alarming trend,
many women still have VBACs- at home with a midwife,
unassisted- or even in the hospital, with a great
deal of planning. Either way- a vaginal birth
need not be a distant dream for women: it is as
possible and real as a woman allows it to be.
(Women can give birth- their bodies were
born to give birth- birth is normal, and
beautifully possible for women today.) See the
VBAC
birth stories page as well, and VBAC
is Safe!.
Click for the desired responses.
- Response
from Wendy McNair Wendy had a home waterbirth
after two cesareans- she values privacy, safety,
quiet, and the belief that things will go well.
- Response
from Gretchen Humphries Gretchen had a VBAC
waterbirth, and is a Contributing Expert on
this site. Her response is simply amazing- it
breathes power into women, and encourages them
to make the births of their dreams come true.
- Response
from Leslie Leslie had a VBAC after three
previous cesareans!
- Response
from Gloria Lemay Gloria is a private birth
attendant with much VBAC homebirth experience.
Important: choosing between a dramatic birth
story and a smooth birth.
- Response
from Annette Avery Annette had three previous
cesareans, then a hospital VBAC. She writes
about things she did to grow confidence. This
page includes the winning birth plan she wrote.
- Response
from Kiley Myers Kiley had two cesareans,
then an unassisted homebirth. Knowledge was
the key to her empowerment. Also read Kiley's
VBAC
List.
- Response
from Stephanie Coleman Stephanie had a brutal
cesarean, then a midwife-attended homebirth-
she speaks here of things she did to help her
believe in herself-very important for
her to have her VBAC.
- Response
from Tonya Jamois Tonya had a healing homebirth
after cesarean, and speaks of the superior quality
of midwifery care than OB care for VBAC women.
*In 2001 24.4% of American women got c-sections.
VBACs were down by 72%. Read "Births: Preliminary
Data for 2001" from the CDC's National
Center for Health Statistics.
Excepted:
"The cesarean delivery rate rose sharply
for 2001, by 7 percent, from 22.9 percent of
all births for 2000 to 24.4 percent. The total
cesarean rate declined steadily between 1989
and 1996 (tables A, 7, and figure 2), but has
climbed 17 percent in 5 years (from 20.8 percent
in 1996). The current level is the highest reported
since these data have been available from birth
certificates (1989). The 2001 primary cesarean
rate (births to women with no previous cesarean)
was 16.9, a 5-percent increase over 2000 (16.1
percent). The primary cesarean rate has risen
16 percent from the low of 14.6 percent reported
for 1996 and 1997. The 2001 rate of first cesareans
is also the highest reported from this data
source. The rate of vaginal births after previous
cesarean (VBAC) delivery tumbled 20 percent
for 2000-2001, from 20.6 to 16.5 per 100 women
with a previous cesarean delivery. The VBAC
rate had risen 50 percent between 1989 and 1996,
but has fallen 72 percent since the 1996 high
(1)."
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