When a VBAC leads to regret – is it the birth, or the system? I sometimes hear or read how disappointed or even regretful some women felt after their VBAC. It’s disheartening, because on the surface, it seems like they “got” what they were aiming for – a vaginal birth after caesarean. But when I...
What does radical responsibility mean in childbirth? We often hear that “birth is unpredictable,” and while that’s true, what’s often left out of the conversation is how much power women actually do have in shaping their birth experience. This is where the concept of radical responsibility becomes so important. Radical responsibility in childbirth doesn’t mean...
VBAC or repeat caesarean: navigating the “what ifs” at the end of pregnancy As women approach the final weeks of pregnancy, even the most confident and well-researched birth plan can begin to feel uncertain. For those planning a Vaginal Birth After Caesarean (VBAC), it’s not uncommon to feel a strong pull in another direction –...
Navigating ‘Foetal Distress’ During Labour: Empowering Your VBAC Journey One of the most emotionally challenging moments during labour is when a care provider tells you, “Your baby is in distress.” It’s a phrase that can feel frightening and disempowering, and for many women planning a VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Caesarean), it’s a scenario they dread,...
Your Guide to VBAC in Australia – Be Prepared and Confident For many Australian women, the decision to pursue a Vaginal Birth After Caesarean (VBAC) is both deeply personal and transformative. With the right support, accurate information, and a trusting birth environment, VBAC can be a healing experience after a previous caesarean. This guide brings...
When is the right time to go to hospital during labour (including VBAC)? One of the most common questions women ask as they approach the end of pregnancy is: When should I go to hospital? It sounds like a simple question, but the answer isn’t. That’s because labour is not linear. There is no set...
When VBAC doesn’t go to plan – it’s not failure “Failed VBAC” — it’s a phrase that gets tossed around far too commonly in medical records, hospital corridors and social media groups, yet it carries a heavy emotional weight for the women it refers to. For many women who have planned a vaginal birth after...
Vicki Hobbs from Back-to-Basics Birthing and the Strength to Progress Conference are proud to be hosting Dr Hazel Keedle with her VBAC Workshop for Birth Workers. Dr Hazel Keedle is a Lecturer of Midwifery and completed her PhD in 2021 at Western Sydney University, Australia. Hazel has more than 25 years of experience as a...
I am so fortunate and honoured to have met and learnt from Ginny Phang-Davey from iBirth Professionals, who shares her knowledge and experience with us on how to use the basic OMP PROTOCOLS during pregnancy, labour and birth for a better birth experience. The great thing about Ginny is she is so authentic about these...
I’ve been waiting for this incredible vaginal breech birth after caesarean story as I was so privileged to be a part of this birth as a doula, which meant being a part of the preparation, the fears, the tears, the excitement and the unknown as even though I have supported many VBAC births, I had...
Introduction by Vicki…. I have waited a year to get this birth story from a woman I admire so much, and when I read this it brought tears to my eyes yet warmed my heart. Yes, it’s a long birth story but it is one that needed to be written that helped a woman heal...
Women do not need to be told “all that matters is a healthy baby” because she is the one growing and nurturing her baby. You can be sure that she is thinking and feeling that her first priority is a healthy baby – nobody needs to tell her this and she will forever be grateful...
The Australian Institute of Health & Welfare (AIHW) have released the Australian Mothers and Babies 2016 report and it is disappointing to see that the national caesarean rate continues to rise and is well outside the World Health Organisation recommendations of between 10%-15%. This data provides an overview of mothers and babies, maternal demographics, the...
Every woman should write a birth plan, but for a VBAC mother it is even more important! This is because many women who are having a VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Caesarean) are now more educated and have identified that there may have been alternatives or different options they could have chosen instead of the interventions...
There are so many things to consider when you are planning your vaginal birth after caesarean (VBAC) and these are just the ones I wanted to put together quickly to get you started, but you have to do your own mind-mapping to work out where you need more information, where you feel strong and confident...
Your Pelvis One of the important physical aspects of the body during pregnancy is the pelvis. Your pelvis is not one fixed bone; it is made up of 4 separate bones: sacrum; coccyx two iliac bones, one on the left and one on the right, which are joined to the sacrum at the back at...
For the most part, I feel so positive about the new VBAC guidelines just released by ACOG this month (ACOG Practice Bulletin #184) and wanted to share a few highlights that potential VBAC women can really push for with their own care providers here in Australia. We seem to be so far behind in Australia,...
What are the “absolute” risks of stillbirth? Many healthcare providers create fear in women when they say, “the risk of stillbirth doubles by the end of 42 weeks.” This is the “relative” risk of stillbirth. It is important that you obtain the “absolute” risk before making any decisions. The “absolute” risk means how often does...
There is no doubt that synthetic oxytocin has its place in maternity care, and can be instrumental in saving lives, but even the companies who develop this synthetic oxytocin state that it should not be used for routine inductions and augmentation of labour unless medically necessary. For the use of synthetic oxytocin the woman needs...
A ground-breaking Australian study on effective childbirth education was recently released by Dr. Kate Levett and Dr. Hannah Dahlen (who were also key-note speakers at our annual conference). This study highlighted how important it was to not only participate in independent childbirth education classes but to also find a program that included complementary therapies to...
Just wanted to share my successful VBAC story. I ended up being induced because my waters started leaking on Tuesday morning, but I wasn’t getting any surges so spoke to my midwife and she had said to stay at home as long as possible because they would keep me in once I got to hospital. So I went...