It takes a Village...

It has become increasingly clear to me that it takes a village to get a VBAC.

I have written posts on the importance of choosing your birth team, and this is doubly important when seeking a VBAC. Your birth team includes:

• Your care provider (this is your doctor or midwife)
• Your partner (this would be your lover, husband, family member, or life partner)
• Your other support people (doula, mother, sister, aunt, mother-in-law, etc..)
• Your place of birth (hospital or birthing center)

This is so very important people think, 'well, it's only one day'. Trust me, without the right support team, your chances of a successful VBAC are not in your favor.

Recent news has shown just how important this is.

Amber Marlowe was a seasoned pro at delivering big babies — her first six each weighed close to 12 pounds. So when she went into labor with her seventh last winter, she brushed off doctors who told her the 11-pound, 9-ounce girl could be delivered only by Caesarean section.


But the medical staff at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital wouldn’t budge, not even with her track record. “All my others, I’ve done naturally,” Marlowe recalled telling her physicians. “I know I can do it.”

So Marlowe checked herself out and went looking for a new doctor.

While she was on her search, Wilkes-Barre General’s lawyers rushed to court to get legal guardianship of her unborn child, giving the hospital the ability to force Marlowe into surgery if she returned.

- Read the rest of the story here.

If you want to do something about a local VBAC ban, consider this article on getting proactive, getting your voice heard. Because it really is true, it takes a village to get a VBAC... or just choose to stay home and out of the village in the first place.

For information on how to best your chances of a successful VBAC, take a look at So You Want A VBAC. For information on the studies and articles of interest regarding VBACtivism, see The First Cut is...