Birth Story: “My VBAC Story” by Katie L.

Thank you for sharing the powerful story of Jack’s birth!

At 12 weeks, my ob-gyn said I had a 50/50 chance of having another C-section. I cried and decided I could not accept that. I looked and looked for a VBAC supportive ob-gyn in Wausau, WI without much luck. I then found a family doctor that would do it. I was so excited! Then I learned she still had to get an “ok” from an ob-gyn. She was honest and told me they are trying to limit VBACs and that it’s still 50/50. Unfortunately, she did not take into account that I’m a great candidate! With my first son my cervix did dilate to 10 cm, and my body worked, but baby was just in a bad position. My doula and I asked, “If they don’t ok a VBAC, and recommend a repeat C-section, what happens if Katie comes to the hospital in active labor?” She said, “They won’t be nice”. So, my other option was home birth with a midwife. My doula found a midwife 45 minutes away that specialized in VBACs! At 35 weeks I switched care! The one sad thing was I did not tell anyone because I did not want them to worry. It did add a lot of stress on me, but in the end my father-in-law thanked me for not telling them! I did confide in a few friends who were supportive and that was extremely helpful! I did a lot of preparation. I drank four cups of raspberry leaf tea and ate dates daily. I listened to positive birth affirmations and hypno-birth relaxation. I watched over 100 births on YouTube. I was scared, but I also believed that my body could do it. I did have nights I would be awake worrying and emailing my midwife with questions “what if…” she assured me that she would be monitoring baby and me and if she did not like what was happing that she would make us go to the hospital. I trusted her and felt that this was the right decision. I had hoped that baby would come early to be a little smaller and I would have less time to stress about my secret birth plan. For two weeks baby was low, I felt open (never had a cervical check), and had lots of Braxton hicks’ contractions making me think this time it’s happing! I also had major cabin fever winter of 2018. There was a bad flu making me nervous to take my almost 2-year-old son, George, out in public. Both my mom and my mother-in-law were very excited for baby to arrive and wanted to help with George when we “went the hospital”. They were constantly checking on me it was very sweet, but I did feel like a watched pot that would not boil.

On 2-8-18 at 2am my water broke in bed. I was so excited that it was really going to happen! No contractions yet, but I was too excited to sleep. I listened to my affirmations and relaxation cd. Contractions stared at 4am and I woke my husband at 5:30am to have him help keep track. I told my midwife what was going on. Danny, my husband, worked from home on Thursday so he decided he could still work but tell his boss what was going on. I asked a good friend to take George for the day. It was a life saver to know George was in good hands at 9am. I already had a midwife appointment set up for that day, Tammy the midwife came at 11am. My doula Val came along. I was contracting constantly ever 3-5min but I was talking and breathing through them. Tammy listened to baby and it all sounded good. Tammy had other appointment and suggested that I walk, rest, and that I should call her when my contractions become more intense. At 1pm I had lunch with Danny and Val. Then I went for a walk with Val up and down the small hill by our house in the -7 degree wind chill weather. The walk did bring on harder contractions which was exciting. Tammy wanted me to try and rest so Val left at 3pm to also try and get rest. I was contracting and feeling much more intensity so I tried to lay near Danny who was still working. Next, I got in the bath tub which did not help. It was a bad angle. Then I felt I had a big bowel movement coming. I called my midwife and told her this and she said she was on her way! By 4:15 Danny was done with work I got out of the tub; it started getting intense! Val came back in time to give me counter pressure on my back and help Danny fill the tub. In between contractions I would ask Val or Danny to do something and then instantly need one of them to push on my hips for counter pressure. Around this time I vomited. At 5pm my midwife arrived and started getting her stuff ready. I got in the birth tub around 5:30. I was excited and nervous. The tub not very full and there was no one in the tub with me. I was going to do it on my own! No counter pressure, just me in the tub. I rocked and moaned. I breathed down. Still no cervical check. Was I supposed to push? Was I pushing? I felt inside and I felt a head with hair! I looked to Tammy – this was happing? It was so cool! I was thinking this was going to take a long time, but Tammy checked and it was happing fast. I felt a weird swish and kick from baby inside it felt like a fish in a bag. I leaned forward and pushed and the head was out! I had to stand. The water was too low. I stood, leaned forward, and gave one more good push and out came baby behind me. At 6:22pm Tammy caught baby and handed under my leg. I saw my baby and said, “You look just like your brother.” “Is it a girl?” I looked. “It’s a boy! How did that happen?” They had me sit in the tub and hold baby for a minute and baby cried! We were both ok! I did it! It was amazing! They helped me out of the tub and to the bed with baby still attached. The placenta came out, Danny cut the cord, and we called our family. Everyone was shocked that the baby was here and that they were not waiting in the hospital all day. No tearing and he was even bigger then my C-section baby at 9lb 14oz, 22in, 14 cm head.

Looking back, it was the most amazing experience! I’m so glad I did a home birth! My son George was home by 8pm we got to introduce the brothers to each other. We were now a family of four! The midwifes and doula worked hard to clean up and all I did was hold my baby and try to get breastfeeding going. The grandmas arrived by 9pm I was up and walking around by 10pm. The next day I was on the floor playing with George! If I had had a second C-section I would have been home for three days. I’m so grateful for my powerful amazing birth experience. I do have it on video and it is so amazing! My wonderful birth is all I could talk about for days! I watched the video multiple times a day and showed anyone that would watch: my mom, my dad, my grandpa and some friends. I posted it on YouTube and shared it with moms on a powerful birth Facebook page. I’m happy to share with you. I want all women to know how powerful they are. My metaphor for my birth was that it was like skydiving; it was a leap of faith in myself and my body. It was the coolest experience of my life!

Written by Katie L. – See her birth video here: https://youtu.be/48dhT2Bc2HU

The views and opinions expressed in this story are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Wausau Mama.

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