
Once upon a time, you had a caesarean birth for your first baby and then another caesarean section for your next baby and then another for any subsequent pregnancies. The end.
Thank god that was 'once upon a time' and not standard practice for every pregnant woman today.
Fortunately, we have come a long way in the world of birthing and obstetrics and most women are now offered the opportunity to try a 'vaginal birth after caesarean section' (VBAC), all depending on previous reasons for a caesarean section.
Watch: Questions about childbirth, answered. Post continues below.
But at least there is room for discussion to begin with. It’s all about choice, right? Something that we, as females carrying the baby, deserve. A choice. A say in something. A hope that we can potentially have the birth we wish for.
Or perhaps you are content with another caesarean section, and that is absolutely fine too.
Either way, a happy, healthy mum and baby is all we wish for. Truly.
Something that is becoming more apparent though, as I spend hours on end answering desperate pleas from pregnant women in my Instagram inbox, is their fear of not being able to have a VBAC.
Listen to Leigh Campbell's birth story. Post continues below.
Messages along the lines of 'I wasn’t offered the opportunity to have a VBAC', 'Have I missed the boat?', 'I never had this discussion with my midwife or doctor?', 'My doctor isn’t encouraging regarding me wanting a VBAC', or worst of all, 'I just had a repeat caesarean a few days ago and a VBAC was never discussed to begin with.'
Here's the hard part. It comes down to many things, like education (or lack of) regarding VBAC, and your true wishes as a patient: how much do you want one? Have you done your research finding a care provider supportive of this? Have you done research at all regarding VBACs in general?
There are so many things to weigh up and research prior to even committing yourself to one.