Megan’s Cesarean & HBAC Stories

In today's episode we meet Megan. Despite Megan’s desire for a natural birth, her journey to motherhood began with an ectopic pregnancy and the discovery of autoimmune issues which left her feeling shaken and like maybe home birth wasn’t for her after all. When she got pregnant again, Megan sought out care from the OB who had performed the surgery for her ectopic pregnancy and ended up having a cesarean due to breech presentation. Immediately after her cesarean, Megan knew that she definitely wanted to have her next baby naturally at home and started meeting with midwives before she was even pregnant again. Megan then went on to give birth to her next baby in the comfort of her own home.

Join us as Megan shares her birth stories, the importance of discussing the realities of it sometimes taking several months to get pregnant once you begin trying, and the importance of paying attention to early red flags from your provider. We also discuss the sensations and feelings that come with having a cesarean and healing afterwards, the cascade of interventions and potential consequences of forcing labor to start before your body is ready, the stress of having strangers present during a hospital birth, the differences in the overall relationship and environment associated with a home birth and midwife compared to an OB in the hospital, finding the right balance between consuming positive VBAC/HBAC stories but still being aware of the risks and possibilities associated with birth, the importance of setting boundaries with people in your life regarding your birth plans, not allowing unsupportive people into your birth space, the stigma around home birth and the lack of education around home birth and birth in general, and that your birth support doesn’t have to come from a certified doula.

HBAC vs. hospital VBAC study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33583048/

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Want to share your Home Birth After Cesarean (HBAC) story? Send us an e-mail at hbacpodcast@gmail.com to get in touch.

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to replace advice from qualified medical professionals.