Australian VBAC Stories

In this episode we hear from Maddie who shares her incredible journey through three very different births and the lessons she learned along the way. After a positive first birth in hospital where Maddie used hypnobirthing and had a vaginal birth, she planned a homebirth with a privately practising midwife for her second. Her pregnancy took an unexpected turn when Maddie was diagnosed with placenta...

In this episode of Australian VBAC Stories, we are joined by Rena, a mother of two from East Gippsland, Victoria. After a traumatic induction, emergency caesarean birth, severe postpartum infection, and postnatal depression with her first daughter, Rena knew she wanted a different experience for her next birth. In this episode, she shares her journey towards a planned VBAC, including years of rese...

In this episode, we hear from Mikaela - a wife, mother to three girls, Christian birth doula and childbirth educator in QLD - as shares the story of her three very different births: from a traumatic emergency caesarean at 32 weeks after developing HELLP syndrome, preeclampsia and cholestasis, through to two hard-won VBACs in the years that followed. She speaks candidly about birth trauma, PTSD, NI...

In this episode, Fiona shares the story of her first birth, a pregnancy that quickly shifted from low-risk to highly medicalised following the discovery of her son’s omphalocele. What began as a planned physiological birth became a scheduled caesarean at 39 weeks, followed by a NICU stay, complications following mistakes from medical staff, delayed surgery, and a challenging introduction to mother...

In this week’s episode, Taylor shares her journey from a breech caesarean to a VBAC that, on paper, had almost everything people fear: induction, fetal distress, instrumental birth, retained placenta, postpartum haemorrhage... And yet, her story is not one of fear or trauma. Taylor speaks about what it felt like to be informed, make decisions in real time, and hold her ground when it mattered. But...

In this special episode of Australian VBAC Stories, co-host Katelyn, doula and VBAC educator, openly shares the story of her three daughters’ births, and the many ways they’ve shaped who she is today. Her first pregnancy was incredibly challenging. She found herself in a private care model that didn’t feel aligned, facing repeated pressure around sweeps and induction. Her labour became intense and...

In this episode, we’re sharing something a little different in honour of Caesarean Awareness Month. Zoe joins us to reflect on the birth of her first baby: a journey that began with a deeply intentional plan for a homebirth and unfolded into a caesarean after a long, steady labour at home. This isn’t a VBAC story (yet), but a story from the in-between... the space where many women find themselves...

Australian VBAC Stories are back! And we've got a cracker of a VBAC story for you... In celebration of Multiple Birth Awareness Week, Katelyn speaks with Brooke who shares her amazing TWIN VBAC story! Brooke’s first birth ended in an emergency caesarean after a breech diagnosis and a series of interventions that ultimately left her feeling disempowered and separated from her baby in those earl...

In this episode, we speak with Josi, who shares her experiences across four pregnancies from a breech caesarean, to an unexpected twin pregnancy complicated by HELLP syndrome, to finally planning and achieving a VBA2C. Josi walks us through her first birth after moving from Germany, navigating an unfamiliar maternity system, an unsuccessful and painful ECV, and an overall positive planned caesarea...

In this episode, we speak with Courtney about how she reclaimed/found her power with her powerful VBAC after a previously traumatic, preterm birth experience. Courtney shares openly about the emotional aftermath of her first birth, which involved a preterm labour and eventually a caesarean, leaving her feeling overwhelmed and disconnected. Determined to approach her next pregnancy differently, she...

In this episode, we speak with Tori about how a broken leg at 32 weeks changed the course of her first birth, and shaped the way she approached her VBAC. Tori had hoped for a straightforward first birth, but a series of cascading events starting with breaking her leg and ending with a premature, face presenting baby at full dilation saw to it that she had anything but. After a traumatic caesarean...

In this episode of Australian VBAC Stories, we meet Ashleigh Rajan, a registered nurse, mother of four, and passionate advocate for informed birth choices. Ashleigh’s path to VBAC was shaped by four very different birth experiences – from her first birth as a young mother navigating the unknown, to her second birth via an elective caesarean, and finally to her empowering VBACs with her third and f...

In this inspiring episode of Australian VBAC Stories we chat with Imogen, a mum of two, currently expecting her third baby, who shares the journey of her beautifully redemptive VBAC birth. After a difficult first birth that started with an induction at 41+6, Imogen found herself overwhelmed by an intense labour. Despite planning for a natural, hospital birth with the support of a private midwife,...

In this powerful episode we hear from Jessica Tabb, a mum of two boys from the Hawkesbury, who shares a deeply reflective and empowering journey to her vaginal birth after caesarean. Jessica’s story is one of navigating uncertainty, learning to trust her body, and overcoming the emotional residue of a first birth that didn’t go to plan. Jessica’s first birth started with her waters breaking, resul...

In this episode we hear from Kira, a thoughtful and articulate mum who shares her powerful VBAC journey after a previous caesarean. Kira’s story is a beautiful reminder that an empowering vaginal birth after caesarean is possible, even when it involves induction and an epidural. She speaks candidly about her first birth which resulted in a caesarean and left her feeling disempowered and unheard. D...

In this episode, Georgia speaks with Emily, who shares her two contrasting birth stories with honesty, insight, and strength. Emily’s first birth, a planned hospital birth during COVID, took an unexpected turn following a gestational diabetes diagnosis, loss of continuity of care (MGP) in the last weeks of pregnancy, and a challenging, prodromal labour with posterior baby that ended in a caesarean...

In this heartfelt and deeply insightful episode, Laura shares the stories of her four very different births — unfolding under different models of care and each offering her profound lessons in motherhood, birth and self-trust. Laura’s journey begins in the public hospital system, where despite a positive first birth experience with her son Harry, she reflects on the loss of her mother during this...

In this moving episode, we follow Tina’s powerful VBAC journey — from becoming a young mum at 21 and experiencing a caesarean under general anaesthetic, to reclaiming her birthing power with the vaginal birth of her MCDA twins. Tina opens up about the heartbreak of missing her son’s first moments, the emotional toll of separation and how that experience shaped her path to becoming a midwife. She t...

It is with deep reverence and gratitude that we share Angela's birth stories with you. Midwife Angela shares her powerful journey through three profoundly different births. Her story begins with the premature birth of her first son, Colton, at just 26 weeks following an antepartum haemorrhage and preterm premature rupture of membranes. Angela recounts the emotional and clinical intensity of un...

In this deeply moving and multifaceted episode, we sit down with Jen to explore her extraordinary journey through six births and five miscarriages, with a diagnosis of hyperfertility. Jen shares openly and honestly about her experiences, the medical complexities and the fierce resilience that led to her reclaiming her birth and deeply trusting her intuition, shaping her motherhood story. Jen leads...

In this beautiful episode we get the opportunity to listen to Freyja's 2 incredible birth stories! Listen in to hear a beautiful recount and reflection around the births of her two gorgeous, big baby boys! Her first birth was a difficult one, occurring amongst floods and during COVID and involving an induction due to insulin dependent gestational diabetes and suspected big baby. Ultimately Fre...

In this very special episode, we hear from our beloved co-host Aimee as she steps into the storyteller's seat to share the deeply personal journeys of her three births - a path woven with loss, healing, and profound transformation. Aimee begins with the unexpected birth of her first baby, Willow - a planned homebirth that turned into an emergency caesarean at 36 weeks due to a placental abrupt...

We’re so excited to bring you this episode with the wonderful Caitlyn, who shares her incredible birth journey and the lessons she's learned along the way. Her story begins with the traumatic birth of her eldest daughter in 2020 during lockdown, which set her on the path to pursue a VBAC with her son.  Despite her hopes for a more straightforward, peaceful experience, her son’s birth did not go as...

We are so thrilled to bring you this episode with the wonderful Cara who shares her three very different birth experiences with us. During her first birth, Cara had done independent birth education and felt able to say no to some things that didn't feel right to her, but found herself in a difficult situation with prelabour rupture of membranes and a slow early labour that eventually led her to be...

We’re overjoyed to bring you the incredible story of Carissa’s three births. She takes us deep into her journey from a planned caesarean with a private obstetrician, to her emergency caesarean in hospital, to her powerful and joyous freebirth with her third son. Carissa hired a private obstetrician in her first pregnancy and was devastated to learn that the myomectomy, that she had previously unde...