Preparing for a VBAC can feel intimidating, but the five tips below can help you increase your odds of having a successful vaginal birth after a c-section.
First off, congratulations on your decision to birth vaginally and avoid a repeat cesarean. Even though you’re still pregnant, or maybe even just considering pregnancy, the decision can feel enormous.
If you’re considering a VBAC, there are probably many questions on your mind, including:
- How can I increase my chances of a successful VBAC?
- How do I prepare for a VBAC?
- What are my chances of a successful VBAC?
- Is VBAC safer than repeat cesarean?
This post will dive into these topics so you can feel more confident and prepared for your attempt at VBAC. Keep reading to learn the answers to these questions!
Is a VBAC safer than a repeat cesarean?
Yes, vaginal delivery after a cesarean holds fewer risks than having repeat surgery for most individuals. With the tips, let’s explore the best ways to support having a successful vaginal birth after having had a prior cesarean delivery (VBAC).
Six midwife-approved tips to increase your chances of a successful VBAC
The most important thing you can do to support your VBAC journey is bolster your confidence. We’ve also outlined six additional and instrumental steps to help you increase your chances of a successful VBAC.
1. Be your best advocate
A lot of undoing and relearning needs to happen after you’ve had a previous cesarean.
Many people hold onto fears of what their bodies are not capable of. They’re left wondering if their body failed them last time or if they can physically or mentally handle a vaginal birth this time.
Begin to prepare for VBAC by:
- Revisit your last labor and delivery story
- Review your labor records with a provider
- Find a midwife or doula who will debrief with you
- Confirm you are a good candidate for a VBAC
- Chat with a therapist about any fears you may have
- Join your local ICAN (International Cesarean Awareness Network) chapter
You must name any fears or concerns you may have going into this next birth and remind yourself how powerful you are. Share these fears with your selected provider and learn more about the power of self-advocacy during pregnancy.
As you begin to find your voice, it’s imperative that you also find a supportive birth team. This includes your provider, partner, friends, or doula if you’ve got one, and anyone else walking alongside you during this pregnancy.
Focus on surrounding yourself with a team of people to rally you through this pregnancy and labor who will remind you of your strength every step of the way. It pays to have everyone on board with your plan for a VBAC.
More on finding a VBAC-supportive provider below.
2. Read positive birth stories
Begin preparing for your VBAC by educating yourself on your prior birth and all its circumstances, including reading positive vaginal birth stories to fill your mind with powerful and positive birth associations.
The more you read (or watch!) about what our bodies are capable of, the more confident you will feel in your VBAC journey.
3. Reconnect with your body
Your body has brought you this far and even got you through that wild cesarean surgery. It’s a remarkable thing and should be honored for its capabilities. Become your body’s loudest and proudest cheerleader.
If you’re curious about preparing your body for a VBAC, start by finding ways to get in tune with it, including:
- Meditation
- Massage
- Breathwork
- Acupuncture
- Yoga
Ultimately, focus on activities that bring you into direct communication and harmony with your body.
4. Find a VBAC-supportive provider
The rate of cesareans in the United States is around 32%. With such high rates and the regularity of this surgery, you must know your provider and their VBAC rates.
The success rates of a VBAC by the provider can vary as widely as 0.5%-87%, so ask questions and research. Interview your local PCPs, OBs, CNMs, and Licensed Midwives.
Consider how often the births they attend result in induction, cesarean, or successful VBACs. Remember that your chosen provider can help increase your chances of a successful VBAC.
Birth after having had a cesarean is similar to giving birth for the first time, but some clinical nuances can significantly affect your care and success rates.
Make sure your chosen provider has a rich history of supporting people through this kind of labor. Just because a provider states, they will “let you try” doesn’t mean they will guide you through the process and preserve your chances of a vaginal delivery.
Consider how often the births they attend result in induction, cesarean, or successful VBACs.
If anyone says they’ll “let” you do something with your body, moving on to the next available provider is probably safe.
You’re the expert in your body and looking for someone to safeguard and support you through a regular physiologic event. Find a provider proudly supporting people through VBAC, not one who is just okay with it.
5. Pick the perfect place to give birth
Don’t forget to consider where you plan on having your VBAC because where you give birth matters. It’s the same deal as interviewing providers — you must do some research on the sites you may deliver in.
Even if you’ve picked the best provider in the world, be sure the institution or group they practice in supports their VBAC ethos.
Consider if your provider can provide the VBAC care you desire or will institutional or practice protocols tie their hands.
It’s essential to be comfortable in labor, confident, and in control. Our pain receptors change depending on our environment, so tour hospitals and birth centers. Even consider your own home and check out where you feel best.
Wherever you feel safe and in control is where you will labor best. Trust your gut on this decision. For some people, that’s in the hospital’s labor ward, while for others, it’s a freestanding birth center or in their bedroom.
6. Create a simple birth plan
Another critical thing to consider when aiming for a VBAC is keeping your birth plan as simplified as possible to help lower the intervention rate. We know the fewer interventions that occur at birth, the higher your chance of a successful VBAC.
The goal here is a normal, un-intervened physiologic birth. That may be easier said than done, though. While you may need some interventions along the ride (and that’s okay!), starting with a team that supports you through an un-intervened birth journey can make a difference.
Midwives, in particular, specialize in this type of birth and may be worth considering as a part of your team.
If giving birth in a hospital, many interventions are readily available and regularly used. Also, think about hiring a doula familiar with physiologic birth and can help avoid the unnecessary use of those interventions.
Consider taking a childbirth education course geared toward physiologic birth. You’ll learn about different labor positions that can aid progress and comfort. You’ll also discover various foods and drinks that can keep you satiated while keeping energy levels stable throughout labor.
Keeping your birth plan focused on simple things like movement, nourishment, and support can significantly decrease your likelihood of specific interventions like IV fluids, epidurals, induction therapies, etc.
More on preparing for a successful VBAC
As mentioned earlier, the rate of cesareans in the United States is around 32%. Your previous birth may have resulted in a surgical delivery for many reasons. It is worth considering why the United States rate is so high in the first place, but we’ll save that complicated topic for another day.
While VBAC is typically the safest option after a cesarean, our national statistics prove that the medical model doesn’t support them. Having a successful VBAC within this system takes diligence, perseverance, and determination, but you can do it.
You are terrific, so find amazing people to support you. Find a fantastic place to give birth. And keep that birth as sweet and straightforward as you want it to be.
