EP38 - Tori's VBAC (premature labour, PPROM, face presentation, emergency caesarean, anaesthetic awareness, VBAC prep, student midwife, doula, breech, ECV, spontaneous labour)

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 and being labelled 'not suitable for VBAC' Tori explains how she wasn't sure she could go back to have more children. Then, she started listening to the stories of other women and decided she was the expert in her body and she knew she could have a VBAC.Throughout her second pregnancy, she explored her options, connected with a new hospital, brought along her sister who had become a doula and another wonderful student midwife, and ultimately approached birth with a stronger sense of confidence. She explains how important education was over this journey, and shares with us the exhilarating experience of pushing out her baby. Thank you so much Tori, for sharing your powerful story - we know you're all going to love it!Please join us on our journey to bringing you all kinds of VBAC stories from across the country from here on in by subscribing and following us on social media, @australianvbacstories on Instagram and Australian VBAC Stories on Facebook. If you enjoyed this episode, we’d love to rate or review, and tell your friends!If you are feeling that you might benefit from mental health support after listening to our podcast, please reach out to one of the organisations below:PANDA https://panda.org.au/Gidget Foundation https://www.gidgetfoundation.org.au/COPE Australia https://www.cope.org.au/If you've experienced mistreatment or disrespectful care in your pregnancy, birth or postpartum and are seeking advocacy support, please contact one of the following organisations:Maternity Choices Australia https://www.maternitychoices.org/Maternity Consumer Network https://www.maternityconsumernetwork.org.au/Thank you for tuning in to our podcast.

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 fourth children.Ashleigh shares how her first birth experience, involving birthing a big baby after a stretch and sweep and eventuating in a severe perineal tear and postpartum haemorrhage, shaped her decision for her next birth, an elective caesarean. Ashleigh shares how her second birth experience opened her eyes to the hidden layers of caesarean recovery, sparking a deep dive into birth education and the importance of self-advocacy. She reflects on how gaining knowledge, making different choices, and ending up with supportive care providers transformed her confidence and helped her reclaim autonomy in birth for both her third and fourth birth experiences.Through her story, Ashleigh offers valuable insights for anyone planning a VBAC: the importance of understanding your options, asking questions, and trusting your instincts. Her journey is a testament to the power of preparation, self-belief, and the freedom that comes from being truly heard in the birth space.Please join us on our journey to bringing you all kinds of VBAC stories from across the country from here on in by subscribing and following us on social media, @australianvbacstories on Instagram and Australian VBAC Stories on Facebook. If you enjoyed this episode, we’d love to rate or review, and tell your friends!If you are feeling that you might benefit from mental health support after listening to our podcast, please reach out to one of the organisations below:PANDA ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Gidget Foundation COPE Australia ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠If you've experienced mistreatment or disrespectful care in your pregnancy, birth or postpartum and are seeking advocacy support, please contact one of the following organisations:Maternity Choices Australia Maternity Consumer Network Thank you for tuning in to our podcast.

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, she was unprepared for how quickly things escalated once the Syntocinon drip was started, leaving her feeling disempowered and disconnected from the process and heading down the cascade of intervention, leading eventually to a caesarean.Determined to have a different experience, Imogen made informed choices in her second pregnancy and received care through a Midwifery Group Practice (MGP) at her local public hospital. The continuity of care and deep trust she built with her midwife gave her the confidence to advocate for herself, trust her body, and birth on her own terms. Her VBAC was not only a healing experience, it was also profoundly empowering, shifting her entire view of birth and what’s possible when women are well supported.In this conversation, Imogen reflects on what she learned between births, how she mentally and emotionally prepared for her VBAC and the power of being surrounded by a supportive, women-centred model of care. Her story is raw, uplifting, and a powerful reminder of how birth can be a catalyst for growth and self-trust.Imogen is a SAHM of 2 with another on the way, trying to raise her family with mostly holistic intentions. She shared some beautiful resources in this episode which included:- Sammy from @kind.er_counselling for chatting all things birth trauma. Jess from @holistic_lactation_consulting for breastfeeding help. @lotuschiropractic_ + @morningtonchinesemedicinePlease join us on our journey to bringing you all kinds of VBAC stories from across the country from here on in by subscribing and following us on social media, @australianvbacstories on Instagram and Australian VBAC Stories on Facebook. If you enjoyed this episode, we’d love to rate or review, and tell your friends!If you are feeling that you might benefit from mental health support after listening to our podcast, please reach out to one of the organisations below:PANDA ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://panda.org.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Gidget Foundation ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.gidgetfoundation.org.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠COPE Australia ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.cope.org.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠If you've experienced mistreatment or disrespectful care in your pregnancy, birth or postpartum and are seeking advocacy support, please contact one of the following organisations:Maternity Choices Australia ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.maternitychoices.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Maternity Consumer Network ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.maternityconsumernetwork.org.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Thank you for tuning in to our podcast.

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, resulted in an augmentation with Syntocinon and involved fears around a 'big baby'. After a long labour and reaching fully dilated Jessica was encouraged to consider an instrumental birth or have a caesarean. Her son was born via caesarean but due to staffing issues, Jessica was not able to have her baby in recovery with her and this led to a period of separation of mum from baby. Her second birth, an unmedicated homebirth VBAC, was not only a physical triumph but an emotionally healing journey as well. While she was able to recognise the power of her body and heal some of those wounds that had been created from her first experience, she also ended up being separated from her baby for a significant period post birth, with baby transferred to NICU and Jessica in an isolation room due to being COVID positive. Jessica shares about the tools that helped her achieve her VBAC: from mindset work, advocacy and sourcing aligned care providers to understanding the risks without letting fear take the lead. She shares the devastation of being separated from her baby again, how she navigated establishing her breastmilk supply while being separated from her son, and how they found their way back to each other over the days post birth. This episode is a fantastic listen for anyone planning a VBAC or supporting someone through one, with sharing of lots of curveballs and changes in plans, but a beautifully positive thread of power, support and advocacy shared throughout. We hope you enjoy it as much as we loved sharing it. With special thanks to the amazing women who supported me along the way. Teena and Emma from @hawkesbury_midwife, B from @coreandfloorrestore, Amber from @hawkesburyfamilyhealthco and Brooke from @herhealth.physiotherapyBIOI am a mum of two boys, Oliver (4) and Jacob (2). I live Hawkesbury region of NSW with my husband Rowan and our two dogs (our first babies). We love where we live which is close to family and plenty of open spaces with fresh air we can enjoy with our boys. We went into parenthood with intention and have had two very different birth experiences, I hope by sharing my story impending mums can learn from my hindsight, and women planning a VBAC can feel part of a group of extraordinary women, full of determination and so willing to support each other on their journey. I am so grateful to have found my “people” throughout my second pregnancy who supported me, without question, along the way. Please join us on our journey to bringing you all kinds of VBAC stories from across the country from here on in by subscribing and following us on social media, @australianvbacstories on Instagram and Australian VBAC Stories on Facebook. If you enjoyed this episode, we’d love to rate or review, and tell your friends!If you are feeling that you might benefit from mental health support after listening to our podcast, please reach out to one of the organisations below:PANDA ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://panda.org.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Gidget Foundation ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.gidgetfoundation.org.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠COPE Australia ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.cope.org.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠If you've experienced mistreatment or disrespectful care in your pregnancy, birth or postpartum and are seeking advocacy support, please contact one of the following organisations:Maternity Choices Australia ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.maternitychoices.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Maternity Consumer Network ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.maternityconsumernetwork.org.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Thank you for tuning in to our podcast.

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. Determined to approach her second birth differently, Kira committed herself to learning, advocating for her preferences and creating a care team, including a doula, who respected her autonomy throughout her experience. Despite being induced and choosing an epidural for pain relief, Kira achieved the VBAC she had hoped for, on her own terms. She reflects on the key factors that helped her feel supported and in control throughout labour and birth, the education that completely shifted the way she navigated her second birth experience (even advocating for more time rather than being taken for a repeat caesarean, which led to her VBAC!) and shares insights that will be incredibly valuable to other women planning a vaginal birth.Kira’s story is an inspiring reminder that there’s no one 'right' way to have a vaginal birth after caesarean. What matters most is how you feel and are supported throughout the experience - this left her feeling strong, safe and seen as she birthed her baby powerfully and autonomously, making informed decisions every step of the way. Please join us on our journey to bringing you all kinds of VBAC stories from across the country from here on in by subscribing and following us on social media, @australianvbacstories on Instagram and Australian VBAC Stories on Facebook. If you enjoyed this episode, we’d love to rate or review, and tell your friends!If you are feeling that you might benefit from mental health support after listening to our podcast, please reach out to one of the organisations below:PANDA ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://panda.org.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Gidget Foundation ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.gidgetfoundation.org.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠COPE Australia ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.cope.org.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠If you've experienced mistreatment or disrespectful care in your pregnancy, birth or postpartum and are seeking advocacy support, please contact one of the following organisations:Maternity Choices Australia ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.maternitychoices.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Maternity Consumer Network ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.maternityconsumernetwork.org.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Thank you for tuning in to our podcast.

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 section. She candidly reflects on the emotional aftermath and her path toward healing.Determined to reclaim her birth experience, Emily shares the work she did—physically, emotionally, and mentally—to prepare for her VBAC. From deep internal bodywork to debriefing/counselling and mindset shifts, she details her transformative journey leading into her second birth: a powerful, supported VBAC that unfolded at home before transferring to hospital in the final hours. Despite facing hurdles once again, Emily emerged feeling elated, grounded, and strong. She shares her encouragement for building mental resilience, taking responsibility for your decisions and your feelings and making relevant powerful on your own journey to VBAC.This episode is a must-listen for anyone planning a VBAC or seeking inspiration after a difficult birth. Emily’s story is filled with wisdom, vulnerability, and serves as a timely reminder to trust your body, your intuition, and your inner power.BIO:My name is Emily Martin. Mother to two little girls Torvi(4) and Luna (3). My husband is Brock. We live in the small outback town ofBroken Hill where I work part time as a cafe cook and manager and Brock is aheavy diesel mechanic and sheep farmer. In years without children Brock and Iwere busy, work addicted business owners. Now with children we much prefer a quiet life and spend much of our time on the family property with plans to make living on the land our life plan.Emily shared some beautiful resources during the podcast episode including Core and floor restore Womb templeStephanie Elsum acupuncturist -vibrance mind and body port Macquarie Birth sisters port macquariePlease join us on our journey to bringing you all kinds of VBAC stories from across the country from here on in by subscribing and following us on social media, @australianvbacstories on Instagram and Australian VBAC Stories on Facebook. If you enjoyed this episode, we’d love to rate or review, and tell your friends!If you are feeling that you might benefit from mental health support after listening to our podcast, please reach out to one of the organisations below:PANDA ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://panda.org.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Gidget Foundation ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.gidgetfoundation.org.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠COPE Australia ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.cope.org.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠If you've experienced mistreatment or disrespectful care in your pregnancy, birth or postpartum and are seeking advocacy support, please contact one of the following organisations:Maternity Choices Australia ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.maternitychoices.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Maternity Consumer Network ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.maternityconsumernetwork.org.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Thank you for tuning in to our podcast.

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 pivotal time and how little guidance she felt she had as a new parent throughout pregnancy and postpartum. Her second birth with Arthur ended in a caesarean that she still questions the necessity of. She reflects on the disconnect from her body during this experience and speaks of Arthur's postpartum period which brought unexpected challenges, including a long battle with oral and breast thrush which she conquered and continued to breastfeed throughout.It was during her third pregnancy, in the midst of COVID and a chance encounter with a doula, that Laura found a path to empowered, supported birth. With her daughter Yasmine, she experienced a healing homebirth VBAC, surrounded by care providers who respected her body and her choices. Her fourth and final birth — a planned homebirth with her daughter Freya — was another transformative experience, this time with all three of her children present, a birth photographer and a doula, highlighting the beauty of including family and additional supports in the birthing space.Laura speaks with honesty, wisdom, and reverence for her body’s journey — from navigating grief and fragmented care to discovering the power of continuity, community, and bodily autonomy. She reflects on tandem feeding, her husband's evolving role in the birth space and how these birth experiences shaped her parenting and worldview.This is an episode rich with insights into informed decision-making, birth choices in Australia, breastfeeding difficulties and the value of trusting yourself through every stage of motherhood.Please join us on our journey to bringing you all kinds of VBAC stories from across the country from here on in by subscribing and following us on social media, @australianvbacstories on Instagram and Australian VBAC Stories on Facebook. Laura shares a resource, 'Beyond the sling' by Mayim Bialik, which can be found here. If you enjoyed this episode, we’d love to rate or review, and tell your friends!If you are feeling that you might benefit from mental health support after listening to our podcast, please reach out to one of the organisations below:PANDA ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://panda.org.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Gidget Foundation ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.gidgetfoundation.org.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠COPE Australia ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.cope.org.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠If you've experienced mistreatment or disrespectful care in your pregnancy, birth or postpartum and are seeking advocacy support, please contact one of the following organisations:Maternity Choices Australia ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.maternitychoices.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Maternity Consumer Network ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.maternityconsumernetwork.org.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Thank you for tuning in to our podcast.

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 takes us through her next pregnancy — the shock of conceiving twins, the challenges of preterm labour and navigating birth during the height of COVID.Against the odds, Tina chose a VBAC, birthing her twins vaginally at 32 weeks. She shares the raw details and experiences — the mind game of having to push two babies out, the near en caul birth of her second twin, and the moment she met her daughters before they were taken to NICU. Tina’s story doesn’t end there! She also shares her deeply emotional NICU journey, her commitment to breastfeeding through enormous obstacles, and the deep empowerment she now carries as a mother and a midwife, influencing the way she can support other families on their own journeys.This is a story of which explores advocacy and self-empowerment; a story of resilience, and triumph. We hope you love it as much as we loved sharing it!BIO:I am a mother of 3 - 10 year old Caleb and 3 year old twins Alyssa & Brielle. I live in Sydney with my partner Mitch. My first pregnancy was unplanned and I was terrified of birth and completely unaware of my ability to say no to certain things which ultimately led to a failed instrumental birth and cesarean under GA impacting our breastfeeding journey. After developing birth PTSD and doing lots of work to heal I felt a pull to go into midwifery to raise awareness and prevent birth trauma.7 years later I found myself pregnant after a couple of miscarriages and instantly messaged my private midwife friend with a homebirth in mind. Everything changed when I found out I was pregnant with high risk monochorionic-diamniotic twins. After many complications during the pregnancy such as short cervix, cervical cerclage, multiple preterm labour admissions during the height of covid I had the most healing VBAC with the absolute best team. I will always say it was one of the best days of my life!I always say that as a midwife I do not judge the decisions you make about your pregnancy, birth and postpartum period all that I care about is that you were presented with all the options available to you and you are aware that it is your body and your choice always. Please join us on our journey to bringing you all kinds of VBAC stories from across the country from here on in by subscribing and following us on social media, @australianvbacstories on Instagram and Australian VBAC Stories on Facebook. If you enjoyed this episode, we’d love to rate or review, and tell your friends!If you are feeling that you might benefit from mental health support after listening to our podcast, please reach out to one of the organisations below:PANDA ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://panda.org.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Gidget Foundation ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.gidgetfoundation.org.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠COPE Australia ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.cope.org.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠If you've experienced mistreatment or disrespectful care in your pregnancy, birth or postpartum and are seeking advocacy support, please contact one of the following organisations:Maternity Choices Australia ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.maternitychoices.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Maternity Consumer Network ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.maternityconsumernetwork.org.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Thank you for tuning in to our podcast.

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 undergoing a caesarean, navigating the heartbreak of NICU life and the following devastating decision to say goodbye to her baby boy after 22 days on life support. She shares how her midwifery brain helped her to slow down, appreciate the birth experience at the time and also helped her advocate for the information and support she needed as her family had to say goodbye to their baby. Angela then opens up about the grief that followed the loss of her baby boy, an early miscarriage melting into that same grief, and then the conception of her next baby—whose birth would take place just 13 months later, putting her in a 'high-risk' category for VBAC. Despite pressure to have a repeat caesarean, Angela advocated for herself with the support of a trusted midwife and birthed her baby vaginally, powerfully after an artificial rupture of membranes.Her third and final birth was fast and intense, an induction with breaking of waters following reduced movements and increasing blood pressure. This labour was just 50 minutes from the first contraction to holding her baby! Again, with the support of her midwife, Angela experienced a powerful, swift vaginal birth after caesarean.With heartfelt wisdom, vulnerability and remarkable strength, Angela reflects on how her midwifery experience shaped her own birth experiences and also how her personal experiences of birth have shaped her practice as a midwife.Please join us on our journey to bringing you all kinds of VBAC stories from across the country from here on in by subscribing and following us on social media, @australianvbacstories on Instagram and Australian VBAC Stories on Facebook. If you enjoyed this episode, we’d love to rate or review, and tell your friends!If you are feeling that you might benefit from mental health support after listening to our podcast, please reach out to one of the organisations below:PANDA ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://panda.org.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠Gidget Foundation ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.gidgetfoundation.org.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠COPE Australia ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.cope.org.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠If you've experienced mistreatment or disrespectful care in your pregnancy, birth or postpartum and are seeking advocacy support, please contact one of the following organisations:Maternity Choices Australia ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.maternitychoices.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠Maternity Consumer Network ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.maternityconsumernetwork.org.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠Thank you for tuning in to our podcast.

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 us through her first two births, both vaginal births with doula support, and includes a run over of some of the complexities she experienced (retained placenta in her first birth and a snapped cord in her second). Jen then shares about her third birth where she experienced a shoulder dystocia - a complication that would weigh heavily on her decisions for her future pregnancy.Following her shoulder dystocia experience and another experience of miscarriage, Jen conceived her next baby, a pregnancy involving more complexity with multiple bleeds, a subchorionic hematoma and lots of discussions around risk of shoulder dystocia for this baby's birth. Jen shares of her anxiety throughout this pregnancy and the eventual decision to agree to a planned caesarean birth, but her journey didn’t end there.With her next pregnancy, Jen embarked on a path of deep research and self-advocacy, culminating in a vaginal birth after caesarean (VBAC) that she describes as incredibly healing. She walks us through her path leading back to her intuition, her advocacy for herself and her babies and how she came to the decisions she did as she navigated a high risk pregnancy that she felt was anything but. Finally, Jen shares her final birth of her sixth baby, a planned homebirth supported by a privately practising midwife who trusted her intuition and listened to her every step of the way. Jen describes her decision to transfer to hospital, how she was supported through this and her journey from feeling that she failed at homebirth to recognising that this was a successful homebirth, despite the transfer. Throughout it all, Jen’s story is one of profound loss, strength, and reclamation. She speaks candidly about her experiences with miscarriage, the complexities of hyperfertility, the trauma and triumphs of birth, and how she ultimately found her voice and autonomy as a mother.Please join us on our journey to bringing you all kinds of VBAC stories from across the country from here on in by subscribing and following us on social media, @australianvbacstories on Instagram and Australian VBAC Stories on Facebook. If you enjoyed this episode, we’d love to rate or review, and tell your friends!If you are feeling that you might benefit from mental health support after listening to our podcast, please reach out to one of the organisations below:PANDA ⁠⁠⁠https://panda.org.au/⁠⁠⁠Gidget Foundation ⁠⁠⁠https://www.gidgetfoundation.org.au/⁠⁠⁠COPE Australia ⁠⁠⁠https://www.cope.org.au/⁠⁠⁠If you've experienced mistreatment or disrespectful care in your pregnancy, birth or postpartum and are seeking advocacy support, please contact one of the following organisations:Maternity Choices Australia ⁠⁠⁠https://www.maternitychoices.org/⁠⁠⁠Maternity Consumer Network ⁠⁠⁠https://www.maternityconsumernetwork.org.au/⁠⁠⁠Thank you for tuning in to our podcast.