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Australian VBAC Stories

Australian VBAC Stories

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Welcome to Australian VBAC stories. This podcast is for you, the women and parents of Australia to share your journey to vaginal birth after caesarean, and to listen to those who have forged the path before. Whether you’ve had a VBAC or planned one, supported someone through one or simply want to learn more - we hope this will be a resource that inspires, informs, and celebrates all unique experiences. This podcast is produced on Dharug and Gundungurra Country by Aimee Sing, Bronwyn Senn, Georgia Slee, and Katelyn Commerford.Australian VBAC Stories Ciencias Sociales
Episodios
  • EP37 - Ashleigh’s 2VBACs after prior vaginal birth (young mum, big baby, postdates, severe tear, PPH, elective caesarean, rural birth, induced VBAC, post 41 weeks, NICU, laryngomalacia, advocacy)

    EP37 - Ashleigh’s 2VBACs after prior vaginal birth (young mum, big baby, postdates, severe tear, PPH, elective caesarean, rural birth, induced VBAC, post 41 weeks, NICU, laryngomalacia, advocacy)
    Oct 12 2025

    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.
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    1 h y 24 m
  • EP36 - Imogen’s VBAC (hospital birth, private midwife, cascade of intervention, hospital MGP, COVID, special care nursery, vaginal hematoma, feeding difficulties, advocacy, support)

    EP36 - Imogen’s VBAC (hospital birth, private midwife, cascade of intervention, hospital MGP, COVID, special care nursery, vaginal hematoma, feeding difficulties, advocacy, support)
    Sep 28 2025

    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_ + @morningtonchinesemedicine

    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.
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    1 h y 2 m
  • EP35 - Jessica’s VBAC (hospital birth, big baby, PROM, augmentation, meconium liquor, homebirth, private midwife, postpartum transfer, NICU, birth with COVID)

    EP35 - Jessica’s VBAC (hospital birth, big baby, PROM, augmentation, meconium liquor, homebirth, private midwife, postpartum transfer, NICU, birth with COVID)
    Sep 14 2025
    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.
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    1 h y 35 m
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