The surprising thing you never knew about VBACs

Vaginal births after cesareans (or VBACs) are not common in Australia. Most women in Australia who have had a cesarean (emergency or planned) will elect to have another cesarean for any subsequent births. But according to research by Lecturer in Midwifery Hazel Keedle, for most women having a VBAC can be a safe and empowering experience and having a VBAC can have less complications for women and babies than having a repeat caesarean. Hazel's recent PHD was on VBACs and she discovered some interesting facts about how women feel after a VBAC and why we aren't doing them as much in Australia as other countries.If you're interested in further reading, some of Hazel's papers are available below:Women’s experiences of planning a vaginal birth after caesarean in different models of maternity care in AustraliaA narrative analysis of women's experiences of planning a vaginal birth after caesarean (VBAC) in Australia using critical feminist theoryWomen’s reasons for, and experiences of, choosing a homebirth following a caesarean sectionSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.