Leona’s VBAC Story

We were eagerly awaiting the arrival of our second baby, she was keeping us waiting, unlike her big sister who was very punctual, arriving right on her due date.

This pregnancy was very different to my first.

My first birth ended in an unplanned caesarean, and I was told any future pregnancy would be consultant-led and on delivery suite for “continuous monitoring.”

To add to my “risk factors,” I was later diagnosed with gestational diabetes (GDM) after a test that was only slightly above the threshold.

While it was diet-controlled, keeping up with the readings and testing felt like a lot and honestly, like another barrier to the birth I was hoping for.

A phone appointment with the Birth Choices Team, and a face-to-face chat about my preferences, changed everything.

They helped me realise my GDM was well controlled, my risk of uterine rupture was low, and that I could still aim for the birth I wanted.

We booked a hypnobirthing refresher with Amy, which helped us feel confident and calm again.

We debriefed my first birth and talked through my options for this time and gave us the tools to put a new plan together. She encouraged us not to close off the idea of birthing at the Spires MLU, even with my history.

Without that support, I’d have felt like my only choice was the delivery suite.

From 36 weeks, the pressure started; induction or caesarean “just in case.”

But I trusted my instincts. I wanted to wait and let things happen naturally.

I was very confident that this baby would arrive on time thereabouts like my first….so keeping that in mind I buried the induction chat because I thought my body will spontaneously labour like it did the first time!

I requested a stretch and sweep at the Horton MLU at 40+6 and found the support from the midwives there incredible, they could see the stress I was under regarding induction and encouraged me to advocate for myself; your body, your birth, your choice.

At 41 weeks, I went to my induction appointment planning to decline. My husband supported my decisions and agreed that induction was not indicated.

The registrar listened, but encouraged induction at 41+ 2, using generic risk factors as her medical reasoning, of which I stated I felt did not apply to me as an individual.

I chose to accept another sweep instead and agreed that if my waters could be broken naturally, I’d allow it at 41+3, but deep down I hoped my baby would come on her own.

I woke around 1.30am at 41+1 to mild cramps, every 10-15 mins, I used my controlled breathing techniques to breathe through each contraction.

I thought this has got to be it, the start of my spontaneous labour. Unable to sleep as I was distracted by the contractions, I took myself downstairs into my lounge whilst my husband slept and did some exercises with my ball and bolster.

The contractions slowly got stronger and closer together, I decided to wake my husband at 6am to tell him I was in labour. We called MAU to give them a heads up.

I was happy to stay at home as long as I could before getting in the car, mindful that labour would progress better in the calmness of my home. I had a shower, tried to eat and kept drinking water to stay hydrated. The contractions started to come every 5 mins, I used the tens machine with the comb to breathe through each contraction. By mid morning they were coming every 3-5 mins.

Unsure how long this labour would be, we decided to start the journey to the JR around 10:30am. I put my blackout eye mask on and relaxation music on in the car and zoned out to my surroundings.

My contractions started to slow down in the car, I knew I needed to get moving around as much as possible once we arrived at MAU. I paced up and down the corridor outside, stood still doing exercises whilst wearing my blackout eye mask and listening to spa meditation music and the contractions started to re-establish.

I was unsure if my waters had broken, during my time at MAU, I felt trickles, I accepted a VE, the midwife stated that I was about 3-4cm dilated and was about to do a swab test when my mucus plug came away followed by my waters. I proceeded to then go off to walk around for about 30 minutes until the contractions intensified.

We made it to the Spires, taking several pauses during contractions and arrived into the same room we had briefly been in when I was labouring with our daughter, I told myself this is a different birth.

As soon as I got into the water the relief was immense, I felt the soothing effects as I immersed myself and knew this was what I needed and was even more determined to birth in water.

The contractions became intense and I adjusted positions to enable baby’s head to descend from lateral lunges to yogi squat to kneeling and adopting the KICO position.

I kept repeating phrases in my head: “you are powerful” (wearing my powerful bracelet as a reminder) “floppy face, floppy fanny” and when I felt like my mind was trying to take over, I said to myself:

“surrender” to the process and you’ll meet your baby soon.

My husband continued to offer me water and words of encouragement “you can do this”, my midwife advised me to squeeze my buttocks and exhale slowly, and after a couple of attempts doing this, she said “baby’s got lots of hair and she’s there, have a touch of her hair it might give you the last bit of motivation to push her out!”

I touched her head and felt rather freaked out, partly because I couldn’t quite believe that I was doing it the way I’d hoped.

My husband kept saying “you can do this, nearly there”. Within the next contraction her head arrived and then her body, the midwife catching her and passing her to me.

Our baby girl born in the pool at 18:16pm weighing 7lb 8 oz.

At this point I was overcome by joy and emotion, I did it, I birthed my baby in water, I got my VBAC and it was the most calming, relaxing and healing experience.

I held my daughter close to my chest as she screamed and my husband said “you’re amazing, so brave, you did it” we both cried tears of happiness.

I had some time in the pool, observed delayed cord clamping and my husband cut the cord, he then had a cuddle with the baby whilst I got out of the pool.

I had lost more blood than expected, but I was feeling fine and observations were normal. I had opted to have the injection for the placenta and within 10 mins I delivered the placenta and then had stitches for a 2nd degree tear.

I was on cloud 9, I had birthed my baby, my way, I’d utilised all my hypnobirthing techniques and chose to focus on my individual needs and the outcome highlights that VBAC is perfectly safe.

I didn’t feel any discomfort on my scar, and if you have well controlled GDM and baby/Mum are fine, never feel coerced or pressured into interventions that you don’t want or more that you don’t need.

It truly was the most amazing birth experience, and to come full circle and birth our daughter in the pool was such a healing experience for us both and it will stay with me forever.