We love VBACs. I mean, we love all birth, but there is something wonderful about VBACs.

We attend VBACs in hospitals, in homes and birth centers but this particular birth story is of a VBAC that happened with a wonderful group of midwives in a hospital in Fort Worth. I want to share my client’s story in her own words.

 “It started out as a fairly normal (chaotic) day after Christmas... A house full of new toys, kids still hyped up on the excitement of it all, and exhausted parents. With my EDD less than a week away we knew our days as a family of four were becoming extremely numbered. Early that evening, my Braxton Hicks contractions started to become a little more frequent and a little more painful. I was still unsure of whether things were changing or whether I just needed to hydrate but I had a feeling that things were warming up for the big event. I kept moving, doing laundry, doing dishes not wanting to waste time if it wasn't labor. As the evenings progressed my contractions didn't intensify or become more frequent, but they didn't let up either. We put the kids to bed but E and I stayed up until about 2:30 that morning taking care of everything around the house (looking back, not the smartest idea...we should have been sleeping). I tried taking a shower before crawling into bed but after showering my contractions got even more intense. I was completely and wanted a few moments of rest for my body. No such luck though... I could not get comfortable laying down, so I got back up and labored on the couch, the birth ball, the porcelain throne...all the while my sweet hubby was zonked out and unaware that I was in labor mode. 

In the morning, I was definitely in labor my contractions still weren't regular but they were intense enough that I couldn't talk through them and frankly I was ready to be at the hospital. My doula encouraged me to eat breakfast before we left, so I did then left for the hospital. The whole way, my contractions were consistently coming every 4 minutes and I was feeling pretty good about where I might be progress-wise. When we got to the parking garage I asked E, "Are you going to bring the luggage In now??" He said, "yeah why not?" And I said, "Well I'm gonna feel like an idiot if they send us home and we have to walk out of the hospital with our luggage in tow!" He didn't seem to care though, so we wheeled it up to maternal observation with us. They hooked me up to the monitors and of course my contractions started being erratic again...spacing out to 6-12 minutes and with varying intensity. My midwife came and checked me - 3.5 cm and 50% effaced . May not sound like a lot to you but I've never come to the hospital. A) With my water intact and B) Dilated more than 1.5 cm so I was not totally disappointed. Unfortunately, because my contraction pattern was so ERRATICand I wasn't even MORE dilated---- they were going to SEND US HOME?!?!?! 

Are you kidding me! We are having a baby today! My midwife gave us a couple options and after talking with E and Maria we all decided that today was baby day, so we would opt for a good ol' membrane sweeping. The midwife came back in, did the sweep, and I left the hospital at 4 cm dilated. We did the walk of shame (luggage bag dragging behind) out of triage. My contractions were already starting to kick into gear a little more, and so I paused every 5 min or so to have a contraction and then continue the discussion of what to do. We decided we should probably eat lunch, and where else but Torchy's Tacos? Halfway into my chicken fajita taco, my contractions were unbearable and I had a complete meltdown about heading back to the hospital -  so terrified that after this pain they were going to tell me nothing had changed. I told E, "Do NOT bring the luggage in!" to which he kindly agreed as he let Maria and I off at the doors. 

Instead of sending us back to maternal they took us straight to L & D! This was fabulous! Fantastic! Except, wait!!! What if I get there and nothing has changed! That's going to be even MORE embarrassing to be kicked out of L & D instead of just triage! Turns out I was 6 cm and 90% effaced. Yes! But wait! These contractions are killing me and with my track record I've still got another 8 hrs to go. I got set up with a birth ball where I labored for a while and I also labored on the toilet, the bed in a hands and knees position, and then finally my tired body could not support its weight any longer. I crawled into the bed on my side.. Everyone else thought I was resting...I knew I was getting in position to have a baby. E decided since I was going to lay down, he'd run downstairs to the car and get the luggage. Hahahahahaha. The first contraction on my side was REALLY intense,this was the first time pain medication crossed my mind. With the second contraction on my side, I started feeling that familiar bearing down feeling....could it be?!?!?!? Was it time??? I told my doula, "I kind of feel like I'm pushing...!!". However, the third contraction came and I said "I'm Pushing!!" and then POP...my water broke. PRAISE THE LORD!!! But WAIT!!!!!!! E is still downstairs getting that DARN LUGGAGE!!! Maria is asking me between pushes what E’s phone number is...I am huffing and puffing the numbers out. She gets him on the line and says one word... "RUN!" Poor E finally made it back to the room with about 2.5 minutes to spare! Maddox was delivered into my hands! 

I could not believe what had just happened. I am the girl who had a c-section after being branded with the label of "Failure to Progress" with my first child after just 12 hrs because my cervix just wouldn't dilate quickly enough for the on-call doctor's convenience. I am the girl that had a 27 hour VBAC with my second child- thankfully with the wonderful UNT midwives- who did NOT label me as a failure but instead recognized that I was once again laboring as an individual woman, not cut from any specific "mold" - and gave my body all the time it needed. Even 3.5 hrs of pushing didn't make them want to "throw in the towel" as a certain doctor once said. I could not believe that God had blessed me with such a quick, normal birth! I am so thankful for an amazing group of midwives, nurses, and a wonderful doula that helped me achieve the birth I always dreamed of!”