Successful VBA2C with Doula Care in SWFL

Thank you to 3rd time mom Sara for sharing her beautiful journey with us. All births are special, and we have a special place in our hearts for VBAC! Read on for the full birth story introducing sweet baby Maeve.

After having an emergency c-section in New York City in my first pregnancy in June 2021, when I found out I was pregnant with our second, all I wanted was to have a VBAC, and in Sarasota, where I was living at the time, they were going to allow me to try for one. In hindsight after my first birth, I realize I was unprepared, I did nothing to prepare my body for labor, and I didn’t understand the risks associated with Pitocin or an epidural- while we can never know for sure, I feel strongly if I hadn’t done those interventions, my outcome would have been different.

Fast forward to ~32 weeks pregnant in my second pregnancy, when we moved to Naples and I had to transfer my care, I found out that where I had transferred into would not allow me to try for the VBAC. I was devastated, but mentally was too far along and too busy to put in the effort to find a practice who would let me try. So, in July 2024, when I found out I was pregnant for a third time, I scheduled myself in with my practice and went ahead with my prenatal care, knowing I would have a third c-section in April 2025.

As the weeks went by in my pregnancy, the idea of a third c-section become harder to accept. My recovery with the first 2 had been brutal, and I couldn’t help but wonder if there were any alternatives- a practice in the area who would at least allow me to do a trial of labor. After a deep dive down the google rabbit hole, I couldn’t find a clear answer on any providers who would support a VBAC2, but I came across Mindful Birth Services and Doula Care, who seemingly had experience with them, so set up a call to see if they could help point me in the right direction. After a wonderful call with the owner of the doula service, I walked away cautiously optimistic, with the intent of setting up a consultation with the Lee Physician Group Midwives.

I had my first appointment with one of the midwives at 24 weeks- between my background in medicine as a PA and the research I had done, I felt prepared to advocate for myself and what I wanted, an unmedicated trial of labor. While the midwife certainly wasn’t jumping for joy at the fact that I wanted to do a trial of labor, we were able to have a very productive conversation. I understood that while what I was asking to do would be against medical advice and the “pushiness” I would receive about having

a repeat c-section on the day I showed up would be at the mercy of who was on call at the time of delivery, they wouldn’t strap me to the table for surgery and I would be allowed to try.

With this information, I immediately called Mindful Birth Doulas back to engage them, and was paired with Tara, who had the most experience supporting VBAC2s. I felt set in my decision, and did everything I could to help my body prepare, workout, chiropractic care, etc., but as my due date approached, I became more and more nervous. Even though I had gone into labor on my own twice, I had interventions so early on (epidural or c-section) I didn’t know if I t mentally and physically was going to be able to deal with labor.

At my 38-week appointment when they checked me, I was 2cm dilated and by this point, I was having prodromal labor daily. I began to doubt myself and my body even more. Tara continued to remind me that everything I was experiencing was normal and

my body wasn’t failing- it was just doing what it needed to do to get ready.

Early Labor:

April 11 th - 38 weeks and 4 days. After putting my kids to bed, I lost my mucous plug, my water broke, and my contractions started all within 45 minutes. After all of the prodromal labor I had experienced, I still didn’t totally believe that this was “it”. I texted Tara to let her know and we waited to see what my body would do. The plan was to arrive at the hospital in active labor to minimize interventions, but the hospital was a bit of a drive, so we didn’t want to wait too long. I spent the next 5 hours on the yoga ball, trying to relax, and in and out of the shower.

April 12 th - 38 weeks and 5 days. By 12am, my contractions were about every 7 minutes and after a bath, picked up to every 4-5 minutes. I woke my husband, and we left to the hospital at 1am. By the time I was seen in triage it was 2:15am and when the hospitalist checked me, confirmed my water had broken and said I was still only 2cm and 30% effaced, I knew I was in for a long road. Even though I was less than 4cm, because my water had broken, they admitted me. Everyone we encountered, while very nice about it, reminded me of the risks of what I was asking to do was and that it was against medical advice. When we got to my room, Tara met us, and we got to work, she kept me moving in different positions, and her and my husband kept me distracted. At

change of shift at 7am, I was thrilled to learn that the midwife who would be on for the next 24 hours was the same midwife I had seen at my first visit. I had her check me and couldn’t believe I was only 4cm and 50% effaced, I hadn’t mentally prepared myself to

be in labor for so long, and after nearly 12 hours, with contractions coming every 2-4 minutes, I was not even halfway there. I knew my body was having a hard time because I was tired, which meant an epidural could in theory help me get some rest and progress faster. But I was not confident it wouldn’t slow things down and lead to a c-section, because I knew there would be no threshold for any variation of my or the baby’s vitals. I opted to try nitrous oxide, which gave me some relief for a short period of

time, but as things continued to progress, even that did not work.

They checked me again around 6pm, at this point my contractions were getting the best of me-all I could do was lean over the bed with a heating pad on my back to try to ride each wave of contraction. I was so thankful to have my husband and Tara there as their

presence and physical touch were so grounding. 7cm and 90% effaced and the baby had moved down. Tara offered the idea of trying to get in the shower to help with the contractions, and I wanted to try this last option for relief before considering getting an epidural.

In the time it took Tara and my husband to prepare the shower and for me to get into the bathroom (10 minutes) everything intensified, the contractions become overwhelmingly painful, and the pressure was so intense I couldn’t move. I wanted to push. The nurses called the midwife, who checked me again- the baby was ready to come. It was time to push.

7pm: I didn’t think I would want to or end up pushing on my back, but after laboring for 24 hours, the thought of having to support my body in any position seemed too daunting of a task. 1 hour and 23 minutes of pushing, and then, finally, our baby, on my chest. I

heard my husband’s voice almost in the distance announce “it’s a girl” and it was like everything I had experienced in the past 25 hours melted away. I had done it.

Authored by Sara, mother of two

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