Show Notes
Ashley Adynah is a wife, mom of four boys (one bonus son and three birth stories of her own), and the creator behind The Parenting Strategy. She went into her first birth aware of the gap in Black maternity care, spoke up, and was assured by her team that she would be well taken care of. But Ashley’s induction ended in a traumatic C-section compounded by a uterine infection, infected incision, passing out at home, and needing a home nurse. She was dismissed and not believed over and over again. 9 months later, Ashley became pregnant again, and knew she wanted a VBAC. She educated herself, switched providers at 38 weeks after being told she’d need another C-section for a “big baby,” labored at home, and was 8cm when she got to the hospital. She had a pain-free, unmedicated VBAC, delivering her 9 lb 6 oz son with no tears! Her third pregnancy brought new fears when her placenta grew into her previous C-section scar, aka placenta accreta. Lily, Paige, and Ashley dive into what placenta accreta is and what it means for birth. After meeting with lots of specialists and facing the possibility of serious complications, she leaned hard into her faith. During her cesarean, it was confirmed that her accreta had grown into her first C-section scar (and this is why preventing primary cesareans and having the option to VBAC matters!). But Ashley’s placenta detached on its own, she was able to have a horizontal incision, and keep her uterus. Her little boy was 4lb, 11oz and spent 11 days in the NICU. Ashley is incredibly resilient, strong, and so inspiring! Keywords: Black maternal health gap, traumatic C-section, postpartum infection, VBAC story, unmedicated VBAC, placenta accreta, NICU, birth trauma healing, maternal advocacy, birth after cesarean
VBAC Certified Doula Finder The VBAC Link Supportive Provider List The Ultimate VBAC Prep Course for Parents Online VBAC Doula Training Submit Your VBAC/CBAC Story
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
More from The VBAC Link
Trigger Warning: miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, and pregnancy loss Instead of our usual birth after cesarean story, this week, we are continuing to honor Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month by hearing our very own co-host, Lily Wyn, share her experiences with pregnancy loss. Lily’s first pregnancy ended in an early miscarriage, and her second was an ectopic pregnancy that resulted in losing her baby and one of her fallopian tubes. Her two stories of loss were deeply influential in her VBAC journey and have helped shape her into the Lily that we know and love today. You are invited to attend this “TMI class with Lily,” where she shares the physical and emotional details of pregnancy loss that no one really talks about, but that she wished someone had told her. We believe so much in the power of sharing so others don’t feel alone. If you are currently going through pregnancy or infant loss, or if you are preparing for a birth after a loss, we see you and send all of our love.
“This VBAC was so redemptive for me because I felt like it was the first time my body did the things that it was designed to do without the intervention of medicine or doctors. I feel like it healed so many wounds in my soul.”
“Our first daughter, Violet, was born at 30 weeks via C-section due to a variety of health complications. She died 12 days later in the NICU, and we love and miss her so much. We were not aware until after she died that she had a fatal condition called triploidy, which was misdiagnosed as Dandy-Walker. 6.5 months later, through immense fear and grief, I became pregnant with our second daughter, Valerie, and I was lucky to find an amazing VBAC-friendly practice that believed in me despite the short interval between births. Valerie was born at 40+5 after 44.5 hours of labor, and her birth had my doula saying, ‘I’ve never seen this happen before!’ I hope my happy ending provides hope and inspiration to listeners, especially those who have experienced loss.” Rachel’s story is packed with SO MUCH, including but not limited to infant loss, chromosomal abnormality, miracles, a 16.5-month interval between births, pregnancy after loss, hospital VBAC, long labor, doula support, and pivoting from unmedicated plans to an epidural and Pitocin as helpful tools. Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month is a tender time, and we feel passionately that listening to women tell their stories of loss helps us become kinder, softer, and stronger together. We honor Rachel, Valerie, and sweet Violet's memory today.
Melle McPhee is a VBAC Link Certified Doula and mom of three girls. Her first birth was an 11-hour vaginal delivery at 39+6 with an epidural and episiotomy. After PPROM (preterm premature rupture of membranes) at 36+5 with her second, Melle found out that her baby was footling breech and had an emergency cesarean. Melle struggled with feeling like her body had failed and feared another spontaneous preterm birth. During her third pregnancy, Melle focused on supporting a full-term pregnancy, including daily collagen protein, exercise, and a nutrient-dense diet. At exactly 40 weeks, she went into spontaneous labor and had a 12-hour physiological home birth VBAC with a midwife. Her water didn’t break until five minutes before birth, and she had no tearing. Melle shares how she approached the recommendations surrounding VBAC, home birth, continuous monitoring, and cervical checks through informed consent and her own risk tolerance. Her biggest VBAC advice is to hire a doula and know that a previous spontaneous preterm birth does not mean your body is broken or that you can’t carry a future baby to term. Keywords: VBAC, VBAC Doula, HBAC, home birth, PPROM, preterm birth, footling breech, breech prevention, midwife, circumvallate placenta, marginal cord insertion
“The deck was stacked against me: advanced maternal age, circumvallate placenta, marginal cord insertion, gestational diabetes, induced VBAC, delivery after 41 weeks, 4 hours of pushing, and vacuum assisted delivery.” After 38 hours of labor, chorioamnionitis, and late decels, Stephanie’s rainbow baby boy was born by cesarean. His umbilical cord was only five inches long, her husband missed the birth after being forgotten outside the OR, and their son spent five days in the NICU. For her VBAC, she tried all the things to go into labor naturally before being induced at 41+3 with low and slow Pitocin. With the support of a patient OB, doula, and her husband, she labored unmedicated and pushed for four hours before welcoming her daughter with the help of a vacuum. Even with a second-degree tear, postpartum hemorrhage, and a retained placenta, she says that her VBAC was much less traumatic than her cesarean.