In this episode, we hear from Emma, whose first birth began unexpectedly when her waters broke at just 35 weeks. Living with a rare uterine anomaly (uterus didelphys), a breech baby, and gestational diabetes, she found herself navigating a rapidly unfolding labour alongside a healthcare team that left her feeling unheard at one of the most vulnerable moments of her life.

Despite repeatedly asking questions and trying to understand her options, Emma's concerns were dismissed as her labour intensified. What followed was an emergency caesarean under general anaesthetic after her baby's foot prolapsed, and the beginning of a difficult postpartum journey with a premature baby in special care.

When Emma became pregnant again, she knew she couldn't simply move forward without first processing what had happened. Supported by the student midwife who had stood beside her during her first birth (then a fully qualified midwife) she slowly rebuilt her confidence, worked through the anxiety of another pregnancy, and prepared for a hospital VBAC.

Emma shares the impact of feeling dismissed during labour, the importance of compassionate continuity of care, living with a double uterus, navigating pregnancy after birth trauma, and the journey towards trusting herself again.

This is a powerful conversation about advocacy, healing, and discovering that a difficult first birth doesn't have to define every birth that follows.

We hope you enjoy it!

Please join us on our journey to bringing you all kinds of VBAC stories from across the country from here on in by subscribing and following us on social media, @australianvbacstories on Instagram and Australian VBAC Stories on Facebook.

If you enjoyed this episode, we’d love to rate or review, and tell your friends!

If you are feeling that you might benefit from mental health support after listening to our podcast, please reach out to one of the organisations below:

PANDA https://panda.org.au/

Gidget Foundation https://www.gidgetfoundation.org.au/

COPE Australia https://www.cope.org.au/

If you've experienced mistreatment or disrespectful care in your pregnancy, birth or postpartum and are seeking advocacy support, please contact one of the following organisations:

Maternity Choices Australia https://www.maternitychoices.org/

Maternity Consumer Network https://www.maternityconsumernetwork.org.au/

Thank you for tuning in to our podcast.

In this episode we hear from Maddi who shares her incredible journey through three very different births and the lessons she learned along the way.

After a positive first birth in hospital where Maddi used hypnobirthing and had a vaginal birth, she planned a homebirth with a privately practising midwife for her second. Her pregnancy took an unexpected turn when Maddi was diagnosed with placenta previa leading to a caesarean birth, though Maddi shares her experiences of waiting for her son to choose his own birth day. For her third birth she again planned a homebirth with a privately practising midwife, spent time educating herself and rebuilding confidence in her body's ability to birth.

What followed was an unforgettable VBAC journey filled with intuition, trust, advocacy, and a few unexpected twists. Maddi reflects on navigating the stigma surrounding VBAC, the importance of evidence-based support, and how continuity of care helped her make informed decisions throughout pregnancy and birth.

This conversation is a powerful reminder that every birth story is unique, that informed choice matters, and that trusting yourself can be one of the most valuable tools in pregnancy, birth, and motherhood.

We hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

In this episode of Australian VBAC Stories, we are joined by Rena, a mother of two from East Gippsland, Victoria.

After a traumatic induction, emergency caesarean birth, severe postpartum infection, and postnatal depression with her first daughter, Rena knew she wanted a different experience for her next birth.

In this episode, she shares her journey towards a planned VBAC, including years of research, choosing continuity of care with a private midwife, navigating hospital policies, and learning how to advocate for herself when faced with resistance during labour.

Rena's story is one of resilience, determination, and discovering the power of her own voice. Her VBAC wasn't just a different birth experience, it was a transformative experience that left her feeling stronger, more confident, and deeply trusting of herself.

Rena lives in East Gippsland with her husband Kyle and their daughters, Vana and Freya, where they are building an off-grid home and creating a simple, grounded life together.

A special thank you from Rena to her midwife Megan from The Village Way Gippsland, whose calm presence, knowledge, and trust in birth helped her feel truly seen, heard, and supported throughout her journey. And to her husband Kyle, whose unwavering support and belief in her never faltered.

Rena hopes that by sharing her story, other women planning a VBAC feel empowered to trust themselves, ask questions, and advocate for the birth experience they deserve.