If you’ve previously had a C Section birth then it doesn’t mean that all your future births need to be a C Section. There are many success stories from mums achieving a successful VBAC (Vaginal Birth after C Section) and successful HBAC (Homebirth after C Section)

I have had large number couples in my hypnobirthing courses who have found the hypnobirthing tools have made a huge beneficial difference in their preparation for a VBAC / HBAC.

Within The Positive Births hypnobirthing course you will:

Release emotions and the negative aspects of your previous birth
Release fears about any aspects of your upcoming birth
Build Confidence in yourself, your body and your baby
Gain the knowledge to ask the right questions to make informed and empowered decisions
Learn and use tools to help you keep calm, relaxed and more comfortable in your pregnancy, labour and birth.
Learn how to work with your body and not resist the labour process
Increase connection and bonding with your baby while in the womb
Provide your birth support person with skills, knowledge and tools to help you through your journey

Specific tools you’ll gain:

Visualisations, affirmations, breathwork, relaxation techniques, anchoring, NLP, massage, positive information about your body.

The skills you learn will be appropriate to use in every type of birth – so even if your desired outcome veers off track, or circumstances dictate a different birth path, you’ll still find the tools useful and beneficial to help you keep calm, relaxed and fear free during the process. Plus many of the skills are useful for life afterwards with baby.

When you have techniques that enable you to stay calm and tension-free during your pregnancy and labour, you can reduce the need for drugs and/or interventions and increase your likeliness of attaining a successful VBAC.

As a result of attending a Positive Births Hypnobirthing course many couples feel more prepared, more calm and more in control of their birth journey. Many of them go on to achieve an empowered and beautiful birth experience that they are very proud of.

Top Tips to help support you on your VBAC/HBAC journey:

LISTEN TO/READ OTHER PARENTS SUCCESS STORIES:

Read VBAC birth stories, listen to VBAC podcast episodes, join VBAC support groups,

Specifically I recommend these podcast episodes from other couples who’ve attended the Positive Births NZ hypnobirthing courses:

Aimee’s home VBAC to Hugo: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0ykT3s2Fuh4dV1Rrlt2A7h
Faith’s home VBAC to Hera https://open.spotify.com/episode/45xwdbd00upw8ENKqGUYd3
Emma’s induction and VBAC to Rae:https://open.spotify.com/episode/2HdtoGTNGUPjtTGgA9TqhF
Janelles VBAC Home Waterbirth to Kyla: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7LCFy9nHJD2CoKGhZq0uEj

BUILD YOUR KNOWLEDGE:

Knowledge is power. Start reading and researching pregnancy and VBAC related books. If you have decisions to make along the way – it is important that you are able to make informed decisions based on prior knowledge and research. Know the risks and benefts/pros and cons, for all scenarios. You are an intelligent and informed woman and parent, who is making important decisions for your own and baby’s wellbeing.
Seek out support groups on facebook, find other mothers who’ve also been down this journey and will cheer you on from the sidelines.

Read the Royal Australia & New Zealand College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) guidelines for birth after caesarean:
https://ranzcog.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Vaginal-birth-after-caesarean-pamphlet.pdf

ENGAGE A SUPPORTIVE LMC and BIRTH PARTNER:  You are much more likely to achieve your VBAC when you have the positive support and encouragement of your caregivers. You may need to do some research here, to find a caregiver who will fully support you and has experience with VBAC/HBACs – feel free to reach out to me for any recommendations of midwives if you’re in the Auckland area. Interview your caregivers and if you are not happy with the information given, then seek another opinion. You only get one chance to birth your baby and you’ll need to make every effort to surround yourself with a supportive team who are there with you 100%.
You will need the unwavering support of your birth team, your partner, your birth support person. Speak with them about your desires and help them become informed and educated so they feel empowered to support you. You can also consider hiring a doula as emotional support for both of you through the labour and birth process.

RELEASE THE FEAR – MAINTAINING A POSITIVE MINDSET Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re right! It is imperative that you address any fears that exist around this birth and your previous birth/s.

As a qualified hypnotherapist I frequently work with pregnant mothers helping them to release fears, release trauma and reprocess aspects of their previous birth. It can be life changing getting to the root issue of stuck emotions.

Within the hypnobirthing course you’ll enjoy a number of exercises and skills to help you release fears, plus a specific fear release deep relaxation exercise to be able to let go of aspects of your previous birth and fears or doubts for this upcoming birth.

SELF-HYPNOSIS
Engage the professional services of a qualified hypnobirthing practitioner or hypnotherapist. Listen to pregnancy/ birth related relaxation/self hypnosis tracks (such as those available through www.positivebirths.co.nz) on a regular basis. Create and then nurture your positive mindset. Affirmations are a wonderful tool for creating and maintaining your positive mindset throughout pregnancy and birth.

SUPPORTIVE CAREGIVERS You are much more likely to achieve your VBAC when you have the positive support and encouragement of your caregivers. You may need to do some research here, to fnd a caregiver who already has a track record of supporting VBACs. If possible, also consider options in having continuity of care with midwives. Do some research. Perhaps speak to other mums from your area who have also had VBACs. ‘When you have techniques that enable you to stay calm and tension-free during your pregnancy and labour, you can reduce the need for drugs or interventions and increase your likeliness of attaining a successful VBAC’ Surge of the Sea album) or even write

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF
Surround yourself with positive messages. Stick visualisations and affirmations around your house. See them, say them, feel them, LIVE them! Talk the talk. Be mindful of your self-talk. Focus on what you want, rather than what you don’t want. Tell the right people how you wish your birth to pan out and try to avoid getting into negative conversations that are not of help to yourself or your baby.