Birthing Forward: Part One Choosing Your VBAC Team: Finding the People Who Will Believe in You

One of my favorite things about supporting VBAC families is watching the moment when hope begins to replace fear. I remember sitting with a mom during one of our first conversations. She was pregnant with her second baby and carrying a lot more than a growing belly. She was carrying the memory of her first birth. Her first baby had been born by cesarean after a labor experience that left her feeling overwhelmed and unsure. She had questions she had never been able to answer. She wondered if her body had failed her. She wondered if things could be different this time. Most of all, she wondered if she could trust birth again.

As we talked, one thing became very clear.

She wasn't looking for someone to guarantee her a VBAC.

She was looking for someone to believe in her.

She wanted to understand her options. She wanted to ask questions without feeling dismissed. She wanted a provider who would see her as an active participant in her care and a birth team that would support her no matter how her story unfolded.

This is something I hear often from families planning a VBAC.

The desire for a vaginal birth is real and important, but underneath that desire is usually something deeper.

A desire to feel informed.

A desire to feel respected.

A desire to feel like their voice matters.

A desire to walk into birth with confidence instead of fear.

That is where VBAC preparation begins.

Not with a birth plan.

Not with a hospital bag.

Not even with labor.

It begins with choosing the people who will walk beside you.

I have had the honor of supporting hundreds of families through birth, postpartum recovery, lactation support, and childbirth education. Through those years, I've learned that one of the most important decisions families make is not simply where they give birth, but who they invite into that experience.

Your provider matters.

Your hospital matters.

Your support team matters.

Because birth is not something you simply endure.

It is an experience you will remember for the rest of your life.

When families begin exploring VBAC, one of the first things we talk about is the difference between a provider who "allows" VBAC and a provider who truly supports VBAC. Those two things can sound very similar, but they can create very different experiences. A provider who supports VBAC understands that birth requires both safety and patience. They recognize that labor is not always predictable. They are willing to have honest conversations about risks and benefits. They welcome questions and encourage shared decision-making. They don't promise a certain outcome, because no one can honestly do that. Instead, they promise to walk alongside you with evidence-based care, respect, and communication. A provider who simply "allows" VBAC may still approach your pregnancy and labor through a lens of fear or limitation. You may notice that conversations quickly turn toward reasons why VBAC may not work rather than how you can thoughtfully prepare. This doesn't mean every provider who has concerns is unsupportive. VBAC is a personal decision, and every pregnancy is unique. Good care includes honest conversations about your individual circumstances. But you deserve a provider who is willing to have those conversations with you—not just make decisions for you.

One of the most empowering things you can do during pregnancy is interview your care provider.

Yes, interview them.

Your relationship with your provider matters, and you are allowed to ask questions before choosing who will support you through one of the biggest moments of your life.

Some questions to consider:

• How many VBACs or TOLACs do you support each year?

• What is your approach to supporting labor after a previous cesarean?

• How do you define normal labor progress?

• How do you approach situations where labor slows down?

• Are there specific hospital policies I should understand before planning a VBAC?

• Will I be encouraged to move and change positions during labor?

• What options are available for monitoring while maintaining mobility?

• How do you approach shared decision-making if unexpected circumstances arise?

The answers matter, but so does how you feel during the conversation.

Do you feel heard?

Do you feel respected?

Do you feel like your questions are welcomed?

Your intuition matters.

Choosing a hospital is another important part of your VBAC preparation.

Many families spend time looking at the beautiful birth rooms, but I encourage you to look deeper. The most important part of a birth space isn't the paint color or the furniture. It's the culture.

• How does the team communicate?

• How do they support movement?

• How do nurses approach labor?

• Are doulas welcomed?

• How does the hospital support families when plans change?

A supportive environment can make a tremendous difference in your birth experience.

And remember, your birth team extends beyond your provider and hospital.

Your partner is part of your team.

Your doula is part of your team.

The professionals who help you prepare physically and emotionally are part of your team.

VBAC preparation is not about hoping everything goes perfectly. It is about surrounding yourself with people who will help you navigate the journey with confidence, compassion, and trust.

That mom I mentioned earlier? She spent her pregnancy preparing differently this time. She asked questions. She built a supportive team. She learned about her options. She prepared her body and her mind for birth. And when labor arrived, she walked into that experience knowing she was not alone.

That is what I want for every VBAC family.

Not perfection.

Not a guarantee.

Support.

Because every mother deserves to enter birth knowing

she is informed, respected, and believed in.

In Part Two of the Birthing Forward series, we will talk about preparing your heart for a VBAC journey—the emotional healing, the fears that often follow a previous cesarean, and how you can begin rebuilding trust in your body and your birth story.

A note from Ang:

I have been blessed and honored to support many VBAC/TOLAC families (for my numbers people, it is 100+), and it is equally empowering to the mom who decides she would like a repeat cesarean as it is to the mom who has a VBAC... both moms are victorious because they were empowered to make a decision that may have eluded them with their previous birth.

Families throughout Metro Detroit, including Oakland County, Macomb County, Wayne County, Washtenaw County, and Livingston County, choose INSPIRE for experienced VBAC doula support, birth preparation, and personalized guidance after cesarean. Whether you are planning a VBAC at a hospital, exploring your options after a previous birth experience, or looking for compassionate support during pregnancy, INSPIRE is honored to walk alongside families throughout Southeast Michigan.