If you are hoping for a VBAC after a previous Cesarean, having an experienced support team can make a meaningful difference in how informed, prepared and supported you feel throughout pregnancy and birth.

At Well Born Baby, we have extensive experience providing VBAC doula support in Philadelphia, the Main Line and surrounding suburbs. Christina has more than 20 years of experience and has supported more than 1,800 births throughout the Philadelphia region, including many families planning a Trial of Labor After Cesarean (TOLAC) and hoping for a Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC).

We understand that planning a VBAC is about more than preparing for labor. It is also about understanding your options, finding a supportive medical team and feeling confident asking questions and participating in decisions about your care.

Many Philadelphia area families are discovering that a previous Cesarean does not automatically mean that every future birth must be a scheduled C section.

For appropriate candidates, TOLAC may provide the opportunity to have a vaginal birth after Cesarean. Whether VBAC is an option for you depends on your individual medical history, pregnancy and other factors that should be discussed with your OB or midwife.

Families consider VBAC for many reasons. Some want to experience labor and vaginal birth. Others are interested in the potential for a different postpartum recovery or want to understand how another Cesarean could affect future pregnancies.

Whatever your reasons, you deserve the opportunity to understand your options and make informed decisions about your birth.

Planning a VBAC can bring different questions than preparing for a first birth.

You may have questions about your previous Cesarean, induction, fetal monitoring, hospital policies, labor positions or what happens if your birth does not unfold exactly as planned.

An experienced VBAC doula can help you prepare for these conversations and determine which questions you may want to discuss with your medical provider.

Well Born Baby's VBAC doula support may include:

• Individualized VBAC birth planning
• Evidence based childbirth education
• Help preparing questions for your OB or midwife
• Labor positions and comfort techniques
• Continuous physical and emotional support during labor
• Support for your partner throughout labor and birth
• Postpartum follow up and recovery support

Our role is never to tell you how you should give birth. Our goal is to help you feel informed, prepared and supported throughout the process.

One of the most important parts of planning a VBAC is choosing an OB, midwife and birthplace whose approach is compatible with your goals.

There can be meaningful differences between hospitals, OB practices, midwifery groups and individual providers when it comes to TOLAC and VBAC policies a

nd practices.

After more than 20 years supporting births throughout the Philadelphia region, Christina is familiar with many of the area's hospitals, OB practices and midwifery groups.

That local experience can be especially valuable when you are trying to understand what questions to ask and what to consider when choosing your birth team.

Well Born Baby doulas support families giving birth at hospitals throughout Philadelphia, the Main Line, Chester County, Montgomery County, Delaware County and Northern Delaware.

VBAC doula support begins well before you go into labor.

During pregnancy, we can help you process your previous birth experience, identify your priorities for this birth, prepare questions for prenatal appointments and develop a birth plan that reflects your preferences.

We can also help you prepare for the realities of hospital birth, including conversations about induction, monitoring, movement during labor, pain management and Cesarean birth if plans need to change.

During labor, your doula remains with you to provide continuous physical and emotional support while your OB or midwife and nursing team manage your medical care.

Having someone in the room who understands both VBAC birth and the Philadelphia maternity care landscape can provide an additional layer of preparation and support for you and your partner.

You do not need to wait until late pregnancy to begin preparing for a VBAC.

In fact, connecting with a doula earlier can give you more time to explore your options, ask questions and make thoughtful decisions about your provider and birthplace.

But if you are already well into your pregnancy, it is not necessarily too late.

Whether you are 10 weeks pregnant or approaching your due date, an important question to ask is:

What are my birth options, and what support will help me feel prepared for them?

Well Born Baby provides experienced VBAC and TOLAC doula support throughout:

Philadelphia
The Main Line
Delaware County
Chester County
Montgomery County
Northern Delaware

If you are considering a VBAC and would like to learn more about working with an experienced Philadelphia doula, contact Well Born Baby to schedule a consultation.

Your birth. Your choices. Experienced support every step of the way.

Your Birth, Your Way.