Comments on: Birth Story: Twin Vaginal Birth After Two Cesareans (VBA2C)

By: Jen Kamel

Jen Kamel — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 17:23:02 +0000

Jessica,

I am thrilled to hear of an OB attending a VBA2C in the hospital. I hope to hear more and more of these stories!

Warmly,

Jen

By: Jessica

Jessica — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 03:32:40 +0000

Thank you so much for publishing this! My husband actually came across this while searching for encouragement about our decision to attempt our VBA2C. I am 38 weeks. Not only are we proud of your achievement of birthing VBA2C WITH TWINS, but we also appreciate you sharing your story with the masses. We have very little support in our decision to VBA2C and we’re just having a singleton. I’ve been in predromal labor now for 4 days. We’re taking Brio Birthing classes and our doctor is one who happily supports VBA2C TOLACs. We also have a doula and a couple friends who have had two and three c/s respectively. Both would like VBACs next time around.

We recently started blogging about our birthing experiences as a husband/wife perspective (dad’s rarely get to have a voice). I hope you stop by and are encouraged! Of course, we’re starting from the beginning and it’s not all on there yet, but it will be soon because we’re going to have this baby within the next four weeks!

Thanks so much for sharing!

By: Jennifer Cazabon

Jennifer Cazabon — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 17:49:47 +0000

Hi Camael

I realize I am late responding to this – my apologies. I did chiropractic care with a doctor that was certified in the Webster technique. I also did regular massage with a registered therapist.

Other than that I did Raspberry leaf tea from week 36 on, ate a healthy diet and got lots of rest and walked. Boy did I walk – every day 30-60 minutes minimum.

I hope your birth was what you wanted.

Jen

By: Jennifer Cazabon

Jennifer Cazabon — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 17:47:29 +0000

Hi Carrie

I hope this reaches you – no worries on my privacy. I am in Canada. Mississauga Ontario to be specific and I was at Credit Valley Hospital under the care of Dr. Smith.

Canada is a very different environment to the US. Women still get bullied and pushed into procedures but doctors can’t refuse treatment here and we have a Patient bill of rights that is upheld on a regular basis so once you know your rights and show you know them it is a little less stressful.

I’ll help anyway I can

Jen
(cazabon.j@sympatico.ca)

By: Samantha

Samantha — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 22:10:29 +0000

I just wanted to say how much of an encouragement you are to other women. I have had 2 c-sections and am now pregnant with twins (my 2nd set). My Doctors just approved me today, 12/9/2010 to attempt a VBA2C w/ Twins! I’m so excited and I was looking for some stories of other who have experienced this, and I found your story! I admire you and everything you did for your babies and yourself.. I just hope to be as strong and experience the same within this month. I’m currently 35 weeks and 2 days pregnant with twin girls! Feel free to email me if you have any words of encouragement or if there are any suggestions you can make, that helped with your labor and delivery, that weren’t included in your story! I appreciate you sharing your story, it’s amazing. Thank you!

By: Amanda

Amanda — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 15:15:35 +0000

Your birth story is such an inspiration, thank you for sharing. I am 20 weeks pregnant with number three and trying to figure out if I want to attempt a VBA2C or have a repeat cesarean (after going into labour spontaneously). During my labour with my last VBAC attempt, I went much further than the first time round, but still ended up with a cesarean. I am wondering if I get a bit further this time, maybe I could actually do it, if not, I have made peace with having another cesarean.

By: Camael

Camael — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 14:21:24 +0000

Jen,
Your story amazed and inspired me! I am about 12 weeks pregnant with twins and am going to also be a VBA2C. I am very encouraged by your empowering birth. I can only find one supportive OB in my area who “allows” VBA2Cs and twin vaginal births, whom I plan to switch to when I’m closer to my 3rd trimester since his office is a 45 minute drive from where I live. I really believe that your positive mindset and people (your husband and German nurse) really helped your body feel it was safe to birth your babies. Did you do anything physically in preparation before your labor started to encourage a successful birth, such as any herbal teas, chiropractic care, Kegels?

By: Keisha

Keisha — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 04:12:39 +0000

Thanks Jen. Will do.

By: Jen Kamel

Jen Kamel — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 21:22:46 +0000

Hi Keisha,

You might consider hiring a doula (emotional support) or a montrice (emotional plus can check dilation, heart tones, etc) to be with you as you labor at home. You can get referrals using these resource listed here.

I’ve removed your email address because spammers will take it and use it. Just subscribe to the comments (use the button at the top or bottom of the site) and you can see who responds to you.

Warmly,

Jen

By: Keisha

Keisha — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 20:18:33 +0000

This story really made my day. I’m 37+ weeks pregnant with what I have a very strong suspicion are surprise twins (don’t ask), but I cannot find anyone who will support my decision to have a VBA2C, even with a singleton. I believe that women were built to give birth naturally and that my uterus can do what it was created to do. From reading all the stories on this site, I’ve realized that for me to get what I want I’ll have to go into labor before my scheduled c-section for the 26th, and labor for the most part at home. Any additional advice? I could really use some help and support. I no longer have a DH (divorced) but I do have a very supportive daughter and mom, and they’ll have to do. I can be reached at [removed].

By: Carrie

Carrie — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 23:28:32 +0000

Hi,
This story is just amazing. I know they want to maintain Jen’s privacy, but does anyone know where this occurred? I recently had my 2nd child, was trying for a VBAC, but had a midwife that gave up on me and ended up being induced and ultimately a second c/s. I feel terrible and am having an extremely hard time with it. I want to do a VBA2C for my third child, but all I can not find a provider who is willing to help, not even a home midwife. I am infuriated, especially as a veteran it looks like I’ll have to go to Mexico to find someone help me have a baby my way. Please help!
Thanks,
Carrie (murdockshopping@gmail.com)

By: Rozmonkey

Rozmonkey — Sat, 01 May 2010 20:01:05 +0000

It continues to amaze and horrify me to see how our culture expects women to fight for themselves and their babies while they are most in need of support and comfort – when in labour and delivering their young. I am the happy mom of monochorionic diamniotic twins, whom I delivered (with their help) in my own home and unobtrusively attended by an excellent team of midwives. My babies were in fact sharing a circulatory system, but the placenta was enormous and I believe that following (not strictly, nothing strictly) the nutritional guidelines suggested in Elizabeth Noble’s book “Having Twins” was partly responsible for my twins being healthy and strong and to term at 39 weeks. Also, I quit work at about 20 weeks and focused on myself and what felt good to me to do. Rest when I want, eat when I want, walk when I want. No such thing as bedrest – only my being free to pay attention to and meet my needs. That too, I believe played a role in the health of my pregnancy and babies. I had preparatory contractions at least 2 months ahead of the birth, but these did not worry me at all. I believe that my uterus was preparing itself, gathering up to push down. I believe as well that they were a teaching opportunity for me and my babies. I would rub my belly after a contraction and say soothing things to my babies, to let them built positive experiences with contractions. This way they would be less likely to become distressed by the stronger and frequent contractions of labour when it came. The birthing experience I had in my home was peaceful, respectful, comfortable, and supportive. I did not have to fight anything or anyone. I was not drugged, observed, violated (er, that is, I had only one internal examination and that was to determine that yes I was complete and ready to push, and that was by consent.) I was exhausted – totally exhausted – by the end of my labour, but I had two wonderful, healthy babies snuggled up in bed with me. All was well. It was a beautiful experience, and an empowering one. I’m eternally grateful to my midwives, and delighted with the outcome of applying my good sense of reason to my choice of prenatal care and mode of delivery. I want now for all women to have the choice available to them – that they may choose as I did – to have a midwife-assisted homebirth for their twins. It is a damn shame and an outrage that this is not in all places even legal, much less well-known and accessible. We must change this.

By: kassy

kassy — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 01:19:08 +0000

Wow! this is an amazing story! I just had my second son in December ’09. With our next child we are going to have a VBA2C! Twins run in our family, so we may be another successful Twin VBA2C!

By: Holly

Holly — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 01:24:22 +0000

What a wonderful, inspiring story. I have had 1 previous c-section and am now pregnant with twins and am exploring the possibility of VBAC as well. Jen (or anyone else in the know), did your boys share a placenta? Mine are monochorionic so that’s introduced some complications.

By: Vanessa

Vanessa — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 14:20:32 +0000

I just want to say that you have inspired me. I have had two prior c-sections and I am pregnant with baby #3. I was reluctant about having the baby vaginal. And many doctors discourage you. I found a doctor that has been supportive of VBAC just as long as I am aware of the risks. Thank you and your story was beautiful. It made me cry especially of how supportive your hubby was.