When it comes to birth, the only thing we can really be sure of is to expect the unexpected.

Birth plans are wonderful and important for working out what you would like to try for, where your comfort level is, ensuring your team and providers are aligned and supportive, and as a roadmap for birth partners to advocate for you.

However, as anyone who has given birth will tell you, there are parts of the experience that end up beyond the plan. That doesn’t mean that unexpected things that arise are always negative; they are just different. So, in the spirit of being compassionate truth-tellers, something that is at the core of all we do at Needed, we are launching our series of birth stories, covering a vast spectrum of birthing experiences but all celebrating positive outcomes even while sometimes dealing with complicated circumstances, with the idea that knowledge is power and the more you know, the less you might be blindsided by your own birth story.

The VBAC Link's, Meagan Heaton Shares Her VBAC Story

Birth is natural, but it is also a mystery. We dream of it, prepare for it, read about it, listen to stories of those who have come before us, and sometimes plan every detail. Yet, when the moment arrives, we’re reminded that the unexpected is often its truest companion. From the rush of labor to the wild unpredictability of new life, birth humbles us in ways we never anticipated. It asks us to surrender to the unknown, let go of control, and embrace a wild, beautiful unfolding we can't fully predict.

I still reflect on my two Cesareans and think about all the things I may or may not have been able to control. Yet, I find gratitude for those experiences because they led me to share my Vaginal Birth After Two Cesareans (VBA2C) story with others. It empowers me to help others learn, choose the best options for themselves, and embrace the reality that even if you do everything "right," birth can still unfold in unexpected ways. That doesn’t make you any less amazing.

My journey began in 2014 after my second unplanned and undesired Cesarean. It was not what I wanted or prepared for at all. Why? I asked myself as I walked down to the OR crying. We made the best of the experience we were given, and although the birth was healing in some ways, I knew I didn’t want another repeat Cesarean for my next pregnancy. After that birth, I dove into learning everything about VBAC.

I took a hypnobirthing class, hired a team of doulas, read countless studies on VBAC, and joined every VBAC Facebook group I could find. I lived in those spaces, soaking up every bit of knowledge.

At 41 weeks and 3 days, my labor started with my water breaking but no contractions. I felt triggered because this was how my previous pregnancies had begun. Would this have the same outcome? I reminded myself that this birth was a new one, and I needed to trust my body. After hours of leaking fluid and mild cramps, my body finally started contracting regularly.

Twenty-four hours later, things were happening but progressing slowly. I tried to stay out of the "what if" side of my brain, allowing each contraction to come and go, finishing with affirmations like: I can do this. My body is doing a great job. I am capable of reaching 10 cm, and my body is able to get this baby boy out vaginally.

For years, providers had told me that my pelvis was too small, my cervix wouldn’t dilate, and that I’d need to accept another Cesarean.

But this time, my midwife agreed to meet me at the birth center at 9 AM on July 1st. After nearly 35 hours of labor, I was checked, and although my midwife didn’t want to tell me initially, I later found out I was 4 cm dilated. I had never progressed past 3 cm before, so this was monumental for me. The surge of motivation was unreal.

After seven more hours of labor, I heard my midwife say, "Meagan, come over here." Exhausted, I looked up to see her smiling, inviting me to the birthing stool.

"Let’s have a baby," she said.

I felt unsure, like I was dreaming. I walked over hesitantly, and before I knew it, I was pushing. With every ounce of strength, I felt progress during the contractions. I told myself: This is it. This is the moment everyone said would never happen.

As the contraction built, I pushed with everything I had, and my midwife said, "Meagan, reach down and grab your baby!" I reached down and felt his perfect, slimy head and shoulders, pulling him onto my chest.

I DID IT! It was perfect—every second of it.

Until I started hearing ringing in my ears, and everyone’s voices sounded strange. I woke up on the floor, my baby no longer in my arms, surrounded by people covering me with blankets. I felt confused and just wanted to hold my baby. As I tried to walk to the bed, I passed out again. Something wasn’t right. My bleeding was normal, but my blood pressure and pulse were off.

After hours of monitoring, I was stable enough to go home, but I felt awful.

So although I felt so empowered in birth unfortunately the days that followed were some of the hardest. I had no energy, was extremely pale, and suffered severe headaches. It took a month to feel better, and eight years later, we still don’t have a solid answer for what happened that day.

I was overjoyed with having a successful VBAC, but my postpartum experience left me feeling sad and drained. It taught me that the journey of birth and postpartum is never linear or predictable. 

Often, it is in the unexpected that we find the deepest joys, the greatest challenges, and the most profound transformations. That birth—and those that came before it—shaped me into the passionate advocate for VBAC I am today.

Some Needed Facts about VBAC

What are the three main reasons for Cesarean?

1. Failure to progress: Many are told their cervix didn’t dilate “fast enough” according to provider or hospital policies. According to the American Pregnancy Association (APA), nearly a third of Cesareans occur due to “failure to progress.” Factors include:

   • Baby’s position
   • Premature induction before the body is ready
   • Overwhelmed or unresponsive body due to interventions
   • Waters breaking prematurely without a strong labor pattern
   • Inadequate labor patterns

2. Small pelvis or “big baby”: Many parents are told their baby is “too large” or their pelvis is “too small” to birth vaginally. Third-trimester ultrasounds often lead to concerns about baby size, but true cephalopelvic disproportion (CPD) is rare, occurring in just 1 in 250 births.

3. Breech or malpositioned baby: Breech is a variation of normal, but vaginal breech births are rare due to limited provider training. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends external versions or well-planned vaginal breech births with trained providers.

What is VBAC?
VBAC stands for Vaginal Birth After Cesarean. It refers to anyone attempting a vaginal birth after a previous Cesarean. In medical terms, it’s often called a Trial of Labor After Cesarean (TOLAC) until the baby is born vaginally.

What are the risks?
The most significant concern is uterine rupture, which is rare but serious. Studies estimate the risk between 0.2-1.5%, depending on factors like Pitocin use or multiple prior Cesareans.

Ways to improve VBAC chances:

1. Education: Learn about VBAC risks, benefits, and informed decision-making.
2. Supportive provider: Choose someone up-to-date with evidence-based VBAC care.
3. Hire a doula: Doulas can lower Cesarean rates by up to 39%.
4. Nutrition: Prioritize a solid prenatal, protein, healthy fats, and hydration.
5. Mental preparation: Reflect on past births, process fears, and practice fear-clearing activities.