"VBAC: Birth Experience at Karratha Health Campus Midwifery Group Practice"

I have had the most amazing experience this time around with the birth of my son. I was fortunate enough to be part of the MGP program, securing the last available October place with Lea. I genuinely believe that without this continuity of care, my experience may not have been as positive and I may not have achieved the outcome I ultimately needed to heal from my previous traumatic caesarean birth at Karratha Health Campus in 2022.

From day one, Lea was supportive of my desire for a VBAC. I had taken every precaution to give myself the best possible chance, including waiting the recommended time before falling pregnant again and making healthy lifestyle choices. I wanted a VBAC more than anything, both for this birth and because I needed the opportunity to have a different experience from my first.

The admission process was simple, and when I found out I would be placed with Lea, I was over the moon. She had been one of the few positive aspects of my daughter's birth, so having her support this time meant a great deal to me. Lea went above and beyond to advocate for me and my wishes throughout my pregnancy and birth. I never felt like I was having to advocate for myself or fight to be heard because I knew she understood what I wanted and would support me in achieving it.

The continuity of care through MGP was incredibly important. I felt supported, informed and, most importantly, in control of my care. I was initially apprehensive about seeing the obstetricians because of my previous experience, but I found the OBs I saw this time to be completely different. From the beginning, they were supportive of my wishes for a VBAC. I never felt undermined or that I had to fight for the care I wanted. Instead, I felt listened to and included in the decisions being made.

Having the ability to receive care at home in the lead-up to the birth was also fantastic. Being able to stay in my own environment while nesting, preparing for the baby and mentally preparing for a VBAC helped me feel settled and confident.

I had a week of early labour before things suddenly ramped up. Lea knew how important it was to me that she be there for the birth and made sure she was able to get there, which meant so much to me. Having someone I trusted arrive when things became intense gave me an enormous sense of reassurance.

I chose not to have an epidural for personal reasons relating to my previous birth. Lea suggested sterile water injections as an alternative for managing my back pain during labour, and they were fantastic. They provided significant relief and allowed me to continue labouring without an epidural. I even managed to have a quick sleep part-way through labour, which I never would have imagined possible.

My labour ultimately lasted around five hours. My son's heart rate dropped during labour, but because I trusted my care team and had been kept informed throughout the process, I never felt blindsided or forced into anything. I was advised that I could start pushing and that a vacuum-assisted delivery and episiotomy would likely be required. I was comfortable with this because I understood what was happening and why.

Dr Lucia was incredibly gentle and supportive throughout the birth. I had complete trust in my care team, and I genuinely believe that the way they supported and included me throughout the process contributed significantly to how I feel about the birth now.

My main goal was to have my VBAC, and I got it. I am absolutely over the moon. When I think about the birth of my son, I feel joy and comfort rather than fear or distress. When you are at your most vulnerable, I believe it is incredibly important to feel safe, listened to and supported. I did.

I did develop a haematoma a few hours after the birth. Sammy, the midwife caring for me postnatally, took my concerns about the pain seriously and raised them with Dr Lucia, who promptly diagnosed it and had it treated that night. Even with this complication, and the fact that the birth did not go exactly as a textbook "perfect VBAC" might look, I still consider my experience to have been a perfect healing VBAC.

For me, the difference came down to continuity of care through MGP and what felt like a genuine cultural shift at Karratha Health Campus. My previous experience left me feeling vulnerable and traumatised, whereas this time I felt supported, informed and empowered. I was not scared into accepting care. I was given information, allowed to make decisions and trusted throughout the process. That made an enormous difference.

I also want to acknowledge that my breastfeeding journey has not been smooth sailing. My son has a lip tie and feeding has been extremely painful. The hospital has kindly provided laser therapy to help treat the damage to my nipples, but unfortunately there is currently no one locally who can release the lip tie, which is contributing to the ongoing issues. Lea has again gone above and beyond in helping me find an interim option while I wait to travel to Perth for treatment. Having the ability to have this treated locally would save families a significant amount of stress, travel and pain, and I hope this is something that can be considered in the future.

Overall, I feel incredibly grateful for the care I received. Lea, Dr Lucia, Sammy, Sheree and the wider team played a huge part in giving me the birth experience I needed. After my previous birth, I needed to know that birth could be different. It was, and I will always be incredibly grateful that my son's birth is something I can remember with happiness, comfort and pride.