Unassisted Homebirth After VBAC, with Nichole Joy

Today’s birth story, is with Nichole Joy, whose experiences have taken her from a Cesarean birth, to a VBAC, to an unexpected and unassisted homebirth. She has gone from being afraid of giving birth and letting others guide her decision making, to trusting the process and being able to tell an EMT to “get your hand off of my vagina” as her baby’s body was about to emerge. Check it out.

To listen here, click the play button on the player above, or click the button below to listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Google Play.

What we talked about:

• The “go with the flow” pregnancy
• The recommended scheduled cesarean
• The move to Chicago and learning about VBACs
• The VBAC preparation and switching providers
• Back to Tampa – armed for a second VBAC
• Going into the process of a super fast labor
• The fight to keep the clothes off
• Keeping the crowning to herself
• Doulas and EMTs join the party
• Feeling all the feels
• Being transformed every step of the way

Nichole on her way to the hospital, after unassisted homebirth

Links to helpful resources:

• VBACfacts.com
• The VBAC Education Project, from VBAC.com
• A Woman’s Guide to VBAC: Weighing the Pros and Cons, from Lamaze
• The Birth Hour podcast
• #WaitforWhite campaign

Meeting her baby girl

Related Birthful episodes:

• VBAC Facts, with Jen Kamel
• Self-hypnosis for pain management, with Julietta Appleton

Still on a birth high!

About Nichole Joy

Nichole Joy is a passionate HBAVBAC (home birth after vaginal birth after Cesarean) mom of 3, pregnancy coach, birth doula, childbirth educator and host of Empowered Moms.

In August, Nichole had an unplanned, unassisted home birth that was under three hours. It was just her husband and her until her doula arrived (after her baby’s head was crowning). The EMTs arrived shortly after and gave her a lift to the hospital to get checked out for some postpartum hemorrhaging.

Join the Empowered Moms group on Facebook, or learn more at nicholejoy.com and on Instagram.
 

Title music: “Vibe Ace” by Kevin MacLeod, from the Free Music Archive / CC BY (edited for length).

Sponsorship music: “Air Hockey Saloon” by Chris Zabriskie, from the Free Music Archive / CC BY (edited for length).