Elena 
This hit pretty close to home. My last birth was a C-section because I had already had 2 C-sections. That’s all. I had also birthed 3 other babies, all over 9 pounds and one over 10 pounds! But the medicolegal climate at the time was such that I knew from my first prenatal visit, if I wanted a VBAC, it was going to be a fight. Again. I had issues relating to my stillbirth that I was still trying to emotionally work through. Fighting for a natural birth on top of it was a little more than I could handle. However, if I had met with even a little bit of suport and encouragement, that is the way I would have preferred to go.
In many hospitals in the country if you have had a C-section, you will have to have all of your babies by C-section for medicolegal purposes (and I’m guessing financial reasons) rather than health or medical reasons). It seems also that in some parts of the country even first time moms have the seed of doubt planted early, that they cannot birth their own babies, but will probably need surgery! That’s a crime in my opinion and women have to speak up about it more and educate themselves about what their bodies are really capable of doing. We were built for having babies and feeding them. We at least deserve the right to try!
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This from the Citizens for Midwifery on a plan to help discourage hospital bans on Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC):
Grassroots Network Message 611035
File a VBAC ban complaint
Dear Friends,
Barbara Stratton has been working hard to find a way to reverse VBAC bans both in her own state of Maryland as well as nationwide. Please read her letter below, explaining an action many women can take that may not only help reverse their local bans, but could also have an impact across the country.
Barbara writes:
One of the most promising approaches we have to reversing hospital VBAC bans nationwide is to file complaints through the Medicaid system and then appeal any denials to the federal level. If successful, all hospitals nationwide that receive Medicaid funding (most do) would be forced to reverse their VBAC bans.
So far, I’ve only known of a single woman to file one of these complaints and she didn’t appeal the initial denial. We need to have these complaints come in from across the country from women willing to file and then appeal any denials.
You don’t have to receive, or have received Medicaid in the past in order to file a complaint. The only qualifying factor is that you live near a VBAC banning hospital and want to see that ban reversed!
Simply call the hospital and verify that they receive Medicaid funding. Then ask for the contact info for the Chief Compliance Officer for Medicaid.
I can then email you a letter template that just requires you to insert your info plus the compliance officer’s info. Print it out, mail it in and you are done.
See how easy that is?
Please email me directly if you are interested.
Thanks,
Barbara Stratton
womancareadoula@comcast.net
At least 30% of births in this country are by cesarean section, including at least 20% of first births. That means there are a large number of women who would benefit from being able to give their best try at having a VBAC. Many of us can file the kind of complaint Barbara describes, which could help so many women and babies have a better birth.
Sincerely,
Susan Hodges, “gatekeeper”
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