Planning for a vaginal birth after a cesarean is a safe choice. It may be beneficial to look at your previous birth’s medical records with your midwife. This could help provide some education about the reasons surrounding your birth and any other relevant information that your may have forgotten or may not have been told.

Previously having a cesarean may pose these additional risks during pregnancy or labor:

• The uterine scar could tear – this risk is greatly reduced with a good diet, minimal prenatal risks, and by not using labor enhancing drugs like Pitocin.
• Stalled labor – Some women may pause in labor at the same time/dilation that they had the cesarean in their previous labor. Your midwife, doula, or partner will be encouraging and supportive of anything thing you need to process during this moment. Before birth, talk to your midwife or a counselor to work through any fears or emotions surrounding your previous birth.
• The placenta may have trouble coming out. This isn’t common, but if the placenta implants low in the uterus, then there is a chance it could grow into the scar and have trouble detaching from the uterus. This would require transport to the hospital and surgical removal of the placenta. Again, this isn’t common and can be ruled out by an ultrasound.

Working through your previous experience and using guided imagery can help your prepare for your planned home birth after cesarean. Homebirths after cesarean are beautiful experiences! Power, trust, and accomplishment can often come even when simply planning a homebirth and working with a midwife. Remember that every pregnancy and labor is a new and unique experience. Planning a home birth doesn’t mean that you won’t need to transport or have another cesarean. What it does mean is that you will get the best possible,  experienced, and personalized care that you can have during your pregnancy, labor, and postpartum.




***This is general information. Please speak to your health care provider about your unique health
needs.