The Power of Trust: The VBAC Birth Story of Evangélina

Reader Contribution by Antonette Vasseur
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I am 29 weeks into my pregnancy with my third child. We are planning a homebirth with the midwives at Riverside Midwifery, who delivered my daughter in our home almost 2 years ago. My homebirth with my daughter was healing in so many ways. After many unnecessary interventions that lead to the cesarean birth of my son, I spent years researching and helping women to take ownership of their births. I will be documenting the rest of my pregnancy as I prepare my body, my family and our home to welcome another soul earthside. I felt it was very important for me to write the birth stories of my first two children. The birth story of my son Baylin can be read here:  Baylin’s Gift- A Birth Story . The following is the story of my VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean) homebirth with my daughter Evangélina.  

Dear Evangélina,
It has taken me a year and a half to write our birthing story. I couldn’t write it because it was ours and I wanted to keep it with us and savor every memory.  I’m still amazed each and every day at the entire experience. I look at your sweet face and can’t believe that you are here, and how you came to us on October 6, 2010 was peaceful and nothing short of amazing. Welcome Evangelina, you have given me more than you will ever know.

 Birth Story of Evangélina Antoinette  

 October 6, 2010, at 11:04 am I said the three words I waited over four and a half years to say. I looked in to my newborn daughter’s eyes and said “I DID IT.”… 

My pregnancy with Evangélina was easy and I spent 9 months reading everything I could get my hands on about homebirth and VBAC’s. I had prenatal care with the most amazing homebirth Midwife who never treated me like I was a “VBAC case”. I was a woman, who was pregnant, and healthy, and unless something proved that otherwise she would treat me no differently. Sometimes I would actually forget that I was planning a VBAC. She made me feel like I could do this, and that I have been doing this for ages, and to trust my body even during the gestation process. The empowerment she gave back to me during my pregnancy gave me strength during labor and delivery. I am forever grateful for the care she gave me.  

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