VBAC

A Houston mother holds her baby after a successful hospital VBAC
VBAC stands for "Vaginal Birth After Cesarean". Remember: choose your caregiver carefully, take an independent childbirth class and consider hiring adoulaYOU CAN DO IT! And you'll be glad that you did!

Articles

Websites
The International Cesarean Awareness Network, Inc(ICAN) is a nonprofit organization founded by Esther Booth Zorn in 1982. ICAN's mission is to improve maternal-child health by preventing unnecessary cesareans through education, providing support for cesarean recovery, and promoting Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC). 
Henci Goer specializes in birth issues
V-Bac Rates for Texas Hospitals

                                                Cesarean Section Rates for Houston Area Hospitals 



HARRIS COUNTY


Christus St. Catherine
34.0980%


Clear Lake Regional Medical Center
36.1880%


Cypress Fairbanks Hospital
38.2322%


Houston Northwest Medical Center
31.4921%


Kingwood Medical Center
32.3156%


Memorial Hermann Medical Center
40.1521%


Memorial Hermann Memorial City
43.8919%


Memorial Hermann South East
36.9822%


Memorial Hermann South West
29.9155%


Methodist Willowbrook
35.0166%


St. Luke's Medical Center
33.9573%


Texas Women's
47.6785%


The Methodist - Medical Center
39.0337%


Tomball Regional
46.9643%


FORT BEND COUNTY


Memorial Hermann Fort Bend Hospital
36.4839%


Memorial Hermann Katy
37.8242%


Methodist Sugar Land Hospital
36.4083%


St. Luke's Sugar Land
39.7190%


West Houston Medical Center
36.2372%


MONTGOMERY COUNTY


Conroe Regional Medical Center
31.4286%


Memorial Hermann The Woodlands
41.1213%


Greater Houston Area: 37.52673%
http://www.txpricepoint.org/consumer.aspx  

Book Recommendations

The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth. (Henci Goer) If you're only going to read one book, let it be this one. It contains not only a wonderful chapter on avoiding a cesarean, but also comprehensive information on the judicious use of medical intervention. The book is more reader friendly, but not as in depth, as Ms. Goer's previous publication, Obstetric Myth vs. Research Reality 

The Doula Book: How a Trained Labor Companion Can Help You Have a Shorter, Easier and Healthier Birth (by Klaus, Kennell and Klaus) For more information about doulas (Including the fact that doulas have been proven to reduce your risk of having a cesarean by 50%. Family members and other supportive people have not been shown to provide the same benefit.)

Silent Knife (by Nancy Wainer Cohen and Lois J. Estner) Written by the woman who coined the phrase "VBAC"; The definitive text written during a time when the standard of obstetrical care was "Once a cesarean, always a cesarean"; Also consider the follow-up book by Nancy Wainer Cohen, Open Season

Birth After Cesarean (by Bruce Flamm, MD) Full of statistics helpful for making decisions regarding choices you make
for your care 

Ina May's Guide to Childbirth (by Ina May Gaskin) Published following the most recent VBAC-lash and includes a chapter discussing the political state of VBAC today; Also includes excellent information for achieving a natural birth

Rebounding from Childbirth: Toward Emotional Recovery (by Lynn Madsen) For anyone who has experienced a cesarean (or any traumatic birth); Gives specific exercises for understanding and dealing with the feelings many women have following a cesarean

The VBAC Experience: Very Beautiful And Courageous (by Lynn Baptisti Richards) A collection of women's birth stories: first the woman's c-section story, followed by her VBAC story; The author's comments are interspersed in the stories supplying excellent information; Fabulously encouraging