Episode Details

What would it feel like to go into labor fully prepared for your VBAC - and then have your baby flip breech in the middle of it? That's exactly what happened to Kathryn May, a VBAC Lab student and stay-at-home mom of two from Charlotte, NC.

After a traumatic first birth that ended in an unplanned C-section, Kathryn was determined to do things differently the second time around. She switched to a VBAC-supportive practice, brought her husband fully into the process, and walked into labor informed and ready. Things were progressing beautifully - until a routine check revealed something no one expected: baby James had flipped breech.

Kathryn's story isn't about getting the birth she planned. It's about what happens when you're prepared enough to handle it when the plan changes anyway - and still walk away feeling like you were part of every decision, confident, and empowered.

In this episode:

• Why Kathryn's first C-section left her feeling like things were "happening to her" instead of with her
• How to spot red flags with a provider who isn't truly VBAC-supportive (and why body language matters as much as their words)
• Getting her husband trained as an active advocate, not just a bystander
• The moment her midwife said, "I don't feel a head" - and what came next
• How Kathryn made her unplanned C-section feel informed and participatory instead of traumatic
• Why "you can refuse anything, but should you?" became her guiding question in the moment that mattered most

If Kathryn's story hit home for you - especially if your own birth didn't go the way you planned - be gentle with yourself. Whatever happened, you showed up, and that matters.

Share this episode with a mama preparing for her VBAC or preparing for birth. Hit subscribe, leave a review, and help us reach every mama who needs to hear this.

Connect with Kathryn:

Follow her on Instagram @drkathrynmay

More from this episode:

Join The VBAC Lab or explore The Calm Labor Birth Bundle

Helpful Timestamps:

• 00:00 VBAC Lab Student Birth Story
• 01:56 First Birth C-Section
• 05:26 Switching to Supportive Team
• 10:45 Labor Begins at Home
• 15:32 Baby is Breech
• 18:09 Redemptive C-Section Plan
• 20:16 Baby James Arrives
• 26:36 Advice for VBAC Moms
• 28:26 Why Education Matters

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