'I wanted desperately to have a natural birth': mothers' insights on vaginal birth after Caesarean (VBAC).
There is scant research available on the psycho-social aspects of births subsequent to Caesarean Section (CS). In particular, there is little psycho-social research available in regard to women who seek to have a Vaginal Birth After Caesarean (VBAC). To address this lack of information in the literature, this article explores, from a phenomenological perspective, the reasons motivating women to try for a VBAC, from the perspectives of four women who have tried for or achieved a VBAC. The findings indicate that these mothers differed to other women interviewed in the study who opted for repeat CS. The VBAC mothers expressed a strong belief in the importance of a natural birth as the best start for their infant, strived to reduce where possible drug interventions during labour and birth and believed in the importance of breastfeeding. The VBAC mothers viewed achieving a natural birth as a significant aspect of their femininity and a major life event for a woman.
Phillips
Emma
E
International Program of Psycho-Social Health Research (IPP-SHR), Central Queensland University, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
McGrath
Pam
P
Vaughan
Grahame
G
D000328:Adult; D017604:Cesarean Section, Repeat / Q000523:psychology / Q000639:trends; D002755:Choice Behavior; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D009042:Motivation; D009321:Natural Childbirth / Q000523:psychology*; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011209:Power, Psychological; D011247:Pregnancy; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011793:Queensland; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016064:Vaginal Birth after Cesarean / Q000523:psychology*