Planning a VBAC at Darent Valley Hospital: What You Need to Know

If you’ve had a caesarean birth before and are now pregnant again, you may be wondering whether a vaginal birth could be an option for you this time.

For some women, the idea of planning a VBAC can feel exciting and empowering. For others, particularly if their previous birth was unexpected, difficult or traumatic, it can bring up a mixture of emotions and questions.

If you’re planning to have your baby at Darent Valley Hospital, there is support available to help you understand your options and make an informed decision about how you would like to give birth.

In this guide, we’ll look at what VBAC means, what happens if you’re planning a VBAC at Darent Valley, some of the things you may want to discuss with your maternity team and how you can prepare for your birth.

What does VBAC mean?

VBAC stands for Vaginal Birth After Caesarean. It means giving birth vaginally after having previously given birth by caesarean section.

Having had a previous caesarean does not automatically mean that you will need another caesarean for your next baby. For many women, a vaginal birth may be an option, although whether a VBAC is appropriate will depend on your individual circumstances and previous birth history.

The NHS states that most women who have had a caesarean can safely have a vaginal birth in a subsequent pregnancy, although some women may be advised to have another caesarean depending on their circumstances.

It’s important to remember that VBAC isn’t the right choice for everyone, and deciding how to give birth after a previous caesarean is something you should discuss with your midwife and obstetric team. If you do not want to plan for a VBAC you will be supported to plan an elective caesarean instead, and many women find having a calm, elective caesarean a very healing process.

Can I plan a VBAC at Darent Valley Hospital?

Darent Valley Hospital offers care for women considering their birth options after a previous caesarean.

The hospital has a specialist Birth Options clinic for women who have had at least one previous caesarean birth. The appointment normally takes place early in pregnancy and includes a review of your previous birth, a routine antenatal check and a discussion about your options for your current pregnancy.

This can be particularly valuable if you have questions or concerns about your previous birth.

Your previous experience matters. If your first birth wasn’t what you had hoped for, it’s completely understandable that this may influence how you feel about your next birth. Darent Valley’s Birth Options service specifically recognises that previous birth experiences can affect how women feel about a subsequent pregnancy.

How do I access the Birth Options clinic at Darent Valley Hospital?

If you’ve previously had a caesarean and are considering a VBAC, Darent Valley Hospital has a specialist Birth Options clinic for women who have had at least one previous caesarean.

The appointment is an opportunity to discuss your previous birth, ask questions about your current pregnancy and talk through your options for this birth. If you have questions or would like to arrange an appointment, you can contact the Darent Valley Birth Options team directly:

Email: dgn-tr.birthoptionsteam@nhs.net
Telephone: 01322 428100 ext. 5868
Mobile: 07861 659328

You can also contact Michelle Lyon, Birth Options & Maternal Wellbeing Midwife, at michelle.lyon1@nhs.net.

The Trust recommends accessing the clinic early in pregnancy, so if you’re considering a VBAC, it’s worth asking your community midwife about a referral or contacting the Birth Options team for further information.

View the Darent Valley Hospital Birth After Caesarean and Birth Options information

What will be discussed when planning a VBAC?

There isn’t a single birth plan that is suitable for everyone who has previously had a caesarean. Your maternity team will consider your individual circumstances when discussing your options. This may include talking about:

Why you had your previous caesarean
What happened during your previous labour or birth
The type of caesarean you had
How you feel about your previous birth
Your current pregnancy
Your general health and your baby’s wellbeing
Your preferences for this birth
The potential benefits and risks of VBAC compared with a planned repeat caesarean

Your previous birth experience is important too. You may want to ask for a birth debrief if you have unanswered questions about what happened previously or if you found your birth particularly difficult.

Darent Valley Hospital has a Reflection and Resolution Service for maternity service users who would like to discuss a previous birth experience.

What are the chances of having a successful VBAC?

The likelihood of a successful VBAC varies from person to person.

Factors such as your previous birth, whether you’ve previously had a vaginal birth, why your previous caesarean was needed and how your current pregnancy progresses can all be relevant.

This is why it’s much more useful to discuss your own circumstances with your maternity team rather than relying on a general percentage you find online.

If you have previously had a vaginal birth, for example, this can be an important factor when discussing your chances of a successful VBAC.

Your midwife or obstetrician should be able to talk through your individual circumstances and help you understand what may be realistic for you.

What happens if I go into labour when planning a VBAC?

If you’re planning a VBAC, your maternity team will discuss what to do when labour starts and where you should go.

Your individual care plan will depend on your circumstances, so it’s important to follow the advice given to you by your own maternity team.

You may also want to discuss:

When you should contact the maternity unit
When you should make your way to hospital
What monitoring you may need during labour
What pain relief options are available
Whether you can use upright positions and movement
Your preferences for the environment around you
What happens if your labour doesn’t progress as expected
What would happen if you or your baby needed additional medical support

Having these conversations before labour can help you feel more prepared and reduce some of the uncertainty around the day.

Can I use hypnobirthing when planning a VBAC?

Yes. Hypnobirthing can be used as part of your preparation for birth after a previous caesarean. Hypnobirthing isn’t about guaranteeing a particular type of birth. Instead, it can give you tools to help you feel calmer, more informed and more confident as you approach labour.

This can be particularly valuable when you’re planning a VBAC because you may have experienced a very different birth previously.

Hypnobirthing techniques can include:

Breathing techniques
Relaxation
Visualisation
Positive birth preparation
Understanding how fear and tension can affect your experience of labour
Learning about your birth choices
Preparing your birth partner to support you

One of the things I particularly like about hypnobirthing for VBAC is that it doesn’t have to be about achieving a “perfect” birth.

You can prepare for the birth you’d like while also understanding that circumstances can change. Having a sense of confidence in your ability to make informed decisions can be just as important as the type of birth you ultimately have.

Can I have a VBAC at Darent Valley Birth Centre?

This is something to discuss with your maternity team based on your individual circumstances.

Darent Valley has an alongside midwifery-led Birth Centre within the hospital, separate from the obstetric-led Delivery Suite. The Birth Centre is designed for women with uncomplicated pregnancies and supports physiological birth, with birthing aids, pools and natural pain relief options including hypnobirthing.

However, having had a previous caesarean may affect whether the Birth Centre is considered appropriate for you.

If you particularly hope to use the Birth Centre, it’s worth raising this early with your midwife and asking for an individual discussion about your birth options.

The important thing is not to assume that a previous caesarean automatically means you cannot discuss your preferred place of birth. Darent Valley states that women who have been told they are not suitable for the Birth Centre can discuss their individual circumstances and have a birth choices discussion with their midwife.

What if I change my mind about having a VBAC?

You can change your mind about a VBAC at any point – whether this is during pregnancy, early labour or established labour. You will then be supported to have an elective caesarean birth. Planning your birth preferences doesn’t mean that you have to commit to one outcome regardless of how your pregnancy or labour develops.

Some women begin pregnancy hoping for a VBAC and later decide that a planned caesarean feels right for them. Others start out unsure and become more confident about attempting a vaginal birth as they learn more.

It’s also possible that circumstances during pregnancy or labour mean that your birth needs to change. The aim of birth preparation isn’t to guarantee that everything happens according to plan. It’s to help you understand your choices so that you feel as informed and involved as possible if decisions need to be made.

Questions to ask your midwife about planning a VBAC

If you’re considering a VBAC at Darent Valley, you may find it useful to take some questions with you to your appointments.

You could ask:

Am I a suitable candidate for VBAC?
What factors from my previous caesarean are relevant to my options?
Can we discuss why my previous caesarean happened?
Could I have a birth debrief about my previous birth?
What monitoring would I need during labour?
What pain relief options would be available?
Would I be able to use the Birth Centre?
What would happen if I went into spontaneous labour?
What happens if I need an induction?
At what point would you recommend a repeat caesarean?
What should I do when labour starts?
Can I include my preferences for movement, positions, breathing and relaxation in my birth plan?
Who can I speak to if I feel anxious about my previous birth?

Don’t be afraid to ask questions more than once. Birth choices can feel complicated, particularly when you’ve had a previous caesarean.

Preparing emotionally for a VBAC

Preparing for a VBAC isn’t only about understanding the medical side of your birth.

Your previous birth may have left you feeling nervous, disappointed, frightened or uncertain about your body and your ability to give birth vaginally.

You don’t have to simply “put it behind you” because you’re pregnant again.

Taking time to understand what happened previously, talking through your experience and thinking about what you would like to be different this time can all be part of preparing for your next birth.

You may also find it helpful to think about what makes you feel safe and supported.

This could include:

Choosing a birth partner who understands your preferences
Writing down your birth preferences
Practising relaxation and breathing techniques
Learning about your options
Discussing your previous birth with your maternity team
Taking an antenatal or hypnobirthing course
Practising techniques that you can use during pregnancy and labour

Preparing for a VBAC with Bloom & Flow

At Bloom & Flow, I support women in Dartford and the surrounding areas to feel more informed, calm and confident as they prepare for birth.

I particularly understand that no two birth experiences are the same. A previous caesarean can leave you with lots of questions about what is possible this time, and you may want to prepare differently for your next birth.

My hypnobirthing classes in Dartford teach practical breathing, relaxation and visualisation techniques alongside information and preparation for labour.

Hypnobirthing can be suitable whether you’re hoping for a straightforward vaginal birth, a water birth, a VBAC or are simply looking for tools to help you feel more confident about your birth.

You can find out more about my hypnobirthing classes here or get in touch if you’d like to discuss whether a course could be right for you.

Final thoughts

Planning a VBAC can bring up a lot of questions, particularly if your previous birth wasn’t what you had expected. You don’t need to have every decision made at the beginning of your pregnancy. Start by talking to your maternity team, find out what your options are and give yourself time to consider what feels right for you.

If you’re planning to give birth at Darent Valley Hospital, the Birth Options clinic can provide an opportunity to discuss your previous caesarean and your options for this pregnancy.

And remember that birth preparation isn’t about predicting exactly how your birth will unfold. It’s about giving yourself the knowledge, tools and support to approach it feeling as prepared as possible.

About Bloom and flow

I’m Colleen, founder of Bloom & Flow in Dartford. I’ve been supporting expectant parents with pregnancy yoga and hypnobirthing since 2016.

I created Bloom & Flow to help women feel more informed and confident during pregnancy and prepare for birth in a way that feels right for them.

If you’re planning a VBAC at Darent Valley Hospital and would like to learn more about hypnobirthing, you can find out more about my Dartford antenatal classes here.