You can start preparing for birth in the early stages of pregnancy; think about classes and learn what is available locally. Whichever type of birth you have, you are encouraged to consider how to make it personal.
Speak with your midwife about your birth preparation choices, and use the NHS Choices website for further information on how to prepare for labour.
If you’ve had a previous caesarean, you might feel unsure about your birth options. There are many myths and misinformation around vaginal birth after caesarean.
You might be sure that you want a VBAC this time, or anxious about it. You might feel that you don’t want to try a VBAC at all. If you’ve had a traumatic birth experience previously, it’s understandable to feel scared and anxious.
Recommending a VBAC depends on multiple factors. Women have caesareans for a range of reasons – some of these are unlikely to recur in future pregnancies, while for others, the team may think it’s safest for you to have another caesarean.
The obstetric team will help you to understand the circumstances around your caesarean, including:
Women who’ve had a previous caesarean and are having a straightforward pregnancy have a 75% chance of a successful vaginal birth. If you had a vaginal birth before your caesarean, you have an even higher chance of success – about 80-90% of women in this situation can have a vaginal birth.
Watch the video below to understand the process when a baby is in breech position.
External cephalic version (ECV) is a method of turning babies who are breech or transverse into the head-down (cephalic) position. A doctor or specialist midwife will apply pressure to your abdomen with their hands. Some women find this uncomfortable.
This method works for around 50% of women and is generally safe. Approximately 1 in 200 babies need to be delivered by emergency caesarean after an ECV, but your baby will be monitored during the procedure to ensure they are coping well.
Most mothers start producing colostrum about halfway through pregnancy; some leak small amounts of colostrum while they are still pregnant.
Some women and birthing people decide they would like to hand-express and freeze colostrum during pregnancy. This is not usually necessary, but it might be recommended if you are diabetic or taking medication for high blood pressure or if your baby is likely to be premature.
If you wish to try hand-expressing colostrum, speak to your midwife so they can advise you. You should wait until you are at least 36 weeks pregnant. If you are leaking before this, try to collect some of the colostrum with sterile syringes.
Please don’t worry if you aren’t leaking during pregnancy or if nothing happens when you try to hand express. This does not mean you will be unable to breastfeed or won’t produce colostrum or milk after birth.
Some women are advised not to attempt to express during pregnancy, including:
This is because of a slight risk of triggering labour in women who are already at risk of preterm labour.
Find out more about antenatal hand expression.
We recommend considering how you want to feed your baby and including it in your birth plan. You can discuss your thoughts with your midwife.
There’s lots of evidence that breastfeeding has many health benefits for you and your baby, but how you feed your baby is up to you. The team will support you in whatever you choose.
Read more about feeding your baby.
During your pregnancy, think about where your baby is going to sleep. We recommend creating a safe sleep environment for your baby during late pregnancy, in case of an early birth. Your health visitor or midwifery team can help advise you on this during your home antenatal visit.
The many options for sleeping can make it feel overwhelming. Research is crucial; consider what will be practical for you and safe for your baby.
The following resources will help you decide what’s best for you and your family:
Please see the NHS website for advice on what to pack: