E11 A Community’s 10 Year Fight Against a Hospital VBAC Ban with Anastasia Stone

What do you do when your local hospital bans vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) and leads people to believe that their only option there is a repeat cesarean? What about when they start to withhold pain relief to anyone who "insists" on laboring after a cesarean? When this happened in Santa Barbara, California, local activists and mothers took action. Come learn what is possible when you know the facts, know your rights, don't comply and be persistent. It's a lesson from a small beachy town that can be applied to so many other social issues. Sit down with VBAC Facts® Founder Jen Kamel and birth activist Anastasia Stone as Anastasia shares her community's 10 year journey to reverse a VBAC ban and ensure everyone had access to respectful, evidence based care. "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead01:56 How She Got Involved with Birth Work02:50 Creating Relationships, Building Bridges06:56 "Everyone Gets an Epidural." Why?11:03 The Hospital Banned VBAC Because...11:58 Educate the Community18:02 Refusing a Cesarean at a VBAC Ban Hospital19:31 Pushback: Denying People Epidurals27:30 Most Effective Strategies31:53 Free Resources32:47 Biggest Challenges36:35 When the VBAC Ban was Reversed38:25 What Every Provider Should Do40:33 The Worst Place to Labor41:23 "Just Find Another Provider?"43:28 Research on Provider Preference45:25 "But My Doctor Won't Let Me"47:50 "Wow, Something's Got to Change"50:49 What She Wishes She Knew at the Beginning52:16 Our Kids Are Watching Us53:53 Know Your Sphere of Influence56:17 Advice for Reversing VBAC Bans57:58 What Birth Professionals Should Know About Reversing VBAC BansHave a comment or question for the podcast? Want to suggest a guest we should interview or a topic we should discuss? Go to https://vbacfacts.com/podcast to give us your feedback!Music produced by (Analogue)/(prod. Analogue). Instagram: @prod.analogueDownloadable Report: Top 5 Uterine Rupture Myths Debunked Once and For All | VBAC Facts®The Truth About VBAC™ for Families | VBAC Facts® Course for ParentsSign up for your copy of the VBAC Planning Checklist! | VBAC Facts®Consulting for Parents, Professionals, Legal & Policy Teams │ VBAC Facts® Professional Speaking with Jen Kamel │ VBAC Facts®Metz (2013). How do good candidates for trial of labor after cesarean (TOLAC) who undergo elective repeat cesarean differ from those who choose TOLAC? American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology - PubMedSanta Barbara Cottage Hospital Reverses Stance on VBACs, July 14, 2022 - The Santa Barbara IndependentProtest Over Cottage Hospital's VBAC Ban, March 19, 2017 - The Santa Barbara IndependentInternational Cesarean Awareness NetworkSign up for your copy of the Top Three VBAC Myths! | VBAC Facts®VBAC Facts® Professional