The VBAC Companion - Hardcover

Korte, Diana

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1558321284 ISBN 13: 9781558321281

Publisher: Harvard Common Press, 1997

Synopsis

Essential advice and information for any pregnant woman who has previously delivered by Cesarean.

About this title

Review:

According to medical journalist Diana Korte, vaginal births after cesarean, or VBACs (pronounced vee-backs), are occurring at a rate six times greater in the 1990s than they were in the previous decade, and with more support from those in the medical profession. This is good news for the many pregnant women who want a vaginal delivery after previously delivering babies by cesarean section. Also good news is The VBAC Companion, a clearly written and thorough guide to lead women step-by-step through the process of planning for a VBAC.

Korte, author of Every Woman's Body, gives firm reasons for VBACs--they are safer for both mother and baby--and backs them up with medical facts. Strong chapters on overcoming fear, planning your VBAC, finding VBAC-friendly doctors and hospitals, and experiencing a VBAC make this book invaluable. The appendices provide fascinating statistics about infant mortality rates and cesarean and VBAC rates around the world, as well as extensive listings of resources.

From the Back Cover:

The cesarean rate is finally dropping in the United States, primarily because women who have had this operation are saying no to a repeat cesarean. They are doing so because vaginal birth after cesarean, or VBAC, is generally safer than the alternative.

For most women, though, VBAC is still a scary prospect. In The VBAC Companion, Diana Korte explains the risks and benefits of both VBACs and repeat cesareans. She tells how to work on overcoming fears about labor, how to find a VBAC-friendly doctor (or midwife) and hospital (or birthing center), and how to get extra support, from a labor assistant, childbirth educator, or VBAC support group. Korte also describes pain-relieving techniques for labor, and routine hospital procedures to avoid. Throughout the book are VBAC success stories, told in the mothers own words, for inspiration on the path to a safe and joyful birth.

Comprehensive and beautifully written, The VBAC Companion is yet another masterpiece on birthing from Diana Korte. I recommend it with great enthusiasm to every woman who has had a cesarean and to anyone who wants to be well prepared and well informed about childbirth. -John Kennell, M.D., co-author of Bonding and Mothering the Mother

Diana Korte has written a wise, well-researched and thorough guide to achieving a VBAC. If you had a cesarean and plan to have another baby, I recommend that you read this book. -Ina May Gaskin, C.P.M., president, Midwives Alliance of North America

The VBAC Companiongives women the information they need to make informed choices, tip the scale in their favor, and plan the birth that is right for them. -April Kubachka, president, International Cesarean Awareness Network

Diana Korte has thoroughly clarified what the real issues are for any woman who has had a previous cesarean section. We heartily recommend The VBAC Companion. -Marshall Klaus, M.D., and Phyllis Klaus, M.Ed., C.S.W., authors of The Amazing Newborn

About this edition

• Publisher: Harvard Common Press
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 1558321284
• ISBN 13: 9781558321281
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 240