If you are planning a vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC), preparation is one of the most powerful tools you have. A VBAC is not something that simply happens to you. It is something you can actively prepare for, week by week, with intention and support. The good news is that much of what improves your chances of a successful, satisfying birth is within your reach right now: the plan you write, the team you assemble, the education you gather, and the confidence you build in your own body.

This guide walks through the proactive preparation playbook for VBAC in Ventura County and the western Los Angeles area. It is meant to be encouraging and practical, not a source of pressure. Think of it as your roadmap for the months ahead.

Start With a Birth Plan That Will Actually Be Honored

A birth plan is not a script that guarantees a perfect outcome. It is a communication tool. It tells your care team what matters to you, what your preferences are, and where you want flexibility. The value of a birth plan is not in controlling the uncontrollable. It is in making sure everyone caring for you understands your goals before labor begins.

The single most important step is handing your plan to your provider early, not on the day you go into labor. Bring a draft to a prenatal visit weeks in advance so you can talk through it together. This is where the relationship with your provider becomes everything. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) explicitly supports birth plans and shared decision-making, and notes that a supportive environment matters to VBAC success. A provider who reads your plan, asks questions about it, and explains any medical considerations is a provider who is partnering with you.

Christy Cannon, CNM, WHNP-BC, of The Midwife & More reads and honors birth plans as a matter of practice. As a concierge hospital midwife delivering at Los Robles Hospital in Thousand Oaks, she reviews your preferences with you well before your due date, so there are no surprises when labor arrives. She also maintains continuity that most families rarely experience: texting and phone access, home visits, and a collaborating OB, Dr. Thomas Cachur, on call for any situation that needs physician involvement.

One local couple described the relief of a first prenatal appointment where their midwife actually pulled out their plan, read it line by line, and talked through each point rather than filing it away unread. After a previous birth where they felt unheard, that single conversation changed how they felt about the entire pregnancy.

What to Include in Your VBAC Birth Plan

A strong VBAC birth plan is specific but flexible. Consider including:

  • Your intention to attempt a VBAC (often called a TOLAC, a trial of labor after cesarean) and your understanding of the reasons behind it
  • Preferences for spontaneous labor and your feelings about induction or augmentation if it becomes a topic
  • Your wishes around fetal monitoring, including whether you prefer intermittent monitoring or a wireless or telemetry option so you can stay mobile
  • Freedom to move, walk, use a birth ball, and change positions during labor
  • Comfort measures you want available, such as a tub or shower, massage, counter-pressure, or a low-lit, calm room
  • Your pain management preferences, whether that is an unmedicated birth, an epidural, or keeping your options open
  • Who you want present, including your partner and your doula
  • Preferences for the moment of birth, such as delayed cord clamping, immediate skin-to-skin, and support with the first feeding
  • A note on how you would like to be informed and involved if the plan needs to change for medical reasons

That last point is essential. The best birth plans include a clear statement that you want to be part of any decision to change course. This is shared decision-making in action, and it keeps you an active participant even if the day takes an unexpected turn.

The Value of a Doula and Continuous Labor Support

If there is one evidence-backed addition to your birth team worth prioritizing, it is continuous labor support. Having someone with you throughout labor whose only job is to support you, physically and emotionally, is associated with lower cesarean rates and a better overall birth experience. A doula does not replace your medical provider. She complements the team by offering steady presence, comfort techniques, position suggestions, and reassurance when labor gets intense.

Christy works alongside doulas regularly and welcomes them as part of your birth team. This collaborative approach means you get the best of both worlds: skilled midwifery care and dedicated continuous support. For a VBAC in particular, the confidence and calm that a doula helps sustain can make a meaningful difference, because a relaxed, supported laboring person tends to progress more smoothly.

Did You Know? A doula is a trained companion who offers continuous physical and emotional support during labor. Continuous labor support is linked with lower cesarean rates, which makes a doula a valuable part of a VBAC birth team.

Childbirth Education: Turning Fear Into Confidence

Fear thrives in the unknown. When you understand what is happening in your body during labor, what each stage feels like, and what your options are, the process becomes far less frightening. Childbirth education is not about memorizing facts. It is about replacing anxiety with informed confidence.

The Midwife & More offers a natural childbirth class series designed to prepare you and your partner for the birth you want. These classes cover the physiology of labor, comfort and coping techniques, positioning, the role of your support team, and what to expect at each phase. For VBAC families especially, understanding the process helps quiet the what-ifs and lets you approach labor from a place of knowledge rather than worry.

One expectant mother who had a difficult first cesarean said she walked into her childbirth class series carrying a knot of dread she had been holding for years. By the final session, she had learned so much about how labor actually unfolds, and how her body was built for it, that the dread had been replaced by something she had not expected: excitement. She said understanding the "why" behind each stage was what finally let her trust the process.

Stay Active and Practice Comfort and Positioning

Movement matters throughout pregnancy and during labor itself. Staying active in pregnancy, with activities your provider approves such as walking, prenatal yoga, swimming, or gentle strength work, supports your stamina, your comfort, and your body's readiness for labor. Always check with your provider about what is appropriate for you.

Just as valuable is practicing positions and comfort measures before labor begins. Get comfortable using a birth ball. Practice hands-and-knees positions, lunges, and swaying. Learn how counter-pressure on your lower back feels and teach your partner how to apply it. Try out breathing patterns and relaxation techniques so they feel familiar when you need them. Upright and mobile positions can help labor progress and are often more comfortable than lying flat. When you have rehearsed these tools, your body reaches for them naturally in the moment.

Nutrition and General Wellness

A healthy pregnancy is the foundation for a strong labor. Focus on balanced, nourishing meals, plenty of hydration, and steady prenatal care. Eat a variety of whole foods with good sources of protein, iron, and healthy fats, and take your prenatal vitamin as directed. Prioritize rest and sleep, and pay attention to your emotional wellness too, since stress management is a real part of preparing for birth.

None of this needs to be perfect. Small, consistent habits add up. The goal is to arrive at your due date feeling as strong, rested, and well-supported as possible. Your provider can help you personalize nutrition and wellness guidance to your individual needs, which is where the close, ongoing relationship of a concierge midwifery practice really shows its value.

Choose Spontaneous Labor When Possible, and Understand Your Monitoring Options

When it comes to VBAC, spontaneous labor is associated with higher success than induction. Whenever it is safe and medically appropriate, giving your body the chance to begin labor on its own is generally the path most supportive of a VBAC. This is a good topic to explore with your provider well in advance, so you understand the considerations around your specific situation and what would happen if your pregnancy went past your due date.

Monitoring is another area worth understanding early. During a VBAC, providers typically recommend closer monitoring of your baby's heart rate. That does not mean you have to be confined to a bed. Ask about intermittent monitoring or wireless and waterproof telemetry options that let you stay mobile, use the shower or tub, and move freely while your baby is still being watched carefully. Knowing your options ahead of time means you can include your preferences in your birth plan and discuss them with a provider who will work with you.

Build a Supportive Birth Team

Your birth team is the constellation of people who will support you: your provider, your partner or support person, your doula, and any others you choose to have present. The single biggest predictor of how supported you feel is often the quality of these relationships. Choose people who believe in your VBAC, who respect your plan, and who communicate well with one another.

This is exactly why so many families in Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village, Agoura Hills, Simi Valley, Newbury Park, Moorpark, Camarillo, Oak Park, and Calabasas seek out a concierge midwifery model. When your midwife knows you, honors your plan, collaborates with your doula, and has an OB on call for backup, your team is aligned before you ever walk into the hospital.

The Emotional Work: Trusting Your Body

Perhaps the most underrated part of VBAC preparation is emotional. If your previous birth ended in a cesarean, you may carry complicated feelings into this pregnancy. That is completely normal and worth acknowledging. Give yourself permission to process the last experience, whether through conversation with your provider, journaling, connecting with other VBAC families, or working with a counselor if that would help.

Building trust in your body is a gradual process, and it grows out of everything else in this guide. Each class you take, each conversation with a supportive provider, each position you practice, and each affirmation you tell yourself adds another layer of confidence. You are allowed to believe in your body. Preparation is how that belief becomes real.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I give my provider my birth plan?

As early as you can, ideally weeks before your due date. Bring a draft to a prenatal visit and review it together so your whole team understands your goals well before labor begins.

Do I really need a doula for a VBAC?

A doula is not required, but continuous labor support is associated with lower cesarean rates and a better birth experience, which makes it a valuable addition for many VBAC families. The Midwife & More works alongside doulas as part of your team.

Is a birth class worth it if this is not my first baby?

Yes. Even experienced parents benefit, and for VBAC families a class focused on the physiology of labor and comfort techniques can meaningfully reduce fear and build confidence.

What if my birth plan has to change during labor?

Include a statement in your plan that you want to be part of any decision to change course. Shared decision-making, which ACOG supports, keeps you an active participant even if the day takes an unexpected turn.

Ready to Prepare With a Team That Honors Your Plan?

The Midwife & More, led by Christy Cannon, CNM, WHNP-BC, offers concierge nurse-midwifery care for families across Ventura County and western Los Angeles. She reads and honors birth plans, teaches a natural childbirth class series, works alongside doulas, and provides genuine continuity through texting and phone access and home visits, with collaborating OB Dr. Thomas Cachur on call. The practice also offers placenta encapsulation and lactation and breastfeeding support.

Office: 5115 Clareton Drive, Suite 100, Agoura Hills, CA 91301. Phone: (805) 558-5145. The practice is concierge and, as an out-of-network provider, is often reimbursable through PPO plans.

Schedule a free birth consultation today, and be sure to ask about the birth class series. It is one of the best first steps you can take toward the VBAC you are hoping for.

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*Medical disclaimer: This article is for general educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Every pregnancy is unique. Whether a VBAC is appropriate for you depends on your individual medical history and should be decided in consultation with a qualified healthcare provider. Please discuss your specific situation with your midwife or physician. For clinical guidance, consult resources such as ACOG and your care team.*