Vaginal Birth After Cesarean: The Smart Woman's Guide to Vbac by Elizabeth Kaufmann
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Book Reviews of Vaginal Birth After Cesarean: The Smart Woman's Guide to Vbac
Book Review: This book tries to talk you out of having a VBAC
Summary: 1 Stars
The title of this book is misleading - I thought it was about how to achieve a VBAC, but it seems to warn against them. It claims to be unbiased, but I definitely felt there was a bias in favor of Elective Repeat Cesareans over VBACs! I am preparing for a vbac and was looking for something encouraging. Instead, this book is filled with scare tactics - employed sometimes subtly, sometimes not. Yes, there are risks with vbac that every woman should know about, but the risk of a serious complication is rare, whereas complications from cesareans (most minor, but some serious) are actually common. Although the rate of uterine rupture in VBAC is less than 1 percent, she seems determined to tell you those horror stories rather than the success stories. She also really buys into the idea that true Cephalopelvic Disproportion is very common, and yet that idea is widely disputed these days. The most unforgivable aspect of this book is that it REALLY downplays the risks of repeat elective cesarean section, making it seem like there is little risk for the mother and NO risk at all for the baby, which simply is not true. She examines studies done by doctors who are pro-VBAC, turning their words around and making it sound like those doctors are irresponsible for encouraging it despite the data revealed. And yet, the author is not a doctor or a midwife herself.
The book is also very outdated. She states that there was a nation-wide push to lower the cesarean rate at the time it was written, but I doubt that was really true, since the cesarean rate has in fact risen EVEN MORE since the book was published (25% then vs. the current 31% average, and closer to 40% in some states). She claims that back then women were coerced into trying VBACs against their judgement, when nowadays getting a doctor and hospital to allow a trial of labor after cesarean is usually an uphill battle. New findings have also shown that there are risks to both mother AND baby with cesarean sections that were not known 12 years ago when this book was published. I wonder what the author thinks now about these current trends...
Book Review: Another perspective
Summary: 4 Stars
I bought this book because I was thinking about a VBAC and wanted another perspective other than the Ina Mae Gaskin crowd (which, by the way, I don't have a problem with overall--I just wanted hear someone either play the devil's advocate or at least sound somewhat neutral on the issue of RCS vs VBAC).
As other reviewers no doubt have pointed out, the author opted for a repeat cesarean. This book will not tell you that you absolutely must try for a VBAC unless you or the baby's life are in danger. As other reviewers have pointed out, the testimonials at the end are an interesting read from the perspective of women who tried, did not try, or tried and could not complete a VBAC.
One thing this book really goes into is the perineal effects of vaginal births such as tearing and postpartum dyspareunia. I'm glad I read this book, because I happened to have an (atypical) difficult recovery from my VBAC. My recovery from my VBAC was much harder and longer than my cesarean recovery, including more stitches from the nonsurgical birth. This book gave me realistic expectations for a vaginal birth, and I'm still glad that I had my VBAC for lots of other reasons!
Book Review: Not a book for someone who wants a VBaC
Summary: 1 Stars
The title makes you think it is provideing you with information but really it is trying to justify elective repeate c/s. If you want a VBaC this book is NOT for you. Book Review: Misleading Title
Summary: 2 Stars
I picked up this book thinking it would be a supportive and informative book on VBAC and how to achieve one. But what I found was a discussion only of the risks of VBAC, and repeated (almost word for word) justifications and support for choosing a repeat cesarean. The author herself talks about her VBAC (which she claims she was somewhat pressured into) and how--though it was successful in achieving vaginal birth of a healthy baby--it was still disappointing and the outcome not as she expected. There's nothing wrong with her honesty, and I'm sure there are other women who had disappointing VBACs. What I wonder is, "Why is *this* woman writing this book?" The whole book just seemed pretty negative towards VBAC and claimed that many women are being pressured into having VBACs they're not comfortable with just because insurance companies and hospitals want to lower costs. Not only is this likely not the main reason for the support of increasing VBACs and decreasing repeat cesareans, but this information is outdated. The "pendulum" (to use the author's word) has swung back yet again. Now we are seeing that many women who want a VBAC can't have one because more and more hospitals and birth centers (all in my area that I am aware of) are refusing to offer them due to fear of lawsuits.
Basically this whole book is an out-dated and now irrelevant argument from an obviously still bitter woman as to why women should not be pressured into having a VBAC.
There's nothing really supportive or uplifting here for women who already know they desire a VBAC. In fact, it left me quite depressed. I give it 2 stars instead of 1 only because I think there *is* value in being aware of the risks and worst-case scenarios (however outdated and exaggerated they are), so that one is not completely ignorant or naive about the birth method one chooses. I did also garner a few facts from this book that led to further investigation into and clarification of my c-section fiasco and why everything happened like it did. This is valuable as it will allow me to avoid such interventions and oversights in the future--and give me room to negotiate with doctors if I need to.
Otherwise, a very disappointing book.
Book Review: Looking for support in choosing an elective repeat cesarean?
Summary: 1 Stars
If you are, this is your book. As a certified childbirth educator and natural birth promoter, I am supportive of women in their efforts to try VBACs, unlike this author. I bought this book as one of three I was going to share with my students- I was seriously disappointed (not to mention disgruntled) as I read it and saw the way it only showed the negative aspects of VBAC. The first chapter, which discusses reasons why people are promoting a reduction of the c-section rate could not be more inappropriate...she argues that it is mainly because of the insurance companies, when in fact, more activists wish to reduce the c-section rate to prevent moms and babies unnecessary pain and to encourage more immediate bonding and breastfeeding relationships! Do you think there is a connection with the United States having the highest cesarean rate of any country and also being ranked 27th for infant mortality?? Behind countries with c-section rates of less than 5%? The paper this book is printed on is a waste of trees.
- Lisa in Chicago