Deciding to attempt a vaginal birth after cesarean deliver (VBAC) is no simple matter. In a perfect world, it would be a casual decision that didn't require medical analysis, was supported by all care providers, and did not have accompanying worries or doubts. But it does and they don't and worries and doubt abound. Enter the grown-ass man: he's not going to make these issues disappear, but there are things every grown-ass man does to support his partner's VBAC.
Truth be told, the things such a man does to support a partner's attempt at a VBAC aren't all that different than the things he would do during any other pregnancy, labor, and delivery. In two words: he's engaged. He doesn't passively sit back and just assume that the baby doesn't concern him until it makes its grand entrance (or, I guess depend on how you're thinking about it, grand exit). Being involved and supportive is always crucial for any grown-ass partner, but when it comes down to it, everything is just a little bit more "amped up" with VBACs, so his dedicated services are required more now than is typical.
For starters, as mentioned, it's often difficult to find a provider willing to really work with a client to help her achieve her goal of vaginal delivery (despite their being proven safe and appropriate for most women). So, already, it's going to take extra effort to even get started. However, even after you do find a provider, the stakes just feel that little bit higher, mainly because you know and have experienced the alternative. For many the alternative isn't bad, it's just not preferable. For others, however, the alternative (a c-section) is a unpleasant, horrible, or even traumatizing experience whose repetition looms over their heads for nine months. A pregnant mom attempting a VBAC, therefore, will need a support team to help her through all this. If there's a grown-ass man in her midst, he can help lead the charge. Here are the things he does to help make a VBAC happen for her.