Alice’s first birth experience ‘left deep scars when it came to trusting care providers’, she says. But research, listening to positive birth stories and reading Birth With Confidence ‘reinforced my belief in my ability to birth on my own terms’, says Alice, who had a successful VBAC for her second baby’s birth.
After a traumatic experience with my first daughter’s birth—an unwanted and unnecessary cesarean—I was deeply determined to have a physiological birth the second time around.
My husband was incredibly supportive of all my decisions and wishes around birth. He trusted my instincts and stood by me every step of the way.
Rhea’s book was recommended to me during my second pregnancy by Dr Tane Luna. Two years after my daughter’s birth, I had the opportunity for a birth debrief, where Dr Luna took the time to answer my questions—particularly about the necessity of my caesarean. She made me feel truly seen and heard, helping to restore my confidence in my body and my ability to have the VBAC I deeply wanted. Before I left, she highly recommended Birth with Confidence by Rhea, and I bought it as soon as I walked out of the hospital.
Reading Rhea’s book was a profound eye-opener. [It] helped me truly understand how the cascade of interventions often leads women down a path they never intended—something I had sadly experienced in my first pregnancy.
One of my biggest ‘aha’ moments was learning about the crisis of confidence that many women go through in labour, as well as the distinction between physiological pain and pathological pain. I appreciated that Rhea doesn’t make birth seem easier than it is—unlike some hypnobirthing courses that make it seem as though labour is completely painless. Instead, she acknowledges that pain is a real part of birth, while explaining how it works and why it doesn’t have to be feared. This honest perspective resonated with me and helped me adopt the mindset I needed for my birth.
I was 38+5 when my waters broke at 11pm on a Saturday night. My plan was to labour at home as long as possible and only head to the hospital for the final stage of birth. My neighbour and friend Steph—who is also a midwife—was part of my support team, and she regularly checked in on me throughout my labour.
Although my first birth experience at the hospital was negative, I still chose to birth there for my second pregnancy. Consciously, it felt like the more convenient and safer option compared to birthing at home. However, thanks to Rhea’s book, I felt better prepared to navigate the medical team’s approach. I knew how to advocate for myself, and I made sure my support team (my husband and my neighbour) was fully aligned with my vision, ensuring they were prepared to support me in exactly the way I needed.
The first stage of labour was gentle. Contractions were mild and infrequent, so I spent the entire Sunday at home, resting and feeling calm. I also made a conscious decision to primarily communicate with my support people rather than my assigned midwife or the hospital.
Around 10:30pm, things started to intensify. I was alone in the living room, breathing through contractions, deep in the zone. I stayed centered, listening to my birth meditations, and using my birth comb through the contractions. At around 12:30am, my mucus plug came out.
By 1am, my husband woke up to go to the bathroom, and I asked him to call Steph. When she arrived at 1:10am, she took one look at me and said, ‘It’s time to go to the hospital.’ But in the middle of my next contraction, she noticed the way I was bearing down and quickly realised—we weren’t going anywhere. Baby was coming now.
I felt completely at peace with this. Steph and my husband were calm, and I felt safe and trusted my body. An ambulance was called just in case, and the paramedics were asked to stay outside, in order to not interrupt the birth space. At 1:59am, Lucas was born, right on my living room couch, with only my husband and friend, Steph, by my side. It was a birth better than I could have ever imagined.
Despite being prepared for one after her experience in her first birth, Alice says she didn’t experience a crisis of confidence this time around.
Mentally, I was rehearsing the different stages of labour as they unfolded, estimating how far along I might be. Since I hadn’t experienced any intense pain or a crisis of confidence yet, I believed I was still in the early stages of labour. I had prepared myself for the pain and any potential crisis of confidence, but they never came. Yes, it was intense at times, but it never felt overwhelming or unmanageable.
When my son was born unexpectedly at home, it caught me by surprise, but it never felt like I was out of control. Instead, it was a reminder that I had trusted my body and my instincts throughout the process, and I had prepared myself mentally to handle whatever came.
This birth was not just empowering—it was deeply healing. After my first experience, I felt like birth had been taken from me. I had lost trust and confidence in my body and in the birth system. I felt broken as both a woman and a mother. But this time, I was able to reclaim it. I felt like a superwoman—capable, strong, and in complete trust of my body. The fact that it ended in an unplanned home birth after caesarean (HBAC) made the experience even more magical.
Because of how transformative this experience was for me, I now feel a strong urge to share my story. I want other women—especially those who’ve had traumatic first births—to know that healing, redemption, and an empowered birth are possible.
If I were to have another baby, I would plan a home birth, thanks to the confidence I now have in myself and in my body. While I don’t plan on having more children myself, I now try to share the knowledge I wish I had during my first pregnancy—because I truly believe it could have changed everything for me back then.
Hear more about Alice’s birth story on the Hypnobirthing Podcast.
Were Rhea’s books or workshop part of your birth preparation? Share your story here. We would love to hear from you!
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