Birthing Instincts24 Des 2025

#445: Women Are Not a Formula: Debunking VBAC Myths with Sarah Stead

Dr. Stu hosts a special edition podcast featuring Sarah Stead, a registered massage therapist specializing in C-section recovery. Together they dive into various topics surrounding Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC). They discuss the importance of informed consent, the flaws in using VBAC calculators, and societal and systemic issues affecting VBAC rates.

About Sarah Stead

Sarah Stead is a registered massage therapist based in Ontario, Canada, with over 12 years of experience and a five-year specialization in C-section recovery. After experiencing burnout in full-time practice, she transitioned her work to focus on microcurrent scar therapy, where she discovered a deep passion for supporting C-section healing.

Her interest in this work began while supporting her sister through C-section recovery and later witnessing her sister’s VBAC, which sparked a broader fascination with birth, healing, and informed choice. Though she doesn’t have children herself, she proudly calls herself a “birth nerd,” attending every Reclaiming Birth Conference to date and recently presenting her work there.

She is passionate about education, empowering clients with tools and information often missing from mainstream conversations, and supporting more informed, holistic birth and recovery experiences.

Website: thescarconnection.com

E-book: C-Section Recovery Guide

Instagram: @gingey91

Mentioned in this Episode

Dolphin Neurostim Provider Locator

Billie Harrigan Episode 405: "Call The Neighbour" Birthing Wisdom From Traditional Birth Companion, Billie Harrigan

Discussed in This Episode

Discovering Microcurrent Point Stimulation

Understanding the Impact of Scar Tissue

The History and Evolution of Cesarean Sections

The Importance of Informed Consent

Evaluating Risks and Benefits of VBAC vs. Repeat C-Section

Short-Term and Long-Term Consequences of C-Sections

The Importance of Provider Competence and Confidence

Hospital Policies and VBAC Support

The Role of Partners in VBAC Success

VBAC Calculator and Its Limitations

Podcast Produced by: Raquel Hernandez, Pride and Joy Doula Care

This show is supported by

WeNatal | Go to WeNatal.com/Birthinginstincts for a free magnesium with any subscription order, or wenatal.com/birthinginstinctswnp for the new Protein + offer.
Wholesome Organics Beauty Company | Go to wholesomeOBC.com and use the code INSTINCTS for 20% off your order.
Restorative Roots | Go to restorativeroots.com and use code BIRTHINGINSTINCTS to get $20 off
Girls Who Know | Go to girlswhoknow.com and use code INSTINCTS for 15% off

Connect with Dr. Stu and Blyss

Join our Patreon! patreon.com/birthinginstinctspodcast
Instagram: @birthinginstincts/@birthingblyss
Website: birthinginstincts.com/birthingblyss.com
Email: birthinginstinctspodcast@gmail.com

Podcast webpage: birthinginstinctspodcast.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(453)

#465: For All The Midwives In Texas: Fighting Injustice with Salli Gonzalez & Octavia Martinez, Esq

In this week’s episode, Dr. Stu and Midwife Blyss sit down with Texas midwife Salli Gonzalez and attorney Octavia Martinez to unpack a case that should concern not only licensed midwives, but anyone w...

13 Mai 1h 34min

#464: A Confused Mixture Of Topics: Clearing The Desk

This week’s podcast Blyss and Stu come to you with no guest and no single topic, just a “hodgepodge” of what’s been piling up in Dr. Stu’s mind attic.From collapsing birth options and disappearing bre...

6 Mai 1h 25min

#463: The 20 Week Ultrasound: Dissecting the Anatomy Scan

The 20-week anatomy scan has become a routine part of modern pregnancy, but is it truly essential, or just another layer of over-monitoring?After receiving a listener question, Dr. Stu and Blyss disse...

29 Apr 1h 47min

#462: When Surrounded, Take The First Opportunity To Fight Like Hell With Del Bigtree

What if the system you trust never did the science you assume it did?In this explosive episode, Dr. Stu and Blyss sit down with Del Bigtree to pull back the curtain on vaccines, medical authority, and...

22 Apr 1h 44min

#461: Fertility Back In Balance With Acupuncturist Emily Marson

What if infertility isn’t a broken body… but a disconnected one?In this episode, Blyss and Stu sit down with integrative fertility expert Emily Marson to challenge everything you’ve been told about co...

15 Apr 1h 19min

#460: The Process Is The Punishment....And The Reward with Angee Hock

A home birth.A tragic outcome.And a midwife the state tried to make an example of.In this episode, Blyss and Stu talk with Angee Hock to unpack what it’s really like to be prosecuted for birth work. F...

8 Apr 1h 35min

#459: Over-Monitoring & Outcomes, How Are We Doing & Who Benefits.

What happens when we monitor birth too much?In this episode, Blyss and Stu pull back the curtain on one of the most normalized, and least questioned, practices in modern obstetrics: continuous monitor...

1 Apr 1h 26min

#458: Why Home Birth? A New Book For Fathers To Be With Jacob Dubois

What happens when a skeptical dad starts asking real questions about birth? Dr. Stu and Midwife Blyss sit down with Dad Jacob Dubois, author of Why Home Birth, to talk about how he went from doubter t...

25 Mar 1h 19min