Have you had a cesarean?
Do you want balanced, unbiased information about VBAC?
Wading through the evidence on VBAC and repeat cesarean yourself can be stressful and time consuming. But don't worry, I've done all the work for you.
Hi, I'm Jen Kamel, CEO & Founder of VBAC Facts®. Since 2007, I have helped birthing families around the world achieve clarity on VBAC and I can help you.
Whether you are still deciding between a repeat cesarean and a VBAC, or are already planning a VBAC, this is a non-judgmental, evidence based space where you can learn about the available research so you can conquer your fears, eliminate confusion, and confidently make your own decisions.
My surprise cesarean
With my first child, a cesarean wasn’t even on my radar, but at 35 weeks, my baby was breech and all of a sudden, I was on the road to a surgical birth. While my cesarean was straightforward and my obstetrician was sympathetic, I felt like I was hit by a truck and handed a baby.
My OB told me that I would be an excellent candidate for VBAC, so I knew that there was another option. I was committed to doing everything in my power to boost my VBAC odds. However, there was a lot I didn’t know which fed the “what ifs”.
I knew enough to realize that I didn't know what I didn't know, so what helped me reduce my unease was to learn the facts. Through that process, I was able to truly understand the evidence, make informed decisions, and plan my VBAC.
My VBAC
Through my research, planning, and the whiff of luck that is always at play in birth, I was able to have a VBAC and meet my sweet son.
My labor was 9 hours from start to finish. While the last 90 minutes were very intense – I like to joke that the F-bomb was my doula - I managed and achieved my goal of an unmedicated vaginal delivery.
To immediately hold my son, breastfeed him, and be fully mentally present from the moment he was introduced into the world was absolutely priceless.
Being able to eat, use the restroom, and shower shortly after delivery made me feel human.
To sleep without waking up to stabbing pain for weeks meant that while I was tired, I wasn’t so painfully exhausted.
I felt like me, with a baby, and it was an entirely new experience of motherhood. My son and I spend the first three days of his life sleeping, nursing, and relaxing. It was night and day in comparison to my cesarean.
An advocate is born
The contrast between my cesarean and my VBAC... the injustice of so many people being denied this option... the lies, misinformation, and manipulations... the public health implications at stake... it lit a fire in me.
Within three years, I had created this program and was traveling the country speaking to parents and training birth professionals as a nursing continuing education provider.
Ready to bust some myths?
I've made learning the facts simple so you can understand the evidence, avoid common pitfalls, make informed decisions, and if you choose, and plan your VBAC.
You don't need to decode confusing words and statistics in medical studies. I’ll break it all down for you in everyday language so you understand what these studies really mean and what they don't.
In 30 bite-sized video lessons, I share every step of the process for achieving clarity on VBAC and repeat cesarean.
You’ll learn about the pros and cons on where you can have a VBAC -- whether you want an at home, birth center, or hospital birth - including the latest evidence on out of hospital VBAC.
I'll also share with you red flags to look for and specific questions to ask so you can hire a midwife or physician who is most aligned with you.
You’ll also become familiar with hospital policies, VBAC bans, and national guidelines so you can understand what the American College of OB/GYNs actually says and the real reasons why hospitals ban VBAC.
And of course we dive deep into everything uterine rupture, birth options after multiple cesareans, big babies, postdates, birth intervals, single versus dual layer suturing, uterine thickness, the VBAC calculator... I cover it all.
After working with countless families as an international consumer advocate, training birth professionals as a nursing continuing education provider, traveling the United States speaking for over a decade, and being a VBAC mother myself, I know the questions you have, the information you need, and the emotional journey you are on. I have been there. I get it.
This 6-hour online program is designed to answer all the questions I’ve been asked by expecting parents and growing families like yours. And more importantly all the questions you should be asking but may not know you need to ask.
Is "The Truth About VBAC™ for Families" right for you?
This course has helped hundreds of parents around the world move from feeling powerless, lost, and scared to informed, empowered, and confident.
If you want to:
- Truly enjoy your pregnancy
- Do everything you can to avoid another cesarean
- Know exactly what you want
- Identify misinformation
- Plan an ideal VBAC experience
- Make an informed decision without fear ruling you
- Feel more confident advocating for yourself
- Have better informed consent conversations with your provider
... then "The Truth About VBAC™ for Families" is for you!
What people around
the world say
Thorough, unbiased, and hard-to-find information
For women exploring their options after cesarean, "The Truth About VBAC™ for Families" is a must.
VBAC is unique in that you have to understand more than just the science in order to wade through the myths and misinformation, and here is thorough, unbiased, and hard-to-find information on the subject as a whole: science, history, and politics.
I wish that every woman out there who has had a cesarean had the opportunity to get the truth about what her options are and why they may be so artificially limited.
This class has the power to change how we think about VBAC.
Cristen Pascucci, Birth Monopoly Founder
Summarizes the evidence in understandable language
Bravo! I absolutely loved "The Truth About VBAC™" online program – I learned SO much! Jen does an amazing job of summarizing the latest evidence on VBACs and repeat cesareans in a way that is easy to understand.
If you're worried that Jen is going to try and talk you into a VBAC– well, that's not how she does things. In this class, Jen simply presents accurate facts and lets the evidence speak for itself. Every woman and family needs to make the decision that is best for them.
In this class, Jen has created a non-judgmental environment for people who are exploring their options. I strongly recommend this class to anyone who is interested in learning about VBAC!" Read Rebecca's entire review.
Dr. Rebecca Dekker, PhD, RN, APRN, Founder, Evidence Based Birth®
Learn how to interpret the numbers and the risk
After attending "The Truth About VBAC™ for Families," I knew the facts, the studies that supported the facts, and I knew how to interpret the numbers to best understand what they were saying about my risk.
When OBs heard me actually talking about "1 in xxx" instead of just percentages, they realized that I really did understand what I was asking for and were more willing to have the discussion I wanted to have.
Professionally, I am better able to point my doula clients to real evidence and help them translate the studies into information they can use to make the best birth decisions for themselves, their babies, and their whole family.
Heather Schweich, VBAC Mom & Birth Doula
Get the facts without a side of guilt
VBAC Facts® was literally the ONLY place I could find facts and not feel guilted into a decision.
I always direct my friends to VBAC Facts®, because I want them to make an informed decision no matter what they choose.
I did have a VBAC (with this cutie in the picture) and I was so thankful because it was MY choice to do so. So THANK YOU!
Lauren D., Registered Nurse
Clearly understand the risks involved
I knew that I really wanted to try for a VBAC. I also wanted to make sure that it was a wise decision. There is just so much conflicting information out there on VBAC that I was unsure what to believe and where to begin.
"The Truth About VBAC™ for Families" helped me to clearly understand the risks involved in whatever birthing option I chose.
With this information in mind, I decided to go the VBAC route and to put together a very VBAC supportive birthing team (which was a midwife group for me). The result was a natural, unmedicated VBAC with no complications what so ever!
Allison M., Stay at Home Mom
Biased towards fully informed patients
I'm a busy OB/GYN physician with a particular interest in ensuring that women in my region have a safe and well-publicized option for post-Cesarean hospital birthing.
Ms. Kamel has put together a presentation that is biased in only one very appropriate direction — that of fully informed patients and birth attendants.
Our patients and communities can only benefit from a more-informed discussion about C-sections and post-Cesarean birthing and we're all lucky to have someone out front with such informed passion.
Dr. Nathan Meltzer, OB/GYN
Hi, I'm Jen Kamel
As an internationally recognized consumer advocate and Founder of VBAC Facts®, I help birth professionals, and cesarean parents, achieve clarity on vaginal birth after cesarean through my educational courses, training programs, and consulting services.
I speak at conferences around the world, present at hospitals, advise advocates seeking legislative change in their state, and serve as an expert witness in legal proceedings.
After over 15 years in this work, I have an encyclopedic and intimate knowledge of not only the VBAC evidence, but how fear, politics, bias, paternalism, litigation, and convenience often supersede what birthing people want... all while they are subtlety coerced into repeat cesareans under the guise of safety.
I envision a time when every pregnant person seeking VBAC has access to unbiased information, respectful providers, and community support, so they can plan the birth of their choosing in the setting they desire. This is the world I want to create. This is why I do this work. Join me and let's create this world together!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the mission of VBAC Facts®?
VBAC Facts® seeks to increase VBAC access through educational programs, legislative action, and amplifying the consumer voice. We envision a time when every pregnant person seeking VBAC has access to unbiased information, respectful providers, and community support so they can plan the birth of their choosing in the setting they desire.
When does the course start and finish?
The course starts now and never ends! It is a completely self-paced online course - you decide when you start and when you finish.
How long do I have access to the course?
How does lifetime access sound? After enrolling, you have unlimited access to this course for as long as you like - across any and all devices you own.
Do you offer a discounted rate for BIPOC?
Absolutely! A sliding scale is available for BIPOC perinatal professionals. Contact us for more information.
How can I contribute to the BIPOC Scholarship Fund to support BIPOC birthing people in their VBAC education?
The VBAC Facts® BIPOC Scholarship Fund enables us to make our courses for parents more accessible to the BIPOC community for whom the VBAC journey carries additional stressors due to institutionalized racism. We welcome your contributions as we stand in solidarity with BIPOC perinatal professionals.
What is your refund policy?
Due to the nature of this class, and the various downloadable materials provided to students, refunds are available within 3 days of your purchase.
