As a practicing professional birth Doula in East Texas, I am frequently asked what providers are proven to be supportive of mothers who wish to have a vaginal birth after a previous cesarean, and also providers who are supportive of mothers who want to have a vaginal birth after two previous cesareans. Here is my resource list, compiled through personal experience supporting families across East Texas.

VBAC Providers: Out-of-hospital Options:

Melena Sandifer, CPM
(VBAMC)*
Childbirth Services Birth Center
http://www.childbirthservices.net

Vicky Wells, CPM
Labor of Love Birth Center
(Primary VBAC only.)
http://www.laboroflovetyler.com/LOLhome.asp

Diane Weatherford, CPM
(VBAMC)*
Fair Flower Birth Services
http://www.fairflowersbirth.com

Pam Wright, CPM
(VBAMC)*
Baby Bliss Birthing Center
http://www.babyblissbirthing.com

Kristin Green, CPM
EdenWay Birth Center
(VBAMC)*
http://edenwaybirth.com

Audrey Stucker, CPM
(VBAMC)*
The Baby Place Birthing Center
http://www.thebabyplacebc.com

Linda Turner, CPM
(VBAMC)*
Delivered With Love Midwifery
http://deliveredwithlovemidwifery.com

Tina Rowe, CPM
(VBAMC)*
Heavenly Hands Birth Center
http://www.heavenlyhandsrockwall.com/Birth-Center.html


In-Hospital Options: In-Hospital Midwives & OBs

Sylyna Kennedy, CMN (midwife)
Zeid Women's Health Center
http://www.zeidwhc.com/
(Sylyna is one of four midwives with Dr. Zied's practice.)

Dr John Shum
Tyler Family Circle of Care
http://tfcc.tmfhs.info/johnshum.html

Dr Darren Yeager
Trinity OG/GYN
http://www.tmfhc.org/care-treatment/pregnancy-birth/obstetrics-gynecology/

Dr David Doerrfeld, Longview
Diagnostic Clinic of Longview
http://www.dcol.net/diagnostic-clinic-of-longview/physicians/doerrfeld-david-md-facog-1104.aspx

Dr Ricky Paul, Marshall

Dr Paul Fanning, Tyler
Trinity OB/GYN - partner in the same practice as Dr Yeager.



VBAC Support Resources:

http://ican-online.org/ican-white-papers

http://vbacfacts.com/13-myths-about-vbac/

VBA3Cs - http://vbacfacts.com/2012/09/13/thoughts-on-vba3c-vbac-after-three-or-more-prior-cesareans/
&
VBA2C+ - http://www.plus-size-pregnancy.org/CSANDVBAC/vbac_after_2_cs.htm

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1471-0528.2010.02498.x/full

VBAC
http://vbacfacts.com/2012/04/03/confusing-fact-only-6-of-uterine-ruptures-are-catastrophic/

​*VBAMC - vaginal birth after multiple cesareans

Doulas are a witty group of people.  

These funny memes were created by my good friend and fellow birth worker, Cole Deelah of Sage Beginnings Doula Services.  You can check her out on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SageBeginnings.

To succeed at any goal (becoming a doula, having a positive birth experience, learning how to breastfeed, feeling like a competent parent) requires that we travel a winding and sometimes unnerving pathway. Never give up!

I love being a birth doula. It is truly my calling. Just last month I celebrated the beginning of my eighth year as a doula.

I've established and re-established my business three times because of moves for my husband's work.

I've met and worked with and served many amazing people.

It still excites and scares me every time I get called to a birth because of the responsibility I have to meet my obligations to that family, to help them reach their goals, to help them make in-the-moment choices, to help them process and adapt to minor and major changes in their birth plans, all of this and more, and all for an indeterminate amount of time away from the rest of life.

I have had doula mentors that have helped to guide me, both emotionally through this journey and educationally on how to set boundaries and to have a financially successful business.

I'm finally seeing a consistent profit each year, so my family isn't feeling the financial burden of all of my doula trainings, certifications, re-certifications, yearly renewal fees, supplies purchased, traveling, continuing education, etc.

It is also extremely hard...

It is hard on me mentally, physically, emotionally, and it is hard on my family. I've missed holidays and birthdays and family gatherings, I've had to leave sick kids when all I really wanted to do was to cuddle my own babies, and I've been taken advantage by a few clients (there is a balance that I better understand now between bleeding heart and bankrupt).

I am on call 50 out of the 52 weeks of the year (i.e. my phone is always with me, I often take my own car to events that are more than 30 minutes from my home in case I get called to a birth, I have childcare scheduled, I have back up childcare scheduled, and much more).

Still, this is what I am meant to be doing.

Make sure that as you begin this journey you connect with other doulas in your community and talk with them about the amazing things about being a doula, and the very stressful things about being a doula. Figuring out who to train and certify with is the easy part. Keeping your family going, not spending infinitely more through this process than you will wind up making (which is going to be the case anyway for the first year or so; it's just like starting any other business), not burning out only a few years later, and not losing a marriage in the process are all important touch points to continually be assessing.

Ultimately, your service to other families must not come at the expense of your own family (and it will in certain ways by default, as mentioned above) but they need to be prepared for the journey as much as you will be preparing!

Some certifying organizations you can Google (and yes, I am a firm believer that certifying as a doula is an important part of taking your profession seriously and asking others to do the same) ...

DONA - http://www.dona.org

toLabor - http://www.tolabor.com

CAPPA - http://www.cappa.net

Birth Arts International - http://www.birtharts.com

ProDoula - http://www.ProDoula.com

Childbirth International - http://www.childbirthinternational.com/courses/birth_doula.php

And for additional training, especially helpful to a new doula but also valuable to seasoned doulas, 100% Doula.

http://100percentdoula.teachable.com

Be humble, be warm, be generous, be thankful, be smart, be willing to work really hard, have boundaries, take good care of yourself, and develop a network of support.

Know that this service will never make you rich, but neither do you need to be poor.

You can do this, but it will take sacrifice in ways you might not be anticipating, and it will provide rewards you have to experience to fully appreciate.

Happy Mother's Day to all of the mother's with babies, to all of the mother's who want babies, and to all of the mother's who are without their babies. You are strength that the world needs and you are held dear on this day, and really on every day.