EP45 - Fiona's FBAC (fragmented care, MFM, OBGYN, 'high risk' pregnancy, omphalocele baby, breech, elective caesarean, NICU, trauma, doula support, wild pregnancy, freebirth, FBAC, long labour)

Australian VBAC Stories · May 24, 2026 · 1h 25m

In this episode, Fiona shares the story of her first birth, a pregnancy that quickly shifted from low-risk to highly medicalised following the discovery of her son’s omphalocele. What began as a planned physiological birth became a scheduled caesarean at 39 weeks, followed by a NICU stay, complications following mistakes from medical staff, delayed surgery, and a challenging introduction to motherhood.

Fiona speaks candidly about navigating intensive surveillance, advocating within a tertiary hospital system, and the impact of early separation from her baby. She reflects on postpartum…