In today's episode we meet Kirsten who is a doula and mum of four and living in Western Australia. Her first birth in her local rural hospital taught her about consent and trauma in the birth ward and she speaks about the fact that having a natural birth didn't ensure she was protected against these realities. The second time around she found herself pregnant with twins and while steered towards a caesarean, she was able to birth her first twin vaginally but taken into theatre when twin B wasn't descending. In her third pregnancy Kristen completely changed her model of care opting for a homebirth with her private midwife's guidance to have her VBAC. We hear about the differences between all of her births and the decisions Kirsten made along the way- the biggest takeaway is the fact that vaginal birth doesn't mean there is an absence of physical or mental trauma for women and likewise for caesarean births, wherever you are at in your VBAC journey we hope that you find Kristen's story helpful and enjoy her unique birth stories. Connect with Kirsten @the_kirsten_lyle on Instagram or here on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kirstenlyledoula/ **VBAC Birth Stories features women's lived experiences. It is not intended to replace medical advice. Should you have any concerns during your pregnancy please always consult your healthcare provider. Please connect with us on Facebook or Instagram: @vbacbirthstories