VBAC and the Birth Experience Study (BESt): What Australian Women Want for Their Births

In this episode of The Lamaze Podcast, host Tanya Cawthorne, LCCE, FACCE, sits down with Dr. Hazel Keedle, Ph.D., a senior lecturer at Western Sydney University and a leading expert in midwifery. Dr. Keedle shares insights from over 20 years in the field, discussing her research on vaginal birth after caesarean (VBAC), birth trauma, and maternity experiences. She talks about her journey to earning her Ph.D. and writing her book “Birth After Caesarean”, while offering accessible advice for women seeking VBAC. Dr. Keedle also shares her top three tips for a successful VBAC, which align with Lamaze’s Six Healthy Birth Practices. Dr. Hazel Keedle, Ph.D., is a senior lecturer of midwifery at The School of Nursing and Midwifery, Western Sydney University. Hazel has more than two decades of experience as a clinician in nursing and midwifery, educator, and researcher. Hazel’s research interests are vaginal birth after caesarean, birth trauma, and maternity experiences explored primarily using feminist mixed methodologies. Hazel's work is recognized nationally and internationally, with many invited conference and seminar presentations including academic publications and a book for women based on her Ph.D. findings “Birth After Caesarean”. Hazel is the lead researcher on Australia's largest maternity experiences survey, The Birth Experience Study.   Episode Links https://www.lamaze.org/ | https://learn.lamaze.org/ | https://www.lamaze.org/LCCE | Birth After Caesarean: Your Journey to a Better Birth by Hazel Keedle | What Women Want If They Were to Have Another Baby: The Australian Birth Experience Study (BESt) Cross-sectional National Survey | Parliament of New South Wales — Select Committee on Birth Trauma | New South Wales. Parliament. Legislative Council. Select Committee on Birth Trauma. Report No. 1. (May, 2024) Black Birthing Initiative https://chcimpact.org/chc-black-birthing-initiative/ | Black Birthing Initiative Survey