From Birth Trauma to VBAC: Rachel Somerstein’s Healing Journey [39]
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Rachel Somerstein is an associate professor of journalism at SUNY New Paltz. She has written for the Washington Post, Guernica, and Wired, among many other publications. Invisible Labor is her first book. She lives in the Hudson Valley with her family.
Jen and Bethany continue their conversation with Rachel Somerstein, author of Invisible Labor: The Untold Story of the Cesarean Section. Rachel opens up about her emotional journey toward having another baby after a traumatic unplanned c-section. She shares how therapy, community support, and a trusting relationship with a midwife helped her overcome fear and ultimately have a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean). They discuss the emotional and psychological toll of a traumatic c-section, and how trauma-informed care played a critical role in Rachel’s healing and preparation for her second birth. She reflects on what it meant to build a supportive care team and to find psychological safety in birth. The conversation also explores Rachel’s research into the history of cesarean sections, revealing how past practices and cultural narratives continue to shape modern perceptions of childbirth today.
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Birth Services + postpartum support: lemontreebabies.com.
This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. The content in this podcast should not be considered medical advice.
Birth Services + postpartum support: lemontreebabies.com.
This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. The content in this podcast should not be considered medical advice.