Even in the vast majority of cases where all goes well, a woman's recovery is long and painful. Six weeks after Jacob's birth, Woods still struggles to nurse him in a football hold under her arm, rather than the more natural hold across her belly. In bed, she piles blankets between her and the baby to avoid the painful kicks of his tiny feet. Women who are concerned should talk to their obstetricians about the ACOG guidelines. Find out whether you'll be allowed to walk around during labor, which will improve your chance of a natural delivery.
Some doctors make a point of helping a woman avoid a C-section.
That can mean the doctor has to be in the hospital for the entire labor. Many can't take the time. But Showalter, who has a cesarean rate of 6 percent, brings her knitting while her VBAC patients go through labor, hour after hour. World Report Inc. All rights reserved.