ICAN

Our little ICAN chapter has thrived and grown by leaps and bounds. We still haven’t reached all the women that we can and should, but we are trying very hard and have made so much progress!

Several very exciting things have happened which I will get to soon, but first I have to talk about how amazing it is to be a part of these girls’ journeys to VBAC. To meet and see a girl from her first meeting to when she comes to a meeting after her VBAC is a huge transformation and I love it every step of the way! Most girls who come in seeking support after a disappointing birth come very defeated, emotional, possibly struggling with post partum depression. Some are utterly traumatized at how they were treated and cannot tell their stories without sobbing uncontrollably. We hand them tissues and just listen.

It’s so wonderful to see these girls come back again over and over until they are blessed with another pregnancy and then to choose the right provider for them, the right location for them, and continue to come to meetings to arm themselves with education and information and then come back one day with their VBAC baby in arms just radiant and triumphant!

Our little chapter has already had 7 VBACs just that I can think of off the top of my head. It could be closer to 10! It has been SUCH a blessing to be part of this process!

Just in the past few months a couple of very exciting things happened. 1) An OB attended one of our meetings. 2) Because of this meeting, this OB agreed to perform a “family centered cesarean” for one of our moms who needed a c-section. She showed him all the research backing it and he attended our meeting on the topic to gather more information and he made it happen right here in Chattanooga! It was Chattanooga’s very first family centered cesarean. The mom came back to our most recent meeting and told her story and it was remarkable and wonderful! This is a huge step for our little community and ICAN was a BIG part of that step! I could not be more thrilled!

In short, I feel like our little chapter could do a lot more, but I also feel that we’ve been able to help so many people and have accomplished a lot in a short amount of time. I’m always so excited and looking forward to our next meeting. I love it!