Tammy Hembrow opens up about birth plan complications

Gold Coast influencer Tammy Hembrow has spoken out about the pressure women feel to avoid planning a natural birth after having a C-section.

Gold Coast influencer Tammy Hembrow has spoken out about the pressure women feel to avoid planning a natural birth after having a C-section.

The 27-year-old, who is pregnant with her third child to her fiance Matt Poole, took to social media after she said she felt like she was “going into the principal’s office” over her plan to have a natural birth.

“I am heading to a doctor’s appointment, I’m actually quite nervous for this one because it’s basically because they saw I wanted to do a natural birth, they sent a letter to my midwife and requested to see me, which we knew was going to happen,” she said.

“My midwife warned me that they’re going to try to convince me that I need to have another C-section but I’ve got to stay strong, my midwife has given me all these stats and the Queensland guidelines actually say that it is fine for me to try a natural birth because I don’t have any complications so far.”

Hembrow revealed in December that she would be having her third child, a daughter.

Matt Poole and Tammy Hembrow are expecting a baby. Picture: Carlene Raschke

She said while the meeting went well, the doctor did recommend a C-section.

“I told her I did want to do a natural birth and she said based on everything, I have no complications so far, that’s fine, she’s happy to let me do that, but she also said we will be doing some extra scans to make sure I don’t have the same complications that I had with my last pregnancy and to also take a closer look at some things.”

Hembrow had an emergency C-section with her son Wolf, she said she felt pressured at the moment.

“I feel like if I knew then what I know now it probably wouldn’t have ended up in an emergency C-section and I feel very strongly about that,” she said.

“Of course sometimes a C-section is going to be the safest thing, whatever is the safest thing for you and your baby that’s what you should do. Make sure you’re informed and know what you want.”

Tammy Hembrow.

Lecturer of midwifery at Western Sydney University and Australian College of Midwives spokesperson Hazel Keedle said women planning a vaginal birth after caesarean like Hembrow faced many challenges.

“Planning a VBAC is a safe and satisfying experience for most women yet in Australia

there is a low VBAC rate of 13 per cent so women often receive a lack of support from health care professionals and some women receive coercive comments from health care

providers,” Dr Keedle said.

“In the VBAC in Australia survey we found that women who had continuity of care

with a midwife felt more in control of their decisions and choices, felt more confidence in their ability to birth, had a health care provider that treated them with respect and were more

likely to have be upright and active during labour and birth.”

Dr Keedle said people having a midwife on their team could be a real benefit for their journey.