Radical Doula

I thought we’d start off 2010 on a good note.

Via Pushed Birth and CNN, the happy news that Joy Szabo gave birth vaginally to her fourth child on December 5th without incident.

Unfortunately she had to do quite a bit of fighting to have the birth she wanted. From Jennifer Block:

Joy Szabo of Page, Arizona, was told by her local hospital that she wouldn’t be allowed to give birth vaginally there. She even met with the hospital CEO to discuss their policy of forcing repeat C-sections — a policy she equated with physical assault — and the hospital responded by threatening to get a court order for the surgery. When the local paper headlined Szabo’s plight, the hospital backed off, but it still told her “No VBAC.” Instead of agreeing to the major surgery, Szabo pushed back. She found a willing hospital and provider in Phoenix, a six hour journey by car from her home, and made the decision to move there and await labor.

The birth was an easy one, with just a few hours of labor and one quick push. Congrats Joy!