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Advanced Maternal Age Podcasts

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I am an infertility survivor—the kind you never hope to become: childless. After enduring multiple rounds of IUI and IVF at some of the leading fertility centers, I was advised to discontinue treatment. When my fertility journey ended, I was offered no resources to help me navigate the reality of an unexpected childless life. I was left asking: So now what? In the years that followed, I tried to convince myself I'd be OK, but I wasn't. I felt shattered, alone, and failed—not just by the proc ...
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The VBAC Link

Meagan Heaton

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Here at The VBAC Link, our mission is to make birth after Cesarean better by providing education, support, and a community of like-minded people. Welcome to our circle, we are so glad you are here!
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Have you ever wondered why perfectionism shows up just when you’re about to start a big creative goal? Or why consistency feels impossible, even when your ambition is sky-high? Mindset Reboot is a podcast about breaking free from perfectionism and learning, together, how to finally build the consistency and habits that make big dreams possible. Host Tara shares her personal journey to understand perfectionism—how it feeds procrastination, burnout, and fear of failure—and experiments with kin ...
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Catie, a pediatric physical therapist from Northern Kentucky, joins Meagan on the podcast today sharing her three birth stories– a vaginal delivery, c-section, and VBAC! Catie struggled with hyperemesis gravidarum (among other complications) during all three pregnancies but wasn’t officially given the diagnosis until she was hospitalized with her t…
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Episode 192: How Childless Women Can Navigate the Holidays Ahead The holiday season can feel emotionally heavy when you're childless after infertility. In this episode, Lana explains why Thanksgiving and Christmas can stir up overwhelm, anxiety, numbness, and confusion when you always imagined this season with a child of your own. You'll learn how …
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How to Feel Like You Belong Again When You Are Childless After Infertility If you have ever walked into a room and instantly wondered where you fit, this episode is going to speak directly to you. When you are childless after infertility or you are still in the middle of your fertility journey, it can feel like everyone around you is living a chapt…
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We are so excited to welcome back our favorite registered dietician and bestselling author, Lily Nichols! Lily is here to chat with us about her third book, Real Food for Fertility. She explains how while the title focuses on fertility, this book goes far beyond that, diving into how nutrition supports hormone health and overall well-being at every…
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Kari joins us today from Huntsville, Alabama sharing her story of two induced but very different births. Her first was an unplanned Cesarean after a 39-week induction and the second was a medically induced VBAC due to preeclampsia. With her second baby, Kari saw a new provider who was VBAC supportive, hired a doula, and went to a chiropractor. She …
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Infertility and Imposter Syndrome- When You Wonder If You Really Belong Have you ever walked into a room and instantly questioned whether you belonged there? That is exactly what happened to me t at the annual meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) in San Antonio. I was surrounded by fertility doctors, clinic directors, ps…
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“I want to be the light I wish I’d had in my darkest moments.” As we close out Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, we are sharing Abbie’s two birth stories and honoring the memory of her firstborn, Rowan. Rowan was born prematurely via emergency Cesarean at 29 weeks during the height of COVID and passed several weeks later in the NICU. Abbie…
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We all know scrolling and screen time sucks our TIME away. But today I want to talk about what it does to our energy. Real, meaningful, mindset shifts take a LOT of energy - remember your mind is a real, alive organ that needs care and recovery time, especially if you’re asking big things of it, like to change how it’s been thinking and operating f…
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Episode 189 | Childless After Infertility: The Shift That Changes Everything What if you could stop living in regret after infertility and start creating a life that feels amazing to wake up to? In this episode of The "So Now What?" Podcast, Lana Manikowski shares the realization that changed everything: the moment she stopped identifying as a vict…
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We are so excited to welcome back our friend, Rachel! She shared her first precipitous VBAC story all the way back in Episode 56. This time, she joins us again to talk about her next two VBACs— one of which included an unexpected diagnosis of gastroschisis and the other surprisingly beginning with PROM (premature rupture of membranes). Rachel opens…
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When IVF Fails: How to Ask Your Fertility Clinic for the Support You Still Need When IVF fails, it can feel like your clinic disappears but you still deserve care. In this episode, learn how to ask for what you need from your fertility doctor even after fertility treatment ends. Discover how to advocate for yourself, share resources, and help your …
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Today we’re revisiting one of our earliest episodes — Episode 13 Kelie’s VBA4C in Utah! Our audio quality has come a long way since those early days 😅, but Kelie’s story is still one of our most inspiring. “Kelie’s VBA4C section story is one of many awe-inspiring moments! She truly has been through it all with each of her cesareans and her VBAC. He…
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IVF Failed: A Fertility Doctor's Thoughts About What Comes Next When IVF fails, both patients and doctors are left asking, "What now?" In this conversation, infertility and life coach Lana Manikowski and fertility doctor Erica Bove, MD, explore what patients wish doctors understood after failed IVF, what doctors feel but rarely say, and how to crea…
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About her VBA2C, Chloe says, “I’ve been dreaming of my VBAC for 8 years. When my HBAC turned into a scheduled CBAC, I wasn’t even sure I’d get the option to have a VBA2C. It took a lot of planning & hard work & I knew as a first time labouring mom that it would be a longer labor but I completely underestimated just how long… Dreams came true New Ye…
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Women of Strength, we are making waves. We are so excited to be sharing our second Maternal Assisted Cesarean story on the podcast today! There are so many beautiful details within Brianna’s entire episode that you will not want to miss. In the small town of Crosby, Minnesota with a population of less than 3,000, Brianna was the first MAC under a b…
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Fall is in the air, and if you’re like me, your mind is already turning to the new year and the goals you will pursue in 2026. Or maybe even the totally new person you want to become. Today I want to talk about how we build a runway to make those exciting goals actually possible, and what you need to have in place to support you when you are attemp…
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When you're going through fertility treatments, you never imagine they will end without a baby. I didn't. I believed that if I tried hard enough, followed every step, and stayed committed, eventually I would have the child I dreamed of. But when IVF failed and motherhood didn't happen, I was completely unprepared and unsupported. That gap, the sile…
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Why is it that most avenues of healthcare delay preventative intervention, but when it comes to birth, there is so much more of a fear-based “just in case” mindset? Elisabeth, her doula (and our TVL team member!) Ashley Marg, and Julie Francom talk about how most of the time we can trust the physiological process of birth, yet providers often don’t…
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Why does infertility feel so shameful? In this episode of The "So Now What?" Podcast, Lana Manikowski unpacks the weight of shame after IVF fails and motherhood does not happen. She explains why shame shows up for women who are childless not by choice, why it is optional, and how you can release it. Learn four steps to stop carrying shame so you ca…
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You've heard it more than a few times, I'm sure: Embrace Imperfection! That's the key to success! But this advice can end up being yet another chunk of kryptonite for those who struggle with perfectionism. In this short but sweet episode, I go over a more realistic (and way more helpful) way to think about imperfection. No embracing necessary. I'd …
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Jennifer is a mom to three boys, each born in a different decade. Her first birth started out spontaneously but, after going to the hospital early and experiencing many interventions, ended in an emergency Cesarean under general anesthesia with an inverted T incision. For her second birth, Jennifer was excited to try for a VBAC but learned about he…
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In today’s episode, Julie Francom talks with Diana, who shares her Cesarean and two very different VBAC stories. Diana’s journey began with a Cesarean birth including a velamentous cord insertion and a long, difficult recovery complicated by painful breastfeeding abscesses. For her second baby, she planned a home birth VBAC and euphorically welcome…
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How to tell your story with pride when IVF failed and you are living childless after infertility. When IVF fails and motherhood did not happen, it is so easy to feel like your only option is to hide. You spent years doing everything you possibly could—fertility treatments, doctors' appointments, lifestyle changes, endless waiting. You gave your bod…
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Do you ever get stuck dreaming about a goal instead of actually starting it? In this episode of Mindset Reboot, I unpack why procrastination can feel so good—almost cozy—and how perfectionism disguises itself as “just needing more time, more information, or a better plan.” I share my own long journey to finally hitting publish on this very podcast,…
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Did you know that The VBAC Link is made up of a whole team of VBAC doulas? Our Co-founder and Owner, Meagan Heaton, is joined today on the pod by TVL team members Lily (Director of Social Media & Community Engagement) and Paige (Production Admin & Community Liason) chatting all about questions we see from you in our community— topics like induction…
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Perfectionism, procrastination, and burnout—these sneaky friends have held me back from my biggest goals, creative projects, and new adventures. In this first episode of Mindset Reboot, I share my own journey with perfectionism and explore a new approach to big dreams. It's time to go beyond the "go hard or go home" bro language that pervades our s…
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When IVF fails and you're childless after infertility, people often try to cheer you up with "at least you can…" comments. But what these comments really reveal is how uncomfortable our society is with sadness. In this episode, I share how a recent injury reminded me of that cultural reflex, why sadness is not a flaw, and how you can create room fo…
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Today we are revisiting another one of our favorite episodes! Episode 188 featured Lindsay’s amazing story of preparation and perseverance through doubt during her COVID VBAC. Lindsay’s first birth was a planned home birth which ultimately resulted in a hospital transfer and emergency C-section. She was left feeling unprepared and unheard and commi…
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When IVF fails, your brain can feel like the enemy, spiraling with infertility triggers, constant comparison, and the grief of being childless after infertility. In this episode, you will discover why your brain reacts this way when fertility treatments do not work, and three simple practices to begin calming your mind and finding peace. Have you e…
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In today’s episode, Meagan chats with our friend, Hannah, who is a mom to three little ones under the age of 4. Hannah has had two VBACs that were both unique in their own ways. Her first birth was an induction that led to an unplanned Cesarean. She was induced for the convenience of avoiding the upcoming holidays and to prevent her baby from getti…
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Episode 181: Childless Legacy – How to Create One If you are childless after infertility, what kind of legacy are you leaving? When IVF, IUI, or years of trying to conceive did not lead to the family you dreamed of, it can feel like your story has nowhere to go. Like your legacy disappeared along with the possibility of motherhood. But what if you …
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Our co-founder, Julie Francom, hosts today’s episode with Heather from Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Heather talks today about her journey with IVF for her first pregnancy and conceiving spontaneously with her second. Heather’s first birth involved infertility, ovulation inducers, IUI’s (including a chemical pregnancy), solo appointments during COVID,…
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We are so excited to have Deb Flashenberg on the podcast today! She is the founder and director of the Prenatal Yoga Center in NYC. Along with being a prenatal yoga teacher, she is also a doula, Lamaze childbirth educator, Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist, Spinning Babies Parent Educator and mother of two. After a tough first birth experie…
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Infertility and Othering: When You Don't Belong Have you ever walked into a room and instantly thought, "I'm the only one here without kids"? That sinking feeling in your body is what is known as othering. Othering happens when you are seen, or you see yourself, as separate because you do not fit a societal mold. If you are childless after infertil…
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Your Infertility Journey: How to Stop Explaining It If you are childless after infertility, you have probably been on both sides of the spectrum: staying silent because you do not have the words or emotional energy to talk about your journey, and then overexplaining to justify that you "did enough" to try to become a mom. In this episode of The So …
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Happy Wednesday, Women of Strength! Today we are joined by our friend, Nichole, from Nevada who shares her SEVEN birth stories. Nichole has had a wild ride when it comes to birth. Every story is so different and so unique. This episode is jam-packed with things like placental abruption, NICU time, preeclampsia, a surprise HBA2C, induced VBA2C, chan…
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What if the hardest part of infertility wasn't just the treatments… but the fact that no one even knew how hard you tried? In this episode of The "So Now What?" Podcast, we're talking about an overlooked reality: what it feels like to go through years of IVF and fertility treatments and never even get a positive pregnancy test. No bump. No loss oth…
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We are bringing back the VBAC dads!! In this rebroadcast, Julie and Meagan interview 5 VBAC dads who share their tips, fears, and highlights of the VBAC journey. Each dad answers these questions: - What do you wish you knew before VBAC and what are you glad you did know? - Did you have any fears for your partner and what helped you overcome them? -…
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After a peaceful, scheduled Cesarean for breech presentation, Erika knew she wanted a VBAC—even before becoming pregnant again. When red flags appeared with her original provider, she switched to a supportive OB who stayed steady even when Erika had doubts. Erika prepared deeply with The VBAC Link Podcast episodes, blogs, pelvic floor PT, chiroprac…
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You love your friends. You've grown up together, lived through milestones, and shared so many memories. But now they're raising kids, and you're navigating life after infertility. You're the only one in the group chat without a child, and suddenly, the conversations feel distant. Do you go and feel left out? Or do you stay home and feel even more a…
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If you are a woman who is childless not by choice, you know the heartbreak of infertility does not end when treatments stop. You might still feel like shame and guilt are following you around every day. In this episode, you will hear why infertility shame and secrecy can stay with you for years after IVF or other fertility treatments. Lana shares i…
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Felicia grew up with a profound trust in the power of VBAC— her mom was a midwife and had a beautiful home birth after four Cesareans! So when Felicia’s first birth ended in a Cesarean, there was no doubt in her mind that she would pursue a VBAC next time. She educated herself, built a strong support system, obsessed over all things VBAC, and went …
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Christy shares her whirlwind VBAC story after two vaginal births and a Cesarean. After testing GBS positive, Christy made the intentional decision to deliver at a hospital she deeply trusted, even though it was 1.5 hours from home. But when labor kicked in fast and hard, she barely made it in time. Her birth progressed so quickly that while she ult…
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If you have spent years going through fertility treatments like IVF, pouring everything into your dream of motherhood, and still found yourself without a child, you know how heavy it feels to imagine a future that could ever feel as meaningful. In this week's episode, Lana shares a deeply personal story about standing on a piece of vacant land in M…
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In today’s episode, Anne Marie shares her intuitive, unmedicated VBAC journey. From building a trusting relationship with her supportive OBGYN to finding peace with all possible birth outcomes, her story is a powerful reminder of the strength that comes from informed decision-making and listening to our bodies!. Anne Marie takes us through her expe…
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Your Meaning as a Childless Woman After Infertility If you ever find yourself waking up on a Saturday, staring at a day that is completely yours and feeling more suffocated than free, this episode is for you. Maybe you spent years picturing weekends packed with soccer games, birthday parties, college visits, and noisy family trips. You imagined how…
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Vanessa was born and raised in Brazil, a country with sky-high cesarean rates. Moving to the US inspired her to pursue her doula career, even before she became pregnant herself. Vanessa’s own birth experiences were very different. Her first birth was a Cesarean after a birth center transfer. While it was medically necessary, it was very unexpected …
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If you're childless after infertility or IVF and wondering how to move forward in a life that looks nothing like what you imagined, this episode of The "So Now What?" Podcast is for you. You did everything you could to become a mother. You prayed, tried, hoped, and gave it your all. And now you're living in the aftermath of a dream that didn't come…
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If you've ever wondered if this is just how life feels when you don't become a mom, this episode is for you. Maybe your fertility journey ended with heartbreak instead of a baby. Maybe you've been told (by the world, by your inner voice) that life will always feel incomplete, lonely, or second-best now. Maybe you scroll past pregnancy announcements…
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