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Another Successful VBAC at Nadezhda Hospital – Ina’s Story
An interview with Ina Georgieva, midwife Nadezhda Stamenova, and Dr. Milena Stoyanova.
28.04.2026 | 15:20
“VBAC is no longer considered an exception,” says midwife Nadezhda Stamenova. “When the team has the experience and expertise to manage such a birth, and maintains open and calm communication with the mother, the delivery can proceed naturally and safely. Every woman deserves to feel supported and understood at every stage of this extraordinary process — the birth of new life.”
Ina’s Story
My name is Ina Georgieva. I am 36 years old, and this was my second birth. My first delivery was in January 2023 and was by cesarean section.
We are happy that our Christmas miracle, Vihren, had the chance to be born naturally on December 21, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. Everything went smoothly and very quickly, because I had already been 5 cm dilated for a full week before that.
1. Why did you choose VBAC for your second birth?
I chose VBAC because I did not want to go through a second abdominal surgery. Many people underestimate it, but it is in fact a serious operation, and recovery is much longer — last time it took me nearly a month before I could move normally without pain.
Since almost three years had passed since my previous birth, I knew it was safe to try for a vaginal delivery.
2. How did you gather information about where to pursue a VBAC birth?
I had already delivered my first baby at Nadezhda Hospital, and I had watched many of the prenatal classes led by midwife Nadezhda Stamenova. She also spoke about VBAC, and I had read interviews on the hospital’s website about VBAC.
I knew that if I were going to try, it would be here with her.
3. When did you first meet with her?
We met at 36 weeks of pregnancy, when she carefully reviewed the history of my first birth and why the previous cesarean had been necessary, in order to determine whether to give me the green light.
I also consulted with my attending obstetrician-gynecologist, Dr. Milena Stoyanova, who was also supportive of the attempt.
In fact, midwife Nadezhda Stamenova and Dr. Milena Stoyanova managed my labor together.
4. How did your VBAC unfold?
I was admitted around noon after fetal monitoring, and everything was normal. They started me on a low-dose oxytocin infusion to initiate labor.
The baby was already positioned low, and I was 5 cm dilated, so only a little assistance was needed to start labor.
At 7 cm dilation, my amniotic sac was ruptured, and between 7 and 10 cm the actual birth took place — lasting only about an hour.
I had no epidural anesthesia, but the baby’s father provided great support, as did the wonderful midwife Nadezhda Stamenova and Dr. Milena Stoyanova, who stayed by my side throughout the entire process.
5. What would you say to women who are unsure whether to choose VBAC or a second cesarean?
If the attending obstetrician gives the green light for a VBAC attempt, then for me it is the only right choice.
Abdominal surgery is difficult, and recovery is hard — during my first birth I could barely get up during the first week, while caring for a newborn is already challenging.
Now, after a vaginal birth, I can move and care for my baby without any issues.
In my opinion, physiological vaginal birth is gentler for both mother and baby.
6. Midwife Stamenova, how did Ina’s VBAC proceed?
What was unique about Ina was that her first birth had occurred at full dilation, and for nearly two weeks before her second delivery she had already been dilated — 3, 4, then 5 cm.
Given all of this, and to avoid the risk of Ina giving birth in the car on the way to the hospital, we decided to initiate labor induction.
Let everyone reading this know that VBAC is no longer unusual.
When the team has the experience and expertise to guide such a birth, and maintains open and calm communication with the mother, the process can proceed naturally, safely, and peacefully.
Every woman deserves to feel supported and understood at every stage of this exceptional journey.
7. Dr. Stoyanova, you monitored Ina’s pregnancy and participated in her VBAC. Tell us more.
Yes, I had the privilege of following Ina’s pregnancy.
From the very beginning, she was determined to give birth vaginally and constantly sought our reassurance that she would have that opportunity.
She was very positive, motivated, and ready to succeed — and she did.
The birth itself progressed very quickly.
It began at 2:00 p.m. with a very low dose of oxytocin. At 4:15 p.m. we ruptured the amniotic sac, and that was when contractions truly began.
By 6:00 p.m., baby Vihren was born, weighing 3400 g.
Ina handled the pushing phase excellently and followed our guidance with complete trust throughout.
8. Dr. Stoyanova, it seems more and more patients prefer attempting VBAC. Why is that? What are your observations?
I have noticed that for most patients who choose VBAC, the previous cesarean was performed as an emergency during labor. So these are women who were already motivated to give birth vaginally, rather than having had a cesarean by choice. In addition, many patients wish to have more than two children.
When cesarean sections become two, three, or more, each surgery carries increasing risks, even though at Nadezhda Hospital we have also welcomed babies born vaginally after two cesarean deliveries. Unfortunately, many doctors in our country still follow the rule: “Once a cesarean, always a cesarean.”
But our mission at Nadezhda Hospital is, whenever possible, to allow this deeply human process to unfold as nature intended — per vias naturalis. That is precisely why vaginal birth is called “normal birth,” and here at Nadezhda Hospital we always strive to help new life enter the world in that way.
Ina was highly motivated to give birth naturally and had complete trust in us as a team to support her in the best possible way.
Together, we succeeded.
