Successful Vbac despite being a “bad candidate”

I wanted to share my story for hope. My first baby was born 19 months ago at 40w4d. My water broke before contractions so I had to be induced. My cervix was barely at a 1. It took 40 hours and loads of meds to get me to an 8 before needing C-section. I as many of you also struggled with feeling worthy, trauma, trusting in myself and God’s plan. Recovery was absolutely brutal and I couldn’t walk for two weeks. I felt defeated and was so sensitive about it and embarrassed. My baby was 9 pounds and prior to pregnancy I was 5’4” and 110 pounds and baby was sunny side up. My second baby just born this week, was born at 39w6d. Labor was spontaneous and started at 11pm at night with regular painful contractions. My water broke at 4am and by 8am I was 10cm and shocked to my core that my body just knew what to do this time!? I pushed for three hours and at 11am my 8.6 pound baby was born. I was given a 30% chance of successful vbac. What I learned through this process is we are freaking badass women for getting abdominal surgery to get our babies into this world and then have courage to want another baby after that!! Nothing in labor and delivery is something we can control and every pregnancy is so dang different!! I truly thought I was going to be repeat C-section and I think so did all of my supports. What helped me get through this pregnancy was to do things that continued my hope of vbac. I accepted the possibility of either outcome and did things that felt right for my body but I also never gave up. I struggled a ton with keeping hope don’t get me wrong especially in the last month—but throughout pregnancy I saw the chiropractor, walked, did YouTube prenatal yoga, ate the dates pineapple and raspberry tea, etc. I tried to do what I could so I had no regret. I have no idea if these things worked or not or if it was just completely God’s will regardless of what I would/could have done. Having a vbac made me appreciate having a C-section more and what I went through because despite third degree tear and intense labor my C-section recovery was no joke and so traumatic for me. C-sections are absolutely not the easy way out and thankfully we have them for our instances of saving our bodies and babies to be able to be born okay in situations we cannot control.