"I will never know what it's like to triumph in birthing a baby, but I feel April is Cesarean Awareness Month and for such, I have seen many c-section story links across my newsfeed lately. Luckily, they haven't been trauma-inducing stories as many assume with c-sections rather they have all been awe-inspiring and respectful stories. This may not be a popular opinion, but I wanted to get it out there: Just because a mom has a cesarean delivery doesn't mean she hasn't birthed her own baby. A local-to-me friend opened my eyes to this thought. Her own children were born via c-section in not-so-nice conditions. She's a brave momma and is getting along well in her healing journey. As a part of that journey, she made the announcement that despite everything she went through, she actually did birth her own babies. I had a moment and thought, "WHAT??? Why would that even be a question?" But after thinking about it, I can understand! And really, it's all about how the mom perceived her child's birth, it doesn't matter what I think anyways. ;-) But you know I have to put my two-cents out there. A c-section mom is no less of a mom than me. Like my friend said, she gestated for 9 months like me. She had heartburn, morning sickness, worry over her unborn child, nesting as it got closer, and of course a lot of other similarities. The difference? She birthed her child during surgery and I birthed mine vaginally. But you know what? We both BIRTHED our babies. I never really thought about how a cesarean momma's trauma might differ from my own, although it is very similar in many ways. In fact, I have teamed up with several larger cesarean organizations focused on helping momma heal after birth so that I can learn from them. In many cases, I think cesarean momma's are braver than I am. They really are warriors and sometimes have even had to deal with life or death decisions just as their little one was born. The quote at the top is from a beautiful article in the Huffington Post: "Being a C-Section Mama In the Birth Goddess Club." I encourage you to read it, it's beautiful. And the recounted story about the husband after the birth is tear-worthy. Go. Read it. Cry happy tears with me. What are your thoughts?
5 Comments
Saggy Cutbelly
4/14/2013 02:45:08 pm
I read that article and it made me break down sobbing in the Stop n Shop parking lot. But I've had three children, one natural birth in hospital, one unmedicated induction, and one home birth turned induction turned c-section turned 12 hour separation. I've been on both sides of the coin, and in my agonizing, heart breaking, literally gut wrenching pain, I could not disagree more. I tell people that #3 was an extraction, not a birth. It was horrific and my every birth nightmare come true.
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4/14/2013 11:00:13 pm
I appreciate your thoughts, thank you. I was a little hesitant to post this opinion as I know there are many women who feel the same as you just as there are many who feel like my friend. Every birth is different, and every mother's opinion of their own birth will certainly be different, too.
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Eli Leblanc
4/14/2013 11:41:31 pm
I think you said it clearly: it's all about how you perceive it. Although it is to me unconceiveable, I am sincerely happy for those women who still feel they birthed their baby through c-section. It's not about BEING more or less of a mother or a woman depending on how your children are born. It's about FEELING more or less of a mother or a woman. And no matter how you feel about it, nobody can feel it for you.
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Eli Leblanc
4/15/2013 12:26:53 am
That being said, I really FEEL like I adopted my own daughters.
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10/3/2013 02:42:23 pm
Your blog was so simple, I went ahead and created one too, thank you.
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