Birth is personal and no two are the same. There are traumatic vaginal births and empowering cesarean sections. Laboring for a long time and a short time can be just as scary. It is complicated and layered and miraculous and overwhelming and everything in between.
I had a true emergency c-section with my first child after 20 hours of labor and 3 hours of pushing. I was put under fentanyl and have no memory of the actual birth. When I came to, I was in a state of shock…for days. One thing I struggled with for months was the idea that I had not “given birth.” I wasn’t coherent, I don’t remember meeting him, and I was “laying” there.
It’s taken a lot of work to get to a place where I believe I gave birth to my son. I grew him for 40 weeks and 3 days, I labored with him, and I delivered him via caesarean section. I brought him into the world.
This experience grew my compassion for birthing people. I often see women’s incisions before their six week check up and am one of the first medical providers to talk to them about their birth. I’ve held space for tears, and also had women say, “It was actually really calm.” I’ve had women say they can’t look at their incisions, and others call it cute. Everyone’s experience and recovery with a belly birth is unique to them. It takes so much to get to labor and deliver, so please feel proud of the journey, your body, and that you brought a new life into the world. You gave birth!!!
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