Inner Strength
“I am a failure.”, “My body failed me.”, “I'm not worthy to be a mother.”, “I'm not strong enough.”, “I gave up.”, “I feel defeated.”, “I suck at this.”, “What have I done?”. Have any of these thoughts crossed your mind? I have let these thoughts come too close to my heart while I was in the delivery room, delivering my first baby girl and I let them consume me afterwards. I have let myself continually replay the moments leading up to my surgery.
I delivered my first baby girl via c-section. Was this my plan? Hell No! But, this plan was deemed necessary for a safe and healthy delivery. I was induced ten days after my expected due date with no signs of active labour. I experienced prodromal labour for a couple of weeks with no delivery in sight. We had to round up our troops, a.k.a my midwives, to come up with a back up plan. After induction and several hours waiting, It was GO time! My baby's heart rate was dropping with each contraction. The decision was necessary, but it defeated me. I felt crushed. I wanted more than anything to deliver my baby the same way thousands of other women do, a vaginal delivery.
Being a first, second or third time mom, doesn't make this journey any less complicating or stressful. Being a mom is stressful. We all want to do what the other mom is doing. We are always talking and discussing comparisons. We are simply judging the F out of each other. We can become each other's worst enemy, and why? If we are all doing the same job, with the same end goal in mind: raising happy and healthy little humans, why are we constantly judging what the other one has or doesn't have? If all moms want the same thing, why aren't we supporting each other?
If you shared with another mom that you had a c-section, you have a 50/50 chance that you will get a supportive response. If you shared with another mom your feeding regimen: formula or breastmilk, you will get either a 60/40 response. 60% support for breastfeeding and only 40% support for formula. Why is that? Why can't we just support each other no matter what? Once we become moms, we seem to know what's best for not only ourself, but everyone else and their child. We instantly become the expert. We seem to have all of the greatest and latest sources of information about what's better, to raising our children, and being a better mom. Well, let me tell you, you will never be the perfect mom or have perfect children. I have learned very quickly that what works best for one mom and child, doesn't work best for all moms. What works for one child in your family does not work for the other child. I have also realized that what worked well in the 80's or 90's when our parents had us, becomes almost irrelevant and outdated. So, why are we putting all of this pressure on ourselves?
Before I had my first daughter, I had enrolled myself and my husband into a prenatal class set up and hosted by our midwife clinic. While there, I met four other moms-to-be and their spouses. This was an 8-week program. From completion date, we all remained friends. These girls are great friends and positive, supportive women I cherish every day. Our group is what helped me to get through my constant thoughts of failure and uncertainties of being a new mom. Even though they all had very different deliveries, they acknowledge that we are all strong mom-warriors. As the saying goes, "it takes a village to raise a family". They are my village.
I was holding my baby girl, when all I could think about was "How did I fail at this?". I had one job to do and so far, I have failed. I reminded myself of my "mom" group. They were the ones who uplifted me and reminded me that it is not the delivery that defines who we are. The delivery is "just" the exit. Yes, some moms get to accomplish their dream birth plan. Yes, some moms walk out of the hospital as the stunningly hot milf that looks like she hasn't carried a baby in her lifetime, but, if you're the one who walks out looking like a garbage truck drove over you three times and your belly still looks likes you're pregnant, that's ok too. You know why? Because you just had a BABY! Looking the part of a mom, a mom who just delivered their baby, deserves the Hi-Fives and credit too. How you dress and what you look like does not define your strength. Your strength is the part where you screamed for a bloody epidural because you were managing hardcore contractions for so long, you needed a break. Or when you found yourself pushing for so long that you had to make the difficult choice to come up with a new plan of action. Your strength was when you gripped your husbands hand so tight you left prints for days because you had to sit still during the worst contraction while being prepped for surgery. Your strength was when you found the courage to walk into the hospital and say "I'm having my baby, today or tomorrow." No matter the "type" of delivery, you delivered and that in itself is strength.
The delivery of our baby does not and should never define who we are as a mother. Each delivery is unique and not one delivery is the same, ever! If you are a mom who experienced a c-section, remind yourself to be patient. Be patient with your healing, be patient with your mind, body, and soul. Be patient with the process. You delivered a little human and that's the outcome you should be rewarding yourself with, not just the exit. The exit is such a small piece of the whole picture. Your delivery, is no less than someone who vaginally delivered their baby. You can never compare apples to oranges, so why the F should we be doing the same with deliveries? One c-section is not the same as the other. One vaginal delivery is not the same as the other. We need to normalize, appreciate, and support ALL births.
We need to be each other's village and support system. We are women of strength, courage, and a heck of a lot of love. We all are warriors, fighting for the same outcome. We are leaders, leading the same journey. We are survivors, surviving the same chaos of mom life. Praise each other for the hard days we all experience. We have hard days, good days, and days where we want to hide out in the bathroom from all of our frustrations. We all share the same goal. We are capable! We are strong! We are courageous! We are a mom! Let's do this together!
