If thereâs one thing that no-one will debate you on, itâs that giving birth is hard. Whether you give birth naturally or have a c-section, itâs scary and painful. There are some people, however, who criticize women who have c-sections, saying that these ladies âtook the easy way outâ. To put an end to c-section shaming, women have been sharing photos of their scars and telling their stories. The images are incredibly powerful.
Photos To End C-Section Shaming
Women around the world are tired of being told that having a c-section meant that they havenât truly given birth. Sick of the c-section shaming, they have been posting pictures of their scars to prove once and for all that c-sections are no less challenging than natural birth.
Not The Easy Way Out
Popular Australian mommy-blogger Liv White wrote about how incredibly painful her own c-section was.
âTo anyone who thinks itâs the easy way out, weâll try having a 6-inch gash in your abdomen like a gutted shark who had the body parts of the surfer it ate retrieved! Thatâs then sewn back together with fishing wire while it feels like your vital organs are trying to escape! â
To make things harder, she reminds those who have never had a c-section that the surgery leaves you with a permanent scar and scar-tissue. You lower abdomen will be forever changed.
âAnyone whoâs ever had C-section knows that youâll forever be dependant on your friends Nancy, Dr 90210 and Spanx because you cannot for the life of you get rise of the ditch that is left by the scarâ she wrote.
A Mark of Love
Kacey Ellis says that she loves her c-section scars because it reminds her how much she loves her daughters.
“I love my c-section scare. Itâs my mark of love and a reminder of my girls,” she wrote on Instagram. “Whether itâs an emergency or scheduled, going into a c-section can be scary. “
She reminds her followers that getting a c-section is just as scary as having a natural birth. It is, after all, a major surgery.
You Do What You Have To For Your Child
Zoe Wilde tells her followers that when it comes down to it, you will whatever you need to do to ensure the safe delivery of your baby. If this means getting a c-section, you won’t hesitate even for a minute.
“It Hurt Because It Mattered,” she wrote in her caption. “but Iâd do it all again if I had to! without question or hesitation. I didnât know how strong I was until I had no other option but to fight. Never underestimate a mothers struggle and a mothers fight.”
Read: âAfter 2 boys, I wanted to try for a girl â and ended up with quintupletsâ
Your Body Is Forever Changed
Kassi Mansfield lets her followers know that having a c-section means your body will never look just like it once did. Getting your “pre-baby body” back is not easier, in fact in many ways it is much, much harder.
“my body is not, and will never be like it used to be. And im still working on accepting that. I have over an inch gap in my core. My belly button is covered in excess skin. I lost all muscle. And I have a csection pooch.” she explains on Instagram.
She goes on to explain to her followers what actually happens during a c-section, and let me tell you: It is not pretty.
“When you have a csection, you get cut open, have organs moved everywhere, and then they sew you back together. Within that your skin gets sewn inward. Depending on the size of your belly, your scar can be more inward than others. So for example, someone who was pregnant with a torpedo like myself is sewn more inward
Because of this, my stomach and skin hangs over that scar. No matter how âsmallâ I get that will never change.
Csection mamas, youâre not alone.” she writes.
C-Section Shaming Makes Mothers Feel Like Failures
Theissen has had to have two c-sections now. While she mentions the physical challenges of recovery, she reminds readers that many women feel shame about not being able to give birth naturally.
“After Forresterâs cesarean, it took my heart and mind a long time to forgive my body for being unable to birth the ânormalâ way. This is a harsh reality for a lot of belly birth mamas, and it took me months to forgive myself for a fault I didnât have.” she writes.
She reminds other women that no mom should ever be made to feel like a failure just because she was unable to or chose not to give birth naturally.
“A womanâs story should not be shamed or less valued for including a scalpel and drape. This time, my body needed to recover from what my heart and mind knew was the safest way for me to birth. My body is wonderfully beautiful. Scars and all.“
Motherhood Is A Gift No Matter How The Baby Is Born
Finally, Sade reminds us all that motherhood is beautiful, scars and all.
“This is not the âugly truthâ of motherhood… it is the simple truth. The beauty of motherhood begins from the moment of conception and doesnât end until YOU take your last breath.” she explains.
Yes, your body will change. You may no longer quite fit what society has taught us is “beautiful“. This doesn’t matter, because you will have evolved into the wonderful, amazing human that your kids call “mom”, and no scars or c-section shaming will ever make you regret that.
“Moments of reflection and self realization. Itâs not about a flat stomach, or perky breasts, itâs not even about you AT ALL. Being a mom means that you must learn to be selfless. You have to sacrifice so much, sometimes everything just to make sure your child(ren) have what they NEED to survive.“
If you’re a c-section mama, don’t ever let anyone make you feel like less of a mother. You are all incredible women who will go on to raise wonderful, loving children.
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