Laura Mazza, blogger and pregnant mum-of-two is preparing to have a Caesarean section.
After having two vaginal births, she's heard a lot about C-sections from other mothers, and a lot of it annoys her.
"I’ve have read things said about mothers who have had caesareans before. They said:
'It’s the easy way out. Matter of convenience. You didn't really give birth. Your baby will grow up obese. I don’t want to see that. '"
Mazza wants to put an end to these preconceptions. For her, the C-section has serious health reasons behind it.
"I have placenta previa, which means my placenta is fully covering my cervix.. and that even if my placenta moves away from my cervix, it won’t be enough to give birth vaginally.
"There is literally no other way, no other choice. It is life or death for me and my baby."
Women who have C-sections are often left with little choice, due to health complications and for the safety of their baby.
"Imagine going through a life or death situation, only to be told 'you didn't really give birth'.
"Imagine you are 36 hours into labour and your baby’s heart is stopping, only to be told it was a 'matter of convenience', imagine learning you could lose your baby if you didn't go through major abdominal surgery and be told 'it’s the easy way out'.
"Imagine being ready to birth in a pool with essential oils and having a strong dream and desire about giving birth a certain way only to have that ripped away from you and for people to discard your warrior scar with a 'I don’t want to see that'."
Well Mazza as enough of this disregarding of mum's experiences. "I say, f**k those people."
Every woman and ever mother is strong, beautiful and should be celebrated, according to Mazza.
"For the woman who has had a caesarean, you are strong, and not only for you, but for your child as well. For the woman who had birthed vaginally, you are strong.
"In fact, we are all strong, we are beautiful, and we all have the right to say we birthed our children."
Because in the end, no matter how you birthed your kids, they're going to be loved.
"These kids all grow up, at some point they’ll pick their nose, eat dirt, grow up, fall in love - all the while their mothers watching them with so much love, being everything for them, sacrificing their body so they can get their first breath."
How a mother gives birth does not define her:
"A stretch mark doesn't define a mother, a belly doesn't define a mother, and a scar sure as hell doesn't define a mother.
"They are just reminders that a mothers love is one of the toughest and strongest incomparable type of love there is, so wear your scar with pride."
All mothers are amazing, no matter how they became one!
