Mum shares c-section feels: “The tugging, the pushing, the sounds, the smells”
Fitness blogger Chontel Duncan, husband Sam and son Jeremiah welcomed baby number two, a little boy called Swayde, back in September. Chontel’s taken to Instagram to share a few more relatable details of her latest c-section birth.
Troll-busting
In a pre-emptive post aimed at catching “the trolls” and mummy shamers before they could swoop in and critique her, Chontel was keen to briefly go over her birth story, on her own terms.
She’s unfortunately been the subject of much scrutiny, as she’s shared photos of her postpartum recovery. Sticky-beaks have weighed in on her body shape – and have not been backward in coming forward with criticism. (Chontel openly implements a “delete and block” policy on Instagram, for any nasty types.)
Anticipating, perhaps, that her actual birth might be put under the microscope as well, Chontel took the reins herself, sharing the rollercoaster of feelings she experienced as her baby was delivered via caesarean.
“I didn’t push my baby out which was (mind you) out of my control,” Chontel wrote, indicating that things hadn’t gone as she might have planned.
“The tugging, the pushing …”
Confirming a c-section was not a “lazy” or easy option, the mum-of-two took us into the delivery room and revealed the memories – and sensations – that have stayed with her.
“There’s nothing easy about a cesarean either … the tugging, the pushing, the sounds, the smells, the feeling of no control, the fear of something going wrong, the recovery it all terrifies me. But I would do it all again in a heart beat,” Chontel posted alongside a TRIPLE side-by-side pic showing the many faces and feelings of her c-section delivery.
“The top photo captures me at my weakest point and my husband incredibly helpless, the middle photo captures the sound of Swayde’s cry and visual of his privates. And bottom photo captured the most incredible feeling of all, two parents falling in love at first sight.”
Embracing the experience
Chontel’s keen to stress that birth is not a competition, and that every woman is a total baby-growing champion, regardless of how she delivers.
“No matter how we birth or how our babies come into our lives we all experience fear, excitement and fall in love,” she writes.
“Natural, caesarean, surrogate, adoption what ever the situation we all go through the journey in some way shape or form and we all should be damn proud of ourselves.”
We couldn’t agree with this sentiment any more wholeheartedly.
Huge congratulations to Chontel and Sam on the birth of baby Swayde!
