The Weight of Motherhood
Labor. It’s an exciting, scary and painful thing. I’ve written about my birth story before, but what I didn’t share in great detail was the let down of not being able to actually “give birth.” This made me feel a little sad and let down. I had worked so hard and to not feel the release of the baby coming out really left me with the feeling that I had missed out on something. Something that I could never get back.
I went through an excruciating labor with my first child. It was bad, really bad. I literally thought I was going to be paralyzed afterwards, the back labor was that severe. I had 3 epidurals. My daughter’s head was rather large and she was sunny-side up so the largest part of her forehead was trying to come out first and my body was just not having it. It was also disappointing that I could not hold my baby right away. After a c-section you have to wait about 3 hours to actually hold your baby. You are numb and your arms shake from the anesthesia so its not safe for you to hold the baby right away. This was another thing that shocked me. Great, now I was unable to move or hold my baby. What else was going to happen to me? I was exhausted, emotional and I kinda felt violated.
Finally, McKenna was placed in my arms and I felt relieved and shocked that I had just had a BABY! There was also a weight. A very delicate and adorable weight, weighing only 6 lbs 8 ounces, but still a weight. The weight of Motherhood. Knowing that my life was never going to be the same.
Childbirth is such an incredible moment, and I’d love to know what went through your mind when you held your baby for the first time? By replying, you will be entered to win an exclusive Million Moms Challenge Gift Pack, which includes an iPad2, a custom-made Million Moms Challenge pendant and a $50 donation in your name to Global Giving.
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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Million Moms Challenge. The opinions and text are all mine. Contest runs October 17 to November 13, 2011. A random winner will be announced by November 15, 2011.