So I need to get this off of my chest partly because I unfortunately was ignorant to pass judgement and because I realize we as mothers need to be more uplifting!

I had my son 4 years ago. And as my first I gave birth naturally with no drugs and after breast fed as much as I was able to before my milk dried out because of my work schedule and inability to pump as often as needed. In any case my first time mom experience (so I was told) wasn’t typical. I had Maddox in a whopping 1 hour and 15 mins delivery. And everyone warned that my second would be even faster...

Fast forward to now. Second baby and I go into labor with a bit of a chip on my shoulder thinking

I am going to do this as natural as possible

I have this

No drugs

Fast and go

Yeah right! Baby Laila proved to be a VERY different experience from the get go.

I went to the hospital thinking my water broke and it was time. Turned out my water hadn’t broke (it was the mucus plug) and I was only 2-3 CM dialated. When they checked her fluids they were low and decided that they were going to induce me and get the labor going because they didn’t want to chance it.

Panic immediately started swell in my throat because this was the beginning of EVERYTHING I DID NOT WANT! Being pumped with drugs and forcing her out when she wasn’t ready. I accepted that it was for her safety and whatever needed to happen we will do to ensure she was ok.

I asked the dr if we broke the water to see what would happen could we delay the potosin? She agreed! Within mins of the water being broken contractions started and off we went. Only there was no go I never passed 2-3 CM and the contractions were unbearable! Ignorance -#1 I am strong I can handle the contractions and I don’t need an epidural! At that moment all I wanted was to ease this pain to give me control of the process to keep moving forward. After about 2 hours of excruciating pain I asked for an epidural. My luck it didn’t take (1% chance) they had to do it a 2nd time. When that epidural took my uterus started to relax and I started to progress until it was finally time to push.

I have a new level of respect for women who labor with or without drugs for ANY number of hours!

I get home and I’m committed to nursing/breast feeding baby Laila. I am immediately reminded why when I had my son I said that breast feeding was the hardest part of having children. My chest hurts my nipples are so raw that they are blistering, I am pumping and dumping because I am bleeding into my milk supply... I want to give up!

Ignorance number 2 realized—- if you don’t pump or breast feed it’s because you don’t want to.

What a dumb and inconsiderate comment!

Every mother has a choice to do what is best for them and their baby. And shame on us to judge and think we are better in any form because we go about that process in a different way.

This drawn out post is to apologize for my ignorance and simply lack of respect to other women’s experience. I was totally wrong. I will NEVER underestimate what we as women do to carry, deliver and take care of our children! Everyone’s experience is different with the result being the same... we love our children and simply are trying our best!

To all you mommas and soon to be mommas you ROCK! don’t ever let anyone tell you different!