when i was pregnant with bry, i didn't have very many resources or positive support in having a healthy birthing experience. we went to the child birth education class that the hospital provided, which gave us some very textbook advice on what to expect during child birth. but beyond that, i didn't have anything to meditate on. needless to say, i did not have a supportive and positive birth experience with her and ended up with a cesarean. as a result, i suffer from a lot of post traumatic stress because of it.
oliver was a repeat cesarean, but even then i didn't know about the advantages of a positive mindset while giving birth; especially when having a cesarean birth. and while i don't regret that his birth ended up being a cesarean, i wish i had been more at terms with the outcome at the time.
it wasn't until i got pregnant with joseph that i discovered birthing affirmations. joseph was a planned home VBA2C, so i really relied on these birthing affirmations to get me through pregnancy and prepare my mindset for birthing my baby naturally. and even though i got really far into my labor with joseph, he ended up being a repeat cesarean as well. (not because the birthing affirmations failed me, but because i was tired, he was stuck and i was ready to get.him.out of me. read joseph's birth story here.)
because i've had three cesareans, my state has very strict guidelines for being able to attempt a vaginal birth. i would have to find a doctor willing to see me for prenatal care and work in, or have privileges in, a hospital that has 24 hour anesthesia available and is willing to do a TOLAC. i definitely qualify for a TOLAC, but currently do not have any available doctors anywhere near me who allow this. because of that, i am almost certain that our next baby-whenever that may happen-will be delivered via cesarean. this really brings up a mix of emotions for me. we all want a positive birth experience, however we decide to deliver or whatever the outcome may be, and birthing affirmations are a great way to achieve that. and while there are loads of birthing affirmations out there available for purchase or to download for free, cesarean specific affirmations are just not available. so i decided to create my own; for my future baby and for all of you cesarean mama's out there.
i turned to my trusted nest group to help come up with these. the phrases came from mamas who experienced a cesarean and found these phrases to be helpful or wished they'd had them to meditate on. i hope you can find comfort, support and strength in these cards.
to download a free printable file, click here
please note: i am not a professional and do not design for a living. i used a template from picmonkey, available to me with my paid premium membership. these affirmations are free for you for personal use only. please do not copy or sell these, and as always, as a courtesy, give credit whenever you share.
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