Birth stories are sacred, personal narratives that hold pieces of ourselves………

Birth stories are sacred, personal narratives that hold pieces of ourselves — our strength, our vulnerability, and the raw moments of transformation. Every woman’s birth experience is unique, and even the most difficult, traumatic stories carry important truths.

Far too often, traumatic births are swept under the rug, or minimized in favour of maintaining a “positive” or “perfect” image of motherhood. At the same time, many mothers who share their traumatic birth stories are met with responses like, “at least you have a healthy baby,” as if that should be enough to erase the pain and distress they experienced.

Society often sends the message that mothers should be grateful for their healthy child and keep quiet about the hardships of their birth, as if acknowledging the trauma somehow diminishes their joy. This well-meaning but dismissive response invalidates the mother’s experience, making her feel guilty for having emotions that aren’t perfectly aligned with the “happy, healthy baby” narrative.

But the truth is, sharing traumatic birth stories is not harmful; it is healing. When mothers speak about their struggles, they allow themselves the space to process and grieve, to seek support from others who understand, and to reclaim their own experience. Acknowledging the pain of birth doesn’t take away from the joy of a healthy child—it validates the mother’s journey, affirms her strength, and provides the opportunity for both healing and connection. Instead of brushing trauma aside, we need to create a culture where mothers’ experiences are heard and respected, recognizing that their emotional well-being matters just as much as the health of their child.

My Purpose in Sharing

My goal in sharing this deeply personal experience is twofold. First, I want other mothers to know that they are not alone. Your story matters. You matter. No matter how your birth unfolded — whether it was calm, chaotic, beautiful, or traumatic — your experience is valid, and with the right support, healing is possible.

Second, I hope to bring awareness to the importance of listening to your inner voice. As mothers, our intuition is powerful, but too often we silence it out of fear — fear of overreacting, fear of being wrong, fear of being dismissed. I want to encourage others to trust that voice, to advocate for themselves, and to speak up when something doesn’t feel right. Because sometimes, trusting your instincts can make all the difference.

Read my birth story below, and you’ll see how I shut down my inner voice — the one that was telling me something was wrong. It’s a reminder of how easy it is to ignore our instincts, and the importance of listening to them, especially when the stakes are high.