This post requires a Trigger Warning. If you experienced a traumatic birth and/or post-partum period, you may find Fiona’s story distressing as she does give an in-depth explanation of her own experiences of these things.

As sort of a follow on from my post last week about the amazing post-baby body, I wanted to share a piece written by my friend, Fiona Yardley.

The post-baby body should be celebrated for the fantastic feat of producing an entirely new person however it’s also important to recognise that this can effect lasting changes on our bodies. Some women can and do recover from pregnancy and birth relatively unscathed, but some find that pregnancy and birth have an enormous physical impact.

Fiona has experienced lasting physical problems after giving birth to her first child which she shares here in great detail. Even if you’ve never experienced health issues post-pregnancy this is well worth a read because so many of us don’t know what “normal” should be after giving birth and this piece highlights that.

Stories like Fiona’s are so often relegated to quiet conversations with sympathetic friends, away from the mainstream discussions of pregnancy and birth. They are stories that can be hard to tell yet they are stories that should be heard. Not to provoke fear or anxiety, just to inform and to open a dialogue to allow others to also feel comfortable in discussing their experiences and seeking support.
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