Here’s why gratitude can be tricky if you’re experiencing prolapse symptoms.
Because the message you may have heard is….
“Feel grateful your baby is healthy”
“Feel grateful it didn’t do more damage”
“Feel grateful you didn’t need to push/have a c section” (delete as appropriate)
It’s ok to feel conflicted around feeling grateful
It’s ok to feel conflicted between wanting to feel grateful but also feeling like you didn’t get to experience the birth you had envisaged or felt your voice wasn’t heard
It’s ok to feel happy about the beautiful bundle you’ve created but also p*ssed off that you’re dealing with prolapse
It’s ok to feel like you want to slow time down with your baby whilst also wanting to fast forward to a time of fewer symptoms
You shouldn’t feel bad or apologise for having these conflicts.
Here’s where the apology should be:
– that you didn’t have access to the knowledge and education about birth, birth injury and recovery you needed
– that maternal health care checks has been (just one) of the services that has taken a hit over the last 18 months
– that you were signed off for exercise at 6 weeks based on a couple of questions
– that society values “bouncing back” “getting back on it” or “fit mom” mentality over taking time to recover deeply
– that post natal exercise is more than just squeezing your vagina on every rep of every exercise in an hour long class