When hypnobirthing doesn't touch the sides

Trigger warning - please be aware this email includes references to birth trauma

There's always a careful balance to strike when it comes to conversations around 'what to expect' from pregnancy and in particular, labour. 

As with anything related to the female body, there's the scientific data and then there's lived experience. Sometimes those two things match up neatly, but often, the 'facts' can feel quite alien from what you're going through.

I coach a lot of first time mums who, understandably, don't find hearing other people's journeys helpful. It can make the unknowns feel even more overwhelming and exacerbate anxieties. So, if that's you, do skip this newsletter and have a great weekend!

But, I also have regular conversations with women in their first few years of motherhood who say "I wish I'd known about X or Y". 

So, in the spirit of transparency and sharing the experiences of real women from the LWC community, I'm sharing a short excerpt from Charlotte's brave, brilliant blog about her labour experiences.

Here she's describing the first night after the arrival of her eldest child, Seb -

There's so much depth to her writing - it's easy to get absorbed and forget that this isn't a story. This is real life. 

There were medical mistakes made that have had a lasting effect. Shrouding this kind of experience in secrecy helps no-one. 

As you'll read in the full piece, Charlotte shares so much joy and hope, particularly in her experience of labour with her second child, Bella - 

READ THIRD DEGREE MOTHERHOOD

Charlotte told me she's been inundated with messages from other women after she posted this piece on LinkedIn. 

She runs her own marketing consultancy business, Lacuna, so sharing this kind of personal insight into the corporate vortex takes tenacity. She's got that in spades.

It's so important because it sets the stage for others to have the guts to advocate for themselves, in and out of the hospital. 

Thank you for being honest, Charlotte. Women owe you!

On a related note, it was a pleasure to be part of a panel discussion on navigating the return to work postpartum at Freuds this week. Data shows the powerful impact that regular exercise has on managing the body's response to stress, so I passionately believe it should be a tool women have access to during this transition period back into 'career mode'. It's not about weight loss, it's about building strength and resilience for all that life throws your way.