"I had so many expectations about birth. Every movie, every story made it seem like this huge, magical moment, the kind where you instantly fall in love, the bond is immediate, and everything just *clicks*...."

“I gave myself all the permission I had to rest and take it easy.
Letting others do simple things like emptying the dishwasher or hanging out the washing was mentally hard but I truly believe that rest set up a strong foundation for the rest of my first year postpartum.”

Stana shares with us her honest experience recovering from a belly birth, with scar massage, unexpected sensitivities, baby-wearing aches, and the strength it took to actually stop and let herself heal.

If you're in the thick of it or reflecting on your own journey, her story is a powerful reminder: rest is not a luxury, it’s essential.

I'm much better at embracing my body after my 2nd baby. Just letting go of a lot of expectations and trying to enjoy the smaller things and not forcing myself to do anything just to conform to society.

The worst thing about the postpartum days for me was the wondering when I’d ever get “Amber” back. The best part was finally accepting that “Amber” is everything she always was, but now she’s also a mother - which is the hardest/greatest/most terrifying adventure she’s been on yet..

I’d never heard of low supply until I went through it myself. It's crazy to think about now because as I’ve opened up about it, I’ve heard more stories of mamas in similar situations. It seems it is a really common problem that is hushed away.

“I wish that I knew that Postpartum would be equally happy and sad and along with this would come tremendous amounts of Mum Guilt...