Episode #18
My birth trauma changed my life ' - what it takes to become a mum
Rosh was fit, healthy, and ran health policy for an insurance body. On the face of it, you might have expected her to find the transition to motherhood easy.Instead, both of her pregnancies show something that stays hidden more often than it should: the physical cost many women pay to become mothers. This is the final part of my series on matrescence , the transition to motherhood. I started this series apologising to my mum friends for not understanding what becoming one actually costs. Rosh is why I wanted to end here.For her first daughter, she was induced when she didn't need to be, had an emergency C-section and then an infection - all of which also triggered early menopause. Her gynaecologist of ten years told her she wasn't pregnant. She was. Her second pregnancy came with a diagnosis of 'cervical incompetence' (horrible term!), that put her on bed rest for close to five months, not knowing whether her second daughter would make it. After her traumas she spoke to friends - some of 20 years - and found out that many people had also had awful experiences they'd never shared. We talk about what she wishes she'd known, how to advocate for yourself inside the health system, and why so much of this stays in the shadows.A note before you press play: this episode discusses pregnancy loss risk and birth trauma. If that's not what you need today, look after yourself and come back to it another time. Key moments 06:28 The induction she didn't need, and the emergency C-section that followed12:34 Getting pregnant again, and the diagnosis that meant months of bed rest17:03 The mental toll, and the friends who'd never shared their own birth stories23:24 How to actually advocate for yourself, and what she'd tell every expectant mother Resources Rosh wanted to share: Incompetent Cervix support group (Facebook): https://www.facebook.com/share/g/17cNFsj83f/?mibextid=wwXIfrMayo Clinic — what to know about labour induction: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/labor-and-delivery/in-depth/inducing-labor/art-20047557The Poppy Study — preconception through pregnancy and postpartum research, open to anyone trying for their first baby: https://www.instagram.com/the.poppy.studyRosh is a functional hormone health coach and founder of Vital Woman Wellness. Follow her work: https://www.instagram.com/vitalwoman_wellnessWant to learn how to advocate for yourself in the moments that matter most? Find out about coaching with me, here: https://www.annawallace.org/work-with-annaA Normal Family is a fortnightly podcast about the patterns we inherit from our families, and how understanding them helps us live happier lives with better relationships.#matrescence #birthtrauma #pregnancyadvocacy #earlymenopause #womenshealth
