16. My Birth Stories: Trauma, Healing, and the Truth I’ve Never Shared

Trigger warning: I share traumatic details of my birth story. If you’re heading into your own birth, you may want to skip parts of this episode. I’ve been nervous to record this because these stories still feel so close. After my conversation with Illiyin Morrison in Episode 15, I finally felt permission to stop minimizing what I went through and to share the births that shaped me and my postpartum experiences. I start with Aud’s story. I had gestational hypertension with all three pregnancies, so I was induced at 37 weeks. Labor was long and slow, and once my water broke, the Pitocin hit hard. When it came time to push, everything changed. Audrey became stuck & had shoulder dystocia. My OB hit the emergency button the moment she was born, and the room filled instantly. I then began to hemorrhage, and everything went blurry fast. I woke up hours later without my baby and with no idea where she was. The NICU was closed, so I couldn’t see her. Those hours were some of the darkest of my life, and I’m certain that moment was the beginning of my postpartum anxiety. When Audrey turned one, we got pregnant with Liv. Because of the shoulder dystocia, a C-section was always on the table, but my OB encouraged me to try for another vaginal birth. Liv’s birth became the healing experience I desperately needed. It helped rebuild trust in my body after so much fear and trauma. Toward the end of the episode, I share a story I’ve never talked about publicly — one that brings up big emotions. Each of my births was different, challenging, and beautiful in its own way. Links & Resources LMNT: Get a free 8-count Sample Pack of LMNT’s most popular drink mix flavors with any purchase at http://drinklmnt.com/MILESTONE . Find your favorite LMNT flavor, or share with a friend. 💻 Website & Blog: https://www.milestonesandmotherhood.com/ 📱Follow KC for daily motor milestone tips & parenting support: https://www.instagram.com/milestones.and.motherhood/ 🎧 Follow podcast updates & new episode drops: https://www.instagram.com/more.than.milestones/ 🆓 Get my free tummy time training: Mastering Milestones with Confidence https://www.milestonesandmotherhood.com/freetraining 📬 Join the email list for milestone tips + podcast updates https://idyllic-hat-942.myflodesk.com/fwefz61097 🛒 Shop KC’s favorite mom & baby finds: https://links.milestonesandmotherhood.com/amazon/amazonstorefrontmm 🤝 Sponsor or guest inquiries? Contact us at podcast@milestonesandmotherhood.com Go deeper with KC on Substack More Than Milestones: Unfiltered is my subscription channel where I release 2 exclusive bonus episodes every month. Even more raw, unfiltered motherhood chats you won’t hear anywhere else. https://substack.com/@morethanmilestones Love what you’re hearing? Follow, leave a review, and share this episode with a fellow mom or caregiver who needs a little less pressure and a little more support. 🤍