April is Cesarean Awareness Month, a time to honor and shed light on the many journeys moms experience through cesarean birth. As we wrap up April, we invited a member of our community to share her personal story — to raise awareness, offer support, and celebrate the incredible strength it takes to navigate this unique path to motherhood. Today, we’re honored to share the story of one of our amazing village moms. Through her words, we hope you find encouragement, connection, and a reminder that every birth story is powerful and worth celebrating even if it goes differently than you envisioned.

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I went into my first pregnancy fully prepared to do a natural birth and was headstrong on that. I had done natural birthing classes and read all of the articles I could. I felt prepared for things working out that way, however, we ended up having an emergency c-section. One of the best pieces of advice I got in the recovery process was to walk, starting with small distances (across the room, down the hall). The small walks eventually got bigger, and it was a small amount of time to be able to process the birth process that needed to be pivoted. While c-sections are not the option that most choose, the result is a healthy baby and a deeper realization of the strength we mamas have.

-Lindsey, FIT4MOM Frederick Member

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As Lindsey’s story so beautifully shows, birth is often unpredictable, but it is always powerful. Whether your journey goes exactly as planned or takes unexpected turns, you are strong, capable, and worthy of grace. As you prepare for labor and delivery, hold your hopes close — but also hold space for flexibility, for resilience, and for self-love. No matter how your baby enters the world, your story is one of strength, love, and courage.