31 Weeks I Didn’t Know I Could Give Birth: #MyBirthingStory

As moms, we often blame ourselves when things don't go right when we are pregnant. It's an emotional rollercoaster when you hear that you can't conceive or your baby is not going to be fine. But also as moms, we know we have to just pick ourselves up and stay strong. It's innate. It's the strength that nobody can replace. 

At Kidsstoppress, we have discussed parenting journeys time and again – how we have our own struggles and how we overcome them. The best part is, that there is no one solution or answer to those questions. Each story has its own struggles and victories and it is important to share these stories with the world. And that's what inspired us to start this series, in association with Merries India where we #KeepItReal by connecting with moms and bring you their birthing stories and how they stayed strong through their journey.

As we have mentioned earlier, these stories are to spread the #mybirthingstory experiences to help others who have gone through a similar journey and tell them they are not alone. Here. Aarthi tells us that every doctor told her that she would not be able to conceive. She did get pregnant but didn't even know about it till her 9th week. She talks about how they were worried about the baby's survival throughout the pregnancy and just took it one week at a time. Her story on Instagram has got a lot of positive attention and we hope that her story will inspire you too.

Here is Aarti's Story 

I smoked, I was on contraceptive pills, donated blood and walked for 15 Kms a day. Every week I wondered if the baby was going to survive and if I should get too involved and attached. 
Diagnosed with PCOD at 13, contraceptive pills were like multivitamins. Being a mom was an impossible dream and my husband was ok with it. I may be an exception who went to a GP after feeling nauseous, weak and not getting my periods, that’s how deep my denial was. It took sonography and the sound of her heartbeat for me to accept my pregnancy. There was nothing right I had done in the last 9 weeks and I didn't know what to do about it. The last 9 weeks and all the wrongs just flashed by. This baby was not going to be okay.

Each week parents at the clinic sat with happiness and joy and we sat with hope to make it through another week. The 4D screening was a heartbreak and didn’t go as planned. The baby just wouldn’t show her face. In my last month, the doctor was honest with me. .
.He said, "I don’t know if this baby can speak, see or hear." 3 days before my delivery, I couldn't feel the baby and that's when they induced labor. I didn't want to think about the outcome. The delivery was easy. She was out in 3 pushes. .
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I don't remember much, there was silence in the chaos and I only concentrated on the doctor's response. When she cried, I thought okay, she has a voice. ‘But can she hear or see? How is she doing?’ They rushed her to the NICU. 
I was tired and all I wanted was her. The suspense wasn’t over yet. I spent 9 months staying away from this child not knowing what lay ahead and that she is the one I will love the most.
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She was with me in 3 hours and everything was OK. That's when I realized the last few months I have lived in the unknown, everyone told me that something was wrong – and I gave birth to a perfectly healthy typical baby. 
Inaaya is truly my gift from God.
 

Mommies- write into and share your birthing stories with us. Remember- it is the support and inspiration that each of us shares, that helps fellow moms in their parenting journey. Go ahead share your stories with us in the comments below or reach out to us on our Instagram handle. We love to help in #simplifyingparenting and this way- with each other's true stories, we strive to #KeepItReal.