"I wholeheartedly appreciate what my body went through in order to give me two beautiful children. I cherish that."

"I think my biggest hurdle after pregnancy was being told, ‘Oh, you’ll just know what to do.’ But when your baby is crying, and you’re crying, you think, ‘I’m supposed to know... but I don’t.’"

Reena shares her journey of motherhood, highlighting both the joys and challenges. She describes her first pregnancy as a mostly positive experience but was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. This diagnosis impacted her birth plan, leading her to opt for a hospital birth instead of a planned home water birth. She talks about how she struggled with the reality of newborn care, feeling overwhelmed despite having a strong family support system. She describes feeling lost in early motherhood and candidly shares the physical changes after birth, including prolonged postpartum bleeding and the emotional shift of seeing herself in a new body.

00:00 Introduction to the Holding Time Podcast

00:41 Meet Gwena: A Mother from Bradford

00:50 First Pregnancy and Gestational Diabetes

02:48 Birth Experience During COVID-19

05:37 Postpartum Challenges and Support

20:29 Breastfeeding Journey and Public Perception

26:10 Conclusion and Gratitude

Support the project by becoming a Patreon member⁠

https://holdingtime.org/portfolio/i-wholeheartedly-appreciate-what-my-body-went-through/