Beyond the Scar: Eliza's Story | Bristol Maternity Photographer

Caesarean Section Awareness Photography Project

Beyond the Scar is a heartfelt photography project that emerged from countless conversations with mamas who have experienced a caesarean section birth. All birth stories are valid and worth celebrating and the Beyond the Scar project aims to spark conversations by sharing caesarean birth stories. Eliza's -section story highlights the incredible resilience we as mothers have inside ourselves to work through huge emotional challenges to celebrate our powerful bodies.

Eliza's Story: My Journey Through Two C-Sections

At the heart of every scar lies a story of transformation, resilience, and love. For Eliza, her caesarean section births shaped her journey into motherhood in unexpected ways. While they were moments of joy and gratitude for her children’s safe arrival, they also brought challenges that have left their mark, both physically and emotionally.

When PLans change

I always imagined having a vaginal birth. It felt like such an important part of the process of becoming a mother, and I was excited for it. When I ended up having caesarean births for both my twins sons and my daughter, it was hard to accept. I felt sad, and even now, those feelings haven’t entirely gone away. When I was carrying my twins I felt the option of a vaginal birth was taken away from me. So many risks and warnings were thrown at me and I felt pushed into what the doctors wanted me to do. I will never forget when a male doctor said to me 'if I were you I'd be having a c-section'. That sentence has stayed with me.

A difficult recovery

Recovering from my first caesarean section birth was really tough. I lost a lot of blood and was quite ill afterwards. I remember feeling so physically unwell that it affected my connection with my babies. I couldn’t care for them in the way I wanted to, and that was heart-breaking. On top of that, I carried a lot of sadness and anger. There were so many moments when I felt like I had failed. I know now that wasn’t the case, but those feelings were very real at the time. My first c-section birth left a lasting impact on me, both emotionally and physically.

A Second chance

When I was pregnant with my third child, I hoped for a vaginal birth after caesarean (VBAC). Some of the medical professionals supported me in that vision, but others didn’t. There was so much pressure to be induced, and in the end, I had another caesarean section birth.

The recovery the second time was smoother. I didn’t feel like it affected my bonding with my baby girl, which was a huge relief. But there were new challenges. It was so hard not being able to care for my older two children in the way I wanted. I felt really sad that they had to deal with me being in the hospital longer than I’d hoped.

Finding Light in the Darkness

My birth experiences have definitely had a lasting impact on me. I still feel sadness about my caesarean births and, at times, quite a lot of anger. There’s a sense of failure that I’ve worked hard to shake, but it is hard. That said, I’m learning to see the beauty in my experiences. Both births had incredible moments that I hold close to my heart.

One thing that made a huge difference for me was creating a really lovely playlist for the birth of my daughter. It sounds so simple but it really made my experience. I still listen to that playlist now. It’s a wonderful reminder of those special moments.

Celebrating My Scar

Taking part in Beyond the Scar has been a turning point for me. It helped me to look at my scar with fondness rather than frustration. My scar represents the strength it took to bring my babies into the world. Through this project, I’ve been able to celebrate my story and start letting go of some of the sadness. Motherhood is a journey filled with unexpected turns. My births didn’t go the way I had imagined, but they’ve made me who I am today

Support for Pregnancy, Birth, Post-Partum and Beyond

To all the other mamas who are healing, we see you. When we are deep in the trenches of motherhood, parenting can seem like a lonely place, can't it? It is useful to remember you are not alone. Whether you find it helpful to chat to a friend, a family member, your health visitor or a stranger on the other end of a phone call, I always encourage mamas to reach out for support BEFORE hitting crisis point.

Online Information and Support

Tommy's

Birthrights

Doula UK

C-Section UK



Bristol Doulas - Bristol is fortunate enough to have a wealth of fantastic pregnancy, birth and postpartum support. Here are just a handful of the doulas I have been lucky enough to work alongside.

Kim - Birth Body Breath (pregnancy and mama and baby yoga classes, breastfeeding support, birth and postnatal doula support)

Jess - Oyster and Olive (birth trauma resolution, aromatherapy support, monthly parent meetups with Kula Doula, doula support)

Rebecca - Bristol Birth Support (postnatal pilates, birth and postnatal doula support, postnatal recovery massage)

Soraia - Mae Birth Space (hypnobirthing classes, birth and postnatal doula, postpartum cook, monthly parent meetups with Kula Doula)

Talk to a Professional

Charlotte - Made to Motivate (pregnancy and scar massage, therapeutic coaching, Holistic Core Restore)

Charlotte - Poppy and Jack (pregnancy and postnatal hypnotherapy and mental health support, Mama Brunch Club monthly meetups)

Marinella - Earth Moon Mala (yoga and yoga circles, massage, prenatal and postnatal care)

Your Mama Community

Finding support through mum friends (old and new) is so important to your wellbeing. Join one of the free mum meetups taking place in your area to connect with your tribe. I've found Facebook and Instagram are a great way to find out what is out there.

Jen - Yoga Mums Club (a welcoming and supportive yoga community for busy mums)

KIND WORDS