Episode 2

About Valerie

Valerie lives in Michigan and works as a social media manager. When we spoke her, she had just gone back to work after an unpaid parental leave. 

Our conversation with Valerie

In this episode, Valerie shares her powerful journey into motherhood, covering everything from an unexpected pregnancy to a traumatic birth experience. Despite facing a lack of paid maternity leave and navigating a challenging C-section, Valerie's story highlights the strength and resilience of mothers. She opens up about the emotional toll of having her birth plan derailed and the struggles of recovery, but also reflects on the unexpected joy of connecting with her newborn.

Valerie's advice to prepare for any birth scenario and her candid insights into the realities of motherhood provide valuable takeaways for listeners. Her story is a reminder that while birth can be unpredictable, the strength and love that follow are unmatched.

In her own words

I'm Valerie: a 30 year old new mom to my son, Francis (3 months old). I'm married to a guy I had a crush on for 6 years, Benjamin, and we live in Grand Rapids, MI. I am a social media manager, distance runner, and Hot Cheetos enthusiast. I create content about motherhood on my socials with the goal of helping others maintain their sense of personal style, beauty, and identity while navigating motherhood.

The most impactful part of her journey

After experiencing a traumatic birth, I became acutely aware of the ways that our society tends to diminish the experience of postpartum mothers. In addition to having to deliver a baby, we also have to manage our physical and emotional recovery from birth while also learning how to be a mother, navigating fluctuating hormones, and often balancing the demands of a home and a job...all while doing so with the smile of "newborn bliss" on our faces. Becoming aware of the lack of support for new mothers, especially mothers with birth trauma, has really impacted my journey of motherhood thus far.

What would you tell your best friend? 

"Prepare for every possible birth outcome. take a little time to learn about different kinds of births—whether it's a vaginal birth, a C-section, or an induction—so you can go into labor with some knowledge and comfort, no matter what happens."

While Valerie acknowledges that people often hear this advice, she stresses the importance of taking it seriously. Despite having a healthy pregnancy and being told by her OB that she was a great candidate for an unmedicated birth, she was not mentally prepared for the possibility of needing a C-section.

Her advice is to "take a little time to learn about different kinds of births—whether it's a vaginal birth, a C-section, or an induction—so you can go into labor with some knowledge and comfort, no matter what happens."