The stunning Christie Fischer and her son Sid Rocco (1 year and 1 day). Christie had a pregnancy complicated by discomforts but nothing medically serious. She went to work on her due date and started feeling uncomfortable not knowing she was in labor. That evening she went to the hospital but hadn't begun dilating yet. She had hoped to have as natural of a delivery as possible and things were going rather well. She dilated to 6cms and then stalled a few hours later Sid's heart rate began decelerating. They placed an internal monitor and she decided to go ahead and get an epidural incase they needed to deliver via cesarean. She broke her pelvis a few years prior and was told that because of her injury she may need a cesarean in child birth so she was prepared should a surgical birth be necessary. She continued laboring but at one point they couldn't find his heart rate at all and she had to be rushed for an emergency cesarean. Sid's cord was wrapped around his neck three times and he was stuck in her birth canal so they had to push him back up and pull him out.
Breastfeeding was a struggle initially but she's so glad they stuck it out. She says she was ready to throw in the towel and a friend gave her the best advice ever which was to try to get to six weeks and then evaluate. So, she set a goal for 6 weeks and then 3 months, then 6 months and a year and now she hopes to simply follow his lead with no plans of weaning soon.
Christie first learned of the project from a friend she met in eating disorder treatment and she says that was a catalyst in her participating. She spent 15 years struggling with disordered eating and was in and out of the hospital more times than she can remember. She still struggles and has had to choose to remain healthy every day. Her body now is a size that was her former self's biggest nightmare. Still, she says that watching her body change so drastically in a way that was fully organic and not something she had to alter was a mind blowing experience of awakening that has allowed her to trust. She says that her son is more important to her than any body consumption she had previously. She knows that she has to remain healthy for herself and for her son, she can't nourish him, care for him or parent him otherwise. Continuing to work her recovery is hugely important to her, she wants to show Sid just how brave she can be.