The stunning Xochil Springer, Amelia (6), and Owen (3)
Xochil was raised by a strong man and knew that her she was capable but never really knew that her body was capable. She just assumed she would be this fat girl and her pregnancies would be riddled with disgusting things. She imagined people would cover her so they didn't see her lumps and that she wouldn't be able to breastfeed because she was just too fat.
Xochil once read an article that said 28 was the best time to have a baby, so when she got to 28 she felt like she needed to make it happen right away. Thankfully, her husband was on board. It took some time to conceive Amelia because she was just getting off birth control but it was great. And the same thing with Owen. The day her IUD came out she was pregnant. She raised humans inside of her and they're both amazing today. Her goal was to keep them healthy and get them out and she did just that.
Breastfeeding was really difficult with Amelia and she needed to spend a week in NICU but with the help of an IBCLC, Miss Dixie, she was able to overcome feeling like a failure. Miss Dixie was the first person to tell her "Congratulations! Now, let's do this!". Xochil used an SNS for a year and Amelia did beautifully. She jokes that she sometimes feels bad that she was her started kid but she learned so much. She started with an SNS with Owen, as well, but one day her husband encouraged her to try without and Owen was still satisfied. They continued nursing until Owen was 14 months and she realized she was ready to be done. They talked about it and that was that. She's grateful for Miss Dixie, her husband, her body and these two humans she's had a hand in creating.
When asked why she chose to participate in this movement, Xochil responded, "Because every single woman I've seen that's a part of it is absolutely perfect. They're all perfect and I'm pretty sure they don't all perceive themselves that way. But, what if I am as beautiful as you see me? What if that's the truth?" She also doesn't often get these moments with her children and wants so much to celebrate that. This morning as she talked to Amelia about what they were doing she sensed her moms nervousness. When Xochil told her it was because she wondered if she wasn't as pretty as other people think she is her daughter responded, "Mom, you're like raindrops with a cherry on top. You can do this!" Xochil hopes in time to believe just that.