The stunning Helen Simmons with her daughters Maisie (7), Erica (4) and Ruby (8 months). Helen says that she wasn't certain she wanted to be become a mother until they decided to see what would happen when nature took it's course. Maisie was conceived fairly swiftly and her pregnancy went very well. Helen says that she didn't have any pregnancy symptoms and sometimes even forgot she was pregnant. Right up until the day Maisie arrived she was cycling miles and meeting friends for lunch. Her labor began as back pain and continued as back labor so she was fairly far progressed before she realized what was happening and when they went in hospital realized that Maisie was extended breech (bottom down with her feet up near her face) and after several attempts at forceps extraction she had to be delivered via cesarean.
Helen's second pregnancy was uncomplicated as well though she says that she felt things a bit more. She had planned for a vaginal birth and went into labor on her own but Erica just wasn't coming out. After trying for as long as it was safely possible they delivered via cesarean again. Helen's third pregnancy was once again, uncomplicated but given her history, they decided to schedule a cesarean birth. Helen says that even though the procedure was the same, she found this birth to be her most difficult. Without the adrenaline of labor she was quite frightened and had to be given medication to help her calm down. Breastfeeding her daughters has been a bit challenging as well but she has worked through vasospasm and tongue ties to now have a wonderful nursing relationship with Ruby.
Helen's family is now complete and the mother she was uncertain she'd ever want to be is now the mother she couldn't imagine life without. She is incredibly proud of all that her body has accomplished and wants her daughters know that while society may tell us we have to be some vision of the perfect woman, we are the women that make up society and we have the power to change things.