Giving birth and becoming a mother is one of the most meaningful experiences that life has to offer. Innumerable women go through the process, ultimately creating a brand new human life, and with the countless birth experiences, it’s fair to say that no two labors are quite alike.
No two women have the exact same birthing experience, yet despite this fact, one anonymous woman found herself being denied birth photography services after revealing to the photographer that she was expecting a Cesarean section.
The conversation, which was posted to the infamous Sanctimommy Facebook page with the names blurred out, begins with the sender (the expecting mother) stating that she did not opt to have the procedure.
She then writes, “I had no idea birth photographers discriminated people for how they birth their babies but that’s good to know. Have a nice day.”
By the mother’s attitude, you can already see that she’s (rightfully) offended— and that should be the end of it… right?
You’d think so, but despite the mother’s blatant desire to end the conversation, the photographer fires back with a message that has shocked the internet and managed to infuriate mothers ever since it was shared.
The photographer writes, “Surgery isn’t birth, my dear […] You are having a surgery to remove your baby from your abdomen. That is not birth no matter how you swing it.”
If that’s not bad enough, they also savagely add: “This motherhood job is hard, if I were you I would think twice about starting such a job by cutting corners so early in the game.”
WOW.
A 2011 study printed in the Expert Review of Obstetrics & Gynecology states C-sections are one of the most commonly performed procedures for women in developed countries, with statistics estimating that 1/3 of women end up having at least one C-section during their lifetime.
Meanwhile, Global News says a woman may need to undergo a C-section for a variety of reasons, including “advanced maternal age, multiple pregnancies, breech presentation, suspected low infant birth weight, and increasing maternal BMI.”
The message exchange, which was posted to the Sanctimommy Facebook page in February of 2017, has garnered nearly 4,000 shares and inspired more than 1,900 comments.
The Sanctimommy Facebook group members, known for their controversial sense of humor, had quite a few snarky responses for the photographer, writing:
It should be noted that many people are skeptical about whether the exchange is legitimate and Global News has been unable to verify its legitimacy.
Assuming it is legitimate, however, this woman isn’t the only woman to be C-section shamed— one Australia mom went viral in May of 2017 after addressing the topic of C-sections on Instagram, posting:
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