Hmmm.

My view is this:

1. I tried my best at labour and to some people I'm sure it looks like I failed. Epidural and forceps. To me, I was a champion. Three days of labour, posterior baby, three hours of pushing. Pain management techniques worked until the third day.

2. Breastfeeding. Tried and again, I'm sure to some people, I failed. When I got home from hospital for the first week, I got a half-hour break between trying to attach, expressing and feeding the expressed milk then a formula top-up. I went on to express for two months.

So I think my early experiences are just indicative of what sort of person I am. I'm not someone who gives up easily, I will try my damndest but at the end of the day, the only person's judgement that I respect and fear is my own.

I actually think I'm a pretty good mum but no, DD's birth and our BF experience are no longer important to me. I think being a mum is much more than that. But, on the other hand, I can totally understand how they would be traumatic.