Look, I reckon some women see a VB as a defining moment in their womanhood. I've had both a VB and a caesar and I never, ever felt that about my VB, either before, during or afterwards. I wanted a VB because I like to give everything in life a red, hot go IYKWIM - NOT because I thought it made me more of a woman or more of a mother.

I had an elective caesar second time around for medical reasons owing to a long recovery from my VB.

They were just different. I certainly didn't feel less of a mother having a caesar but then, like I said, ultimately the method of birth didn't matter THAT much to me. In terms of bonding, I found it a little different. It took a little longer after the caesar and I reckon (TMI warning here) it's because a baby birthed vaginally carries her mother's smell because she's come through the birth canal and a caesar baby doesn't. They reckon a mum instinctively nuzzles and cuddles her baby to smell her. I found this the biggest difference - DD1 (the VB) smelled of me, DD2 didn't.