Unplanned Cesarean, Postpartum Anxiety & Rage & Breastfeeding Challenges: Courtney Horton | Episode 43

I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with Courtney as she opened up about her two birth stories and postpartum experiences. She walked us through the early miscarriage that started their journey, the intense pelvic pain and anatomy challenges that led to a planned C-section with her first (even though she wanted to give her body a chance at vaginal birth), and that raw postpartum spiral of anxiety, supply issues, and the guilt that came when breastfeeding didn’t go the way she’d hoped. Then she took us into her second pregnancy, where she was hoping for a redemptive VBAC, and still ended up with a C-section - but this time she fought for a clear drape so she could watch her baby come into the world.

What I loved most about Courtney’s story is how beautifully she holds the “both-and” of it all: the quiet regret of not getting the labor she dreamed of, the breastfeeding rollercoaster that went from eight days to eight months the second time around, and the deep peace she’s found in focusing on what she did get - two healthy boys who are thriving and absolutely obsessed with each other. It’s such a powerful reminder that our birth and feeding stories don’t have to look perfect to be beautiful, and that sometimes the greatest gift is learning to love the version we actually lived. I’m so proud of her for sharing it all so vulnerably - this one’s for every mama who’s ever wondered “what if” and still chose to celebrate what is.

More from Courtney:

Connect with her on Instagram: @clove_42

Helpful Timestamps:

1. 00:00 Courtney’s Birth Stories
2. 04:33 Early Loss And Hope
3. 07:41 Pelvic Pain And Doubts
4. 10:12 Choosing A C-Section
5. 15:17 Breastfeeding & Postpartum Anxiety
6. 23:16 Second Pregnancy Challenges
7. 28:54 Anatomy Not Baby Size
8. 30:38 Planning A Gentler C-Section
9. 37:40 Supply Drop And Triple Feeding
10. 40:08 Back To Work Sleep Deprivation
11. 43:49 Making Peace With Her Story
12. 46:55 Resources And Where To Connect

About your host:

🩺🤰🏻Lo Mansfield, MSN, RNC-OB, CLC is a registered nurse, mama of 4, and a birth, baby, and motherhood enthusiast. She is both the host of the Lo & Behold podcast and the founder of The Labor Mama.

For more education, support and “me too” from Lo, please visit her website and check out her online courses and digital guides for birth, breastfeeding, and postpartum/newborns. You can also follow @thelabormama and @loandbehold_thepodcast on Instagram and join her email list here.

For more pregnancy, birth, postpartum and motherhood conversation each week, be sure to subscribe to The Lo & Behold podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you prefer to listen!

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Disclaimer

Opinions shared by guests of this show are their own, and do not always reflect those of The Labor Mama platform. Additionally, the information you hear on this podcast or that you receive via any linked resources should not be considered medical advice. Please see our full disclaimer here.

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Produced and Edited by Vaden Podcast Services

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