291. You're Stronger Than You Think: Dr. Gretchen's Birth Story

I'm back, and this is my first episode recording since going on maternity leave and welcoming my second daughter into the world. So many of you in The MSing Link and on social media have been asking about my birth story, and I wanted to share part of it with you. But this episode is about so much more than childbirth.

It's about realizing how strong you already are… even if you've forgotten it. Especially if you don't feel it.

In this episode, I share:

→ The arrival of Scarlett Townsend, and the special meaning behind her name (her middle name honors my husband's mom, who we lost this past November)

→ The decision that weighed on me my entire pregnancy: C-section or VBAC? And why I felt so much shame around the choice I ultimately made

→ Why staying local turned out to be exactly the right call, especially when my heart rate dropped into the 40s for nearly 24 hours after delivery

→ The chaos of those first weeks home: cluster feeding, two-kids-at-once mornings, a new puppy (ask me why… I honestly don't know), and my old friend, noise sensitivity

→ The ordinary moment on my couch (feeding Scarlett, singing "The Wheels on the Bus" into a toy microphone, and shooing the puppy away with one foot) when it hit me: Wait, I'm doing it. Look at me go.

I want to be clear: I'm not comparing my experience to living with MS. But I think this is something universal. We don't always find out what we're capable of until something asks us to rise.

Strength doesn't always look the way we imagine. Sometimes it looks like asking for help. Sometimes it looks like accepting the C-section instead of carrying shame about it. And sometimes it looks like getting out of bed, getting dressed, and walking around your home, all of which take real emotional and physical strength.

So this is your reminder: you are so much stronger than you think. And so much stronger than you feel. More likely than not, you did something hard today and didn't even stop to notice. Your movement still counts.

You've got this. 🧡

Additional Resources: https://www.doctorgretchenhawley.com/insider

Reach out to Me: [email protected] 

Website: www.MSingLink.com

Social: 

★ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/mswellness

★ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctor.gretchen

★ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/doctorgretchenhawley?sub_confirmation=1

→ The Progress Method for MS: https://www.doctorgretchenhawley.com/TheProgressMethodForMS

→ Total Core Program: https://www.doctorgretchenhawley.com/TotalCoreProgram

→ The MSing Link: https://www.doctorgretchenhawley.com/TheMSingLink