Local actress and entrepreneur Sheila Sim knows all too well about the toll that a C-section takes on a mum, not just physically (and the long road to recovery), but also how it can affect mums mentally, too.

In light of Caesarean Awareness Month, which falls in April, the mother of two, who gave birth to both her daughters via C-section, took to Instagram to share her thoughts about the subject. She and her husband Deon Woo are parents to Layla, who is two-and-a-half years old, and Skyla, who was born in February this year.

The star shared that before conceiving her firstborn Layla, she had undergone surgery to remove fibroids. At the time, her surgeon had told her that she would never be able to opt for natural birth. “I didn’t quite understand the weight of those words until I was pregnant, and the reality of never experiencing contraction pain or giving birth the ‘natural’ way hit me hard,” she wrote, adding that she has felt like a failure and that she was letting her daughter down before she was even born.

There’s often stigma surrounding C-section births, with many harbouring opinions that Cesarean sections are ‘the easy way out’. She went on to share that her role as a public figure meant that her choices were constantly scrutinised and criticised by the public.

“Their words were hurtful and only added to the toxic messages I was already telling myself,” she wrote.

“Throughout my pregnancy, I cried countless times, worrying about Layla’s future health and how my inability to deliver naturally could impact her. It felt like all the negative thoughts and worries were consuming me.”

But since then, she has come to feel differently and is proud of herself as a mother. “I’ve learned that the way a child is brought into the world doesn’t dictate what kind of mother someone is. What matters is the love and care that a mother gives her child, no matter how they were born.”

“And to the moms who have already undergone a C-section, I want to salute you. Our ‘battle wound’ is a reminder of the sacrifices we make as mothers. We are warriors, strong and resilient, and our love for our children knows no bounds.”