Christina Gambino

25 years ago I lost my father and sensei. He taught me how to laugh loud, work hard, follow my many passions, build and play. He impacted so many people’s lives. Losing him led me to bury my feelings in sports and work and it took years to understand the many phases of grief. I wish he could be here to meet my daughter. I wish I could call him and tell him all about my exciting business ventures. I know he would excited with me. I miss my dad so much. I wish he could still be here with us. 💔

It’s been 4 weeks since God blessed me with my beautiful baby. I am still processing the shock and trauma that is childbirth and the fact that every woman who has a child has a unique birth story. After planning a completely natural birth, organizing my birth plan, taking classes from Hypnobirthing and practicing breathing and meditations, I experienced the complete opposite of what I wanted. 45 hours of labor after my water broke, epidural and pitocin induction, pushed for 2 hours in positions I didn’t want to be in because that’s what the doctors told me to do, and wound up on the operating table for an emergency cesarean. Of course the anesthesia wore off during surgery and I was screaming at the doctors to stop. It was honestly all a nightmare.
Why God? As my arms were strapped down during surgery in the same position Jesus’ arms to the cross I found myself thinking about Jesus’ time on earth suffering and how He came here to experience human pain. Why does God allow us to suffer? “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭18‬. ‬‬ Scripture also tells us that suffering produces perseverance (Romans 5:3) and that after a little while, God will restore us and make us strong again( 1 Peter 5:10).
So as I am rebuilding my strength I can’t stop thinking about all the women who are experiencing birth trauma and no one even knows it. I can’t believe that women are able to grow a human inside of them for basically 10 months, experiencing every type of discomfort and then they experience labor and delivery and after all that they go home with a newborn that needs to eat every 2 hours! So no sleep to recover from the ridiculous exhaustion from@pregnancy and childbirth. What?? Mothers are literally super hero’s and why aren’t more moms coming forward with their story of triumph?
I just want to say “Good job mom!” To all the moms out there who haven’t been told they are awesome and amazing. I can’t believe it took me becoming a mom to realize the strength of a mother. And it’s just beginning!