Fitness guru and model Chontel Duncan rose to fame after showing off her amazing abs in a photo that compared her body with a another woman in the same stage of pregnancy.
She captioned the photo: “two ladies 4-5 weeks apart in their pregnancies” and says she was trying to highlight that pregnancy doesn’t look the same for everyone.
“This most certainly doesn’t mean one is doing something wrong or not healthy,” she said at the time.
Now in a recent post the HIIT founder has opened up about how her muscly physique meant her birth experience was different too.
Seven months on from giving birth to son Jeremiah in March, Ms Duncan says that her abs made it hard for doctors to get the baby out via an emergency C-section, after other birth complications ruled out her vaginal birth plan.
“I cried I felt like I failed… but then Sam reminded me of my mantra which was ‘to go through all means necessary so baby feels nothing,’” Ms Duncan wrote on Instagram about the moment she realised a C-section was her only option.
“With confidence I signed the forms and within 20 mins had my baby in my arms. They struggled to rip Jeremiah from my tummy as my abs locked him in super tight as I began vomiting during the operation.
“This is why my scar was cut up on my right side because the surgeon had to cut me further and use forceps to successfully get Jeremiah out. Perhaps a down side to a strong core.”
In her lengthy post Ms Duncan said she has “healed normally” despite her “large scar.”
“My scar isn’t small, it’s quiet large and I can feel in the centre scar tissue,” she wrote.
“I tried Bepanthen Scar Treatment & Skincerity breathable masque an [sic] this is what I have been left with. I would love 3 more children & I will always try for a vaginal birth with each one.
“So to all the women out there wearing a cesarean scar, I am VERY proud of what mine means and for the beautiful gift I received through mine. They are memories of the day we all became mummies.”
Ms Duncan’s post was shared two days ago and has since been liked more than 11,500 times with many fans commending her honesty.
One user wrote: “That scar will fade a LOT. And it’s just another physical attribute to how bad ass you are.”
Another woman wrote: “You are so encouraging and powerful! I too, had a c section due to my son being breech. It does not make us any less of a mother or mean that we failed by any means.”
After giving birth the health conscious mum waited to get the all clear from doctors before returning to her gruelling fitness regime and once again began sharing workout posts with her more than half a million followers.
Four months after giving birth, the young mum also offered a positive post about how she was coping with how her body had changed since her pregnancy.
She said: “Growing a human for almost 40 weeks, creating life, having major abdominal surgery, feeding my son for now 4mths & all of those sessions in the gym… I’m proud of my body and all it’s done.”
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