Dani Dyer has been praised for opening up about feeling like a "failure" after having a caesarean section during the birth of her son, Santiago.
Dani, 24, welcomed her new arrival - also known as 'Santi' for short - last month, and has since spoken about the birth of her son on the podcast she shares with dad Danny Dyer, Sorted With The Dyers.
Speaking about the birth, Dani admitted she felt like "a failure" for needing a c-section.
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"I had to have a caesarean in the end and I was crying about that, because I never planned that. I never wanted a c-section," she said.
"The baby didn't want to come out basically, he didn't fancy it. I know they're very common and I know they happen but I never wanted that, it was never in my birth plan.
"So I started feeling like a failure, it's ridiculous."
Dani went on to explain that, due to the umbilical cord becoming wrapped around Santi, doctors decided a c-section was the best option.
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Assuring other mothers that a c-section was nothing to worry about, she added: "I do not want women to worry about c-sections, don't feel guilty about it, that was my problem."
And after being so honest about her emotions during birth, the former Love Island star has been praised for opening up about feelings of shame associated with c-sections.
Maternal health expert Wendy Powell, founder of antenatal and postpartum support platform MUTU System told Tyla these types of emotions are very common.
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"Feelings of shame following c-section or medicalised birth are sadly very common. It's powerful for Dani Dyer to speak up about her perceived 'failure' and the stigma associated with birth as a 'performance'," she explained.
"Every woman will have a vision of their birth beforehand - who will be there, how they will feel, how they will address the fears and anxieties. However, when it drastically diverts away from this vision, as it likely did for Dani, it is tough.
"But it's important to know that our bodies are incredible, strong and powerful - regardless of the way our baby enters the world.
"Many women's feelings of judgement and failure extend beyond birth too - whether or not we breastfeed, how we parent, how our body appears to have 'bounced back' from a vaginal birth or C-section.
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"Women endure symptoms such as incontinence, back pain or painful sex believing them to be inevitable consequences of motherhood. It's as if these issues are further signs that we have simply 'failed' at birthing, mothering, or achieving a so-called acceptable or perfect body. Speaking up and addressing these stigmas is important.
"Every woman deserves to feel confident and strong in her body, to feel empowered not weak, and to know that however she gave birth, she did good.
"Traumatic births and multiple interventions left me feeling like my body had let me down, like I'd failed. It's like this process that should be so natural, instinctive and intuitive for women, and it just wasn't for me."
Featured Image Credit: Dani Dyer/InstagramTopics: Celebrity News, Parenting, dani dyer