Denise Zimba became a mom for the first time last month and although she is overjoyed at welcoming her bundle of joy to this planet, she admits that it hasn’t been an easy ride.
In an emotional Instagram post, the TV presenter and singer recently opened up about the many challenges and complications she faced on her journey to giving birth.
Her challenges began from when she was trying to conceive. Back in June, Denise revealed just how difficult it was for her to fall pregnant.
Despite undergoing treatment for endometriosis, the South African actress, most famous for acting as Mary Gumede in the soap, Generations: The Legacy, admitted that she felt like “less of a woman” after struggling to conceive when she said,
“Only 1% possibility to conceive, even after treatment for some time. I was shocked and felt less of a woman. I was not eager to fall pregnant, but it has always been important to me to have a family one day. I thought WOW! …I didn’t realize that falling pregnant can be quite a difficult and physically painful experience.”
And now, just under two weeks after giving birth to a baby girl, Denise has opened up about her pregnancy which appeared to be even tougher than expected for the presenter.
She described pregnancy as a “scary” experience when she wrote on Instagram:
“It is truly a life or death experience – and nobody talks about pregnancy and it’s truth… I felt like jumping out of a moving car many times, or taking a knife and cutting my stomach open. I felt trapped and isolated. I was so angry with my partner at times, where I couldn’t stand the sight of him.
I was angry at myself for being so conceited in my ego and the idea of perfection, which was slowly being humbled by endless aches and pains, stretch marks, skin discoloring, hair loss, weight gain, limping, emergency hospital trips, depression, anxiety, just borderline ready to give up.”
Many took to her Instagram comments to praise her for her honesty in describing her pregnancy journey after opening up to her followers so candidly
She balanced her comments by revealing that when she eventually her living baby, she felt “honoured” to have been able to carry a life. She thanked her baby, Leah Lilli-Rose Schlichtig, before claiming that she was “worth it”:
Needless to say, many hearts melted after viewing the post below:
”Conceiving and birthing a child is one big trip! It is one of the most extraordinary, undeniably magical experiences one can experience BUT IT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE I HAVE YET TO EXPERIENCE.
To imagine what ones body can do, what it goes through … it’s incredible to know of women who have carried multiple humans at once … Your body goes through immense pressure and reconstruction. Your mind is constantly on over drive to support the body and encourage the heart.
It’s always painted as “well a woman’s body is built for it, many have done it”- that killed me every time I was told that. Just because I can, does not mean it is not difficult.
From the beginning of this journey I thought ”with all the things women have to deal with as it is in society … ”It’s heart breaking to know of woman who do this alone … It’s scary. It is truly a life or death experience – and nobody talks about pregnancy and it’s truth … I felt like jumping out of a moving car many times, or taking a knife and cutting my stomach open.
I felt trapped and isolated. I was so angry with my partner at times, where I couldn’t stand the sight of him. I was angry at myself for being so conceited in my ego and the idea of perfection, which was slowly being humbled by endless aches and pains, stretch marks, skin discoloring, hair loss, weight gain, limping, emergency hospital trips, depression, anxiety, just borderline ready to give up.
And then … then you hear a heart beat, and feel little kicks and turns, the hiccups that has your stomach constantly pulsing, and your tears fall down your face because it feels so amazing, that it’s the only way your joy releases itself.
How fortunate I am to receive this honor, and my body to actually be able to do this. I look at my nephew and nieces and I couldn’t imagine my life without them, the hugs and kisses I desperately desire from them all the time… And now I have one to call my own. You were worth it! Welcome Leah Lilli-Rose Schlichtig.”
