At 28, I had a completely uneventful first pregnancy with zero complications. My doctor visits were short and sweet and the only major complaint I had was heartburn. Naturally (or naively), I was expecting the same (epidural-aided) smooth sailing for my delivery. So, despite being well aware of the c-section rates, I was absolutely blindsided when after 21 hours of labor I ended up being rushed down the hallway to the OR for an emergency c-section. It was the scariest few minutes of my life.

It goes without saying that I am beyond thankful that it ended the way it did, with a healthy baby boy, but I could have never anticipated the flood of complicated emotions that followed. I would have loved to say that I didn't care how he got here and that it didn't matter because he was here. I mean, I did say that out loud a lot. But I didn't believe it at the time.

I wish I had felt totally OK with having a c-section like some people do, but I didn't.

In the days and weeks and months following my son's birth, I thought so much about how he got here. I thought about how it could have ended differently if a million things had happened differently. I replayed all the events in my mind. What if I let the doctor induce me when I was overdue instead of sticking it out? Would I have had a "normal birth" then? What if I told them no when they started me on Pitocin? Blame the Pitocin! But also, what if I didn't have a c-section? What if something terrible happened?

Of course, none of those scenarios matter. It was what it was, but that didn't change the overwhelming emotions that I carried with me as I navigated my first year as a mother.

I'm sure part of it was the "normal" hormonal rollercoaster that many women experience after giving birth, but on top of that extreme joy and weepiness, I also felt sadness, anger, and grief that lasted well beyond the two week "baby blues." I felt like while I was relishing in the bliss of welcoming my perfect baby boy, I was also mourning the loss of a "normal" delivery. I cried about his birth being traumatic and scary rather than exciting and beautiful like it's "supposed to be." I replayed the days and hours leading up to his birth in my mind, trying to pinpoint where things could have taken a different turn. And then I felt guilty for even thinking about it, since I was holding a perfectly healthy baby in my arms.

The cycle went on and on. Those rational thoughts were immediately followed by sadness that I didn't get that "moment" right when he was born that I had imagined, that I had visualized so many times in that last month of pregnancy. Instead I was left on an operating table calling out to anyone who would answer me wondering if my son was healthy, wondering what he looked like. I was so traumatized by the experience and so drugged up from the morphine that I declined to nurse him and didn't even hold him for the first time until the next day.

When I finally did hold him and look into his little eyes, it was magical, but it also broke my heart. I felt guilty for passing him off to be bottle-fed hours after his birth; I felt robbed that his grandparents all held him before I did.

Of course, I barely said any of this out loud to anyone besides my husband. To friends, I joked about still having a perfectly intact vagina (one of the very few perks of having c-section!). I shrugged off people's "I'm sorrys" and deflated "ohs" when they heard how he was born and acted like I didn't care, like it didn't matter.

I didn't believe it at the time, but it didn't matter. And it still doesn't. It took me almost a year to really accept that, to let the grief and sadness fade away and to convince myself that it was OK, and that I was OK with it. I finally believe it when I say that it doesn't matter how my son got here, because he's here. He's healthy and he's alive and so am I. It may not have been the experience I had envisioned or anticipated, but his birth was still the most special, important, life-changing day of my 30 years.

And even now, as I anticipate the birth of my second child, I've made peace with the fact that I may still not have the birth experience that I originally hoped for – and that's OK. Because now I know that with time, that single day will eventually be replaced by days and days of joy and milestones and memories that shine so much brighter than any amount of sadness ever could.

At 28, I had a completely uneventful first pregnancy with zero complications. My doctor visits were short and sweet and the only major complaint I had was heartburn. Naturally (or naively), I was expecting the same (epidural-aided) smooth sailing for my delivery. So, despite being well aware of the c-section rates, I was absolutely blindsided when after 21 hours of labor I ended up being rushed down the hallway to the OR for an emergency c-section. It was the scariest few minutes of my life.

It goes without saying that I am beyond thankful that it ended the way it did, with a healthy baby boy, but I could have never anticipated the flood of complicated emotions that followed. I would have loved to say that I didn't care how he got here and that it didn't matter because he was here. I mean, I did say that out loud a lot. But I didn't believe it at the time.

I wish I had felt totally OK with having a c-section like some people do, but I didn't.

In the days and weeks and months following my son's birth, I thought so much about how he got here. I thought about how it could have ended differently if a million things had happened differently. I replayed all the events in my mind. What if I let the doctor induce me when I was overdue instead of sticking it out? Would I have had a "normal birth" then? What if I told them no when they started me on Pitocin? Blame the Pitocin! But also, what if I didn't have a c-section? What if something terrible happened?

Of course, none of those scenarios matter. It was what it was, but that didn't change the overwhelming emotions that I carried with me as I navigated my first year as a mother.

I'm sure part of it was the "normal" hormonal rollercoaster that many women experience after giving birth, but on top of that extreme joy and weepiness, I also felt sadness, anger, and grief that lasted well beyond the two week "baby blues." I felt like while I was relishing in the bliss of welcoming my perfect baby boy, I was also mourning the loss of a "normal" delivery. I cried about his birth being traumatic and scary rather than exciting and beautiful like it's "supposed to be." I replayed the days and hours leading up to his birth in my mind, trying to pinpoint where things could have taken a different turn. And then I felt guilty for even thinking about it, since I was holding a perfectly healthy baby in my arms.

The cycle went on and on. Those rational thoughts were immediately followed by sadness that I didn't get that "moment" right when he was born that I had imagined, that I had visualized so many times in that last month of pregnancy. Instead I was left on an operating table calling out to anyone who would answer me wondering if my son was healthy, wondering what he looked like. I was so traumatized by the experience and so drugged up from the morphine that I declined to nurse him and didn't even hold him for the first time until the next day.

When I finally did hold him and look into his little eyes, it was magical, but it also broke my heart. I felt guilty for passing him off to be bottle-fed hours after his birth; I felt robbed that his grandparents all held him before I did.

Of course, I barely said any of this out loud to anyone besides my husband. To friends, I joked about still having a perfectly intact vagina (one of the very few perks of having c-section!). I shrugged off people's "I'm sorrys" and deflated "ohs" when they heard how he was born and acted like I didn't care, like it didn't matter.

I didn't believe it at the time, but it didn't matter. And it still doesn't. It took me almost a year to really accept that, to let the grief and sadness fade away and to convince myself that it was OK, and that I was OK with it. I finally believe it when I say that it doesn't matter how my son got here, because he's here. He's healthy and he's alive and so am I. It may not have been the experience I had envisioned or anticipated, but his birth was still the most special, important, life-changing day of my 30 years.

And even now, as I anticipate the birth of my second child, I've made peace with the fact that I may still not have the birth experience that I originally hoped for – and that's OK. Because now I know that with time, that single day will eventually be replaced by days and days of joy and milestones and memories that shine so much brighter than any amount of sadness ever could.

Walk the Moon's hit song "Shut Up and Dance" is addictive enough as it is. But add a double pregnancy announcement, and, well, just plan to not get anything accomplished the rest of the day.

Videographer Jon Murray turned the exciting news that he and his wife, Danielle, were due with their fourth baby (they were already parents to three girls) into the catchiest tune, complete with adorable lyrics like "this child has a destiny" and "we know your thoughts – yes we know how it happens." Not only that, but they shared in the fun (and the screen time) with Jon's brother Aaron and sister-in-law Liz, who were expecting their second baby just a few weeks later. That's right: Jon and Danielle were due Dec. 21, and Aaron and Liz were due Jan. 8.

Could they have planned it any better?!

We spoke with Jon about the making of such a one-of-a-kind music video:

POPSUGAR: How were you all able to coordinate a surprise double pregnancy announcement in the first place?

Jon Murray: We had already told them we were having another. Then I met up with my brother one day and mentioned to him we might do a video to announce it. So naturally he said, "Don't tell Liz I told you, but she's pregnant too! We should do a double pregnancy video!" So we did!

PS: You seem to poke fun at the responses you get with each subsequent pregnancy announcement. What's that like?

JM: People always seem excited when you are pregnant with your first and then mostly excited with your second. By the time you are having your third and now fourth, it seems like their responses are not excited for you at all and now concerned for our well-being!

PS: So what's your message to them?

JM: It was only natural for us to joke about that. So get over it and be excited for us because we are definitely excited!

Walk the Moon's hit song "Shut Up and Dance" is addictive enough as it is. But add a double pregnancy announcement, and, well, just plan to not get anything accomplished the rest of the day.

Videographer Jon Murray turned the exciting news that he and his wife, Danielle, were due with their fourth baby (they were already parents to three girls) into the catchiest tune, complete with adorable lyrics like "this child has a destiny" and "we know your thoughts – yes we know how it happens." Not only that, but they shared in the fun (and the screen time) with Jon's brother Aaron and sister-in-law Liz, who were expecting their second baby just a few weeks later. That's right: Jon and Danielle were due Dec. 21, and Aaron and Liz were due Jan. 8.

Could they have planned it any better?!

We spoke with Jon about the making of such a one-of-a-kind music video:

POPSUGAR: How were you all able to coordinate a surprise double pregnancy announcement in the first place?

Jon Murray: We had already told them we were having another. Then I met up with my brother one day and mentioned to him we might do a video to announce it. So naturally he said, "Don't tell Liz I told you, but she's pregnant too! We should do a double pregnancy video!" So we did!

PS: You seem to poke fun at the responses you get with each subsequent pregnancy announcement. What's that like?

JM: People always seem excited when you are pregnant with your first and then mostly excited with your second. By the time you are having your third and now fourth, it seems like their responses are not excited for you at all and now concerned for our well-being!

PS: So what's your message to them?

JM: It was only natural for us to joke about that. So get over it and be excited for us because we are definitely excited!

Misery loves company, and there's no better a place for it then when you're having one of those days as a parent. If your kids are pushing you over the edge right now, keep in mind that while your kiddos might be testing the waters, there are other parents going through it too (and perhaps even a bit worse) - and well, let's be honest, that is oddly comforting. I'm not pointing fingers at anyone's child here, because Lord knows my children have done their fair share of destruction and I'm sure even Prince George could do some damage with a royal sharpie. But if it's a bad day in your mommy world then there's no harm in taking a minute to laugh at a couple of kids who've definitely pushed their parents to the limit as well.

Misery loves company, and there's no better a place for it then when you're having one of those days as a parent. If your kids are pushing you over the edge right now, keep in mind that while your kiddos might be testing the waters, there are other parents going through it too (and perhaps even a bit worse) - and well, let's be honest, that is oddly comforting. I'm not pointing fingers at anyone's child here, because Lord knows my children have done their fair share of destruction and I'm sure even Prince George could do some damage with a royal sharpie. But if it's a bad day in your mommy world then there's no harm in taking a minute to laugh at a couple of kids who've definitely pushed their parents to the limit as well.

Every parent fears that Modern Family moment where the kids walk in on them having sex. According to sex therapist and GoodinBed.com contributor Dr. Ian Kerner, once you have children, couples should still have a healthy sex life. "You need to kind of develop a sex schedule that works within your baby's schedule. That means being a lot more creative and maybe doing it in the morning, or having a quickie in the afternoon. Where there's a will there's certainly a way, but you have to be creative!"

Read through for some of Dr. Kerner's tips for keeping busy without the tots ruining the mood!

Every parent fears that Modern Family moment where the kids walk in on them having sex. According to sex therapist and GoodinBed.com contributor Dr. Ian Kerner, once you have children, couples should still have a healthy sex life. "You need to kind of develop a sex schedule that works within your baby's schedule. That means being a lot more creative and maybe doing it in the morning, or having a quickie in the afternoon. Where there's a will there's certainly a way, but you have to be creative!"

Read through for some of Dr. Kerner's tips for keeping busy without the tots ruining the mood!

It's not every day you see a woman give birth in the middle of a creek in broad daylight, which is likely why Simone's natural birth video has over 52 million views on YouTube. Recorded by her husband, the video features Simone through most of her labor alongside their three daughters playing in the creek. Simone said the choice to have her baby in nature was as much about the "inner journey" as it was the actual birth experience. "It was the singular most transforming event of my life and my most conscious act as a woman to date."

Watch the video above to see her bring her fourth little girl into the world.

Traditions can be very powerful - your kids will likely remember your quirky routines for years and years to come. Back-to-school season is the perfect time to start a tradition, because let's face it, you and the kids could both use something fun to look forward to as the Summer comes to a close.

Whether you have a tradition already or not, read through for 15 back-to-school traditions you should start with your kids this year.

If it feels like Pokémon Go is taking over your kids' lives, you're nowhere near alone (heck, Pokémon is taking over our lives!). In an attempt to jump on the bandwagon with an if-you-can't-beat-'em-join-'em attitude, we started thinking about how we could combine our children's newfound obsession with Pokémon Go with something else they love: cake pops!

Scroll through for an assortment of adorable cake pops that could be the one thing that gets your kiddo to look up from their phone screen (as long as there aren't any Pokémon lurking).

If it feels like Pokémon Go is taking over your kids' lives, you're nowhere near alone (heck, Pokémon is taking over our lives!). In an attempt to jump on the bandwagon with an if-you-can't-beat-'em-join-'em attitude, we started thinking about how we could combine our children's newfound obsession with Pokémon Go with something else they love: cake pops!

Scroll through for an assortment of adorable cake pops that could be the one thing that gets your kiddo to look up from their phone screen (as long as there aren't any Pokémon lurking).

Every day, men and women stumble through parenting making plenty of mistakes - this gig ain't easy. However, many mistakes go unshared, as it can be embarrassing to admit to the world that you're not a "perfect parent." Mila Kunis, though in the public eye, just proved she's like every other mom out there when she admitted to making one of the biggest mistakes a parent can make: she drove down a busy highway with her daughter not even close to strapped into her car seat.

It happened last year when Kunis was setting off on a road trip to visit her husband, Ashton Kutcher. Like any new parent, she stressed most over packing everything her daughter, Wyatt, could need (and then some). Setting off on the two-hour trip, Kunis felt like Supermom for getting everything into the car, that is, until she peeked at Wyatt in the rearview mirror and realized that her happy baby was completely unbuckled.

"I was like, oh, f*ck me," Kunis told Babble. "And I'm on the 101, and she's just like blah, like fine in her car seat, nothing, no strap whatsoever. And I think I just turned white."

She pulled over to quickly fix her mistake, but the incident has obviously stuck with her. Then a few weeks ago, about a year later, Kunis noticed that Kutcher made the same exact mistake on a family trip in the car. "And I was like thank God . . . I wasn't alone."

And isn't knowing that fact, that we're not alone in this wide world of raising kids and the mistakes that come with it, the thing that keeps us all sane?

Every day, men and women stumble through parenting making plenty of mistakes - this gig ain't easy. However, many mistakes go unshared, as it can be embarrassing to admit to the world that you're not a "perfect parent." Mila Kunis, though in the public eye, just proved she's like every other mom out there when she admitted to making one of the biggest mistakes a parent can make: she drove down a busy highway with her daughter not even close to strapped into her car seat.

It happened last year when Kunis was setting off on a road trip to visit her husband, Ashton Kutcher. Like any new parent, she stressed most over packing everything her daughter, Wyatt, could need (and then some). Setting off on the two-hour trip, Kunis felt like Supermom for getting everything into the car, that is, until she peeked at Wyatt in the rearview mirror and realized that her happy baby was completely unbuckled.

"I was like, oh, f*ck me," Kunis told Babble. "And I'm on the 101, and she's just like blah, like fine in her car seat, nothing, no strap whatsoever. And I think I just turned white."

She pulled over to quickly fix her mistake, but the incident has obviously stuck with her. Then a few weeks ago, about a year later, Kunis noticed that Kutcher made the same exact mistake on a family trip in the car. "And I was like thank God . . . I wasn't alone."

And isn't knowing that fact, that we're not alone in this wide world of raising kids and the mistakes that come with it, the thing that keeps us all sane?

It's been a wild and wacky year for politics, but for those of us with children coming of age, it's also been one that's left us wondering how we can involve them, while still shielding them from some of the more seedy rhetoric.

As the parent of a fourth grader who spent the year studying the American Revolution and the basics of democracy (while singing along with the Hamilton soundtrack), it's been particularly difficult. He's watched the debates and heard the mudslinging that's typical of a traditional election season. But he's also been exposed to immature name-calling and blistering personal attacks that, in my opinion, have no place on the national stage. We call these teaching moments when they occur, but they're not lessons that a 10-year-old, no less a 5-year-old, need to be exposed to when their parents simply turn on the news.

That's why I'm loving this attack ad against Donald Trump. Though I'm a card-carrying Hillary Clinton supporter, that's not why the ad speaks to me and so many other parents. The ad shows children of various ages sitting in front of televisions, watching Trump at campaign stops and debate podiums, spewing his most bombastic phrases. Rather than a voice-over attacking him and his use of language, the screen turns black and projects two powerful sentences: "Our children are watching. What example will we set for them?" It then goes in for the sting with the Democratic nominee standing before a crowd and calmly saying:

"Our children and grandchildren will look back at this time at the choices we are about to make . . . And we need to make sure that they can be proud of us."

Because that's what it's all about, isn't it? We want to show our children leaders who we can respect and who we can point to as good examples in this world. And while every moment can be a lesson, they shouldn't be lessons in hate and ignorance, regardless of your political leanings. Be it a Democrat or a Republican or a third-party candidate, children deserve a leader they can look up to, not someone parents need to defend by saying, "He's just being himself, but you shouldn't act that way."

Our leaders should be examples for our children.

It's been a wild and wacky year for politics, but for those of us with children coming of age, it's also been one that's left us wondering how we can involve them, while still shielding them from some of the more seedy rhetoric.

As the parent of a fourth grader who spent the year studying the American Revolution and the basics of democracy (while singing along with the Hamilton soundtrack), it's been particularly difficult. He's watched the debates and heard the mudslinging that's typical of a traditional election season. But he's also been exposed to immature name-calling and blistering personal attacks that, in my opinion, have no place on the national stage. We call these teaching moments when they occur, but they're not lessons that a 10-year-old, no less a 5-year-old, need to be exposed to when their parents simply turn on the news.

That's why I'm loving this attack ad against Donald Trump. Though I'm a card-carrying Hillary Clinton supporter, that's not why the ad speaks to me and so many other parents. The ad shows children of various ages sitting in front of televisions, watching Trump at campaign stops and debate podiums, spewing his most bombastic phrases. Rather than a voice-over attacking him and his use of language, the screen turns black and projects two powerful sentences: "Our children are watching. What example will we set for them?" It then goes in for the sting with the Democratic nominee standing before a crowd and calmly saying:

"Our children and grandchildren will look back at this time at the choices we are about to make . . . And we need to make sure that they can be proud of us."

Because that's what it's all about, isn't it? We want to show our children leaders who we can respect and who we can point to as good examples in this world. And while every moment can be a lesson, they shouldn't be lessons in hate and ignorance, regardless of your political leanings. Be it a Democrat or a Republican or a third-party candidate, children deserve a leader they can look up to, not someone parents need to defend by saying, "He's just being himself, but you shouldn't act that way."

Our leaders should be examples for our children.

"Somewhere here on vacation, a quick recap: we have this gorgeous scene, but they're on the Pokémon app!"

Ahh, Pokémon Go, simultaneously improving and ruining lives everywhere - the latter particularly applying to parents. The Holderness family is on vacation in beautiful Hawaii this week, but Penn Charles and Lola seem to only want to do one thing: catch Pokémon. Surrounded by breathtaking ocean views, Penn sings to us about this "special" experience to the tune of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," and even though we're not in Hawaii with them, this scene looks a lot like our lives with our own kids right about now.

Listen to the parody and commiserate with the Holdnernesses as they attempt to make sense of this new Pokémon Go reality.

"Somewhere here on vacation, a quick recap: we have this gorgeous scene, but they're on the Pokémon app!"

Ahh, Pokémon Go, simultaneously improving and ruining lives everywhere - the latter particularly applying to parents. The Holderness family is on vacation in beautiful Hawaii this week, but Penn Charles and Lola seem to only want to do one thing: catch Pokémon. Surrounded by breathtaking ocean views, Penn sings to us about this "special" experience to the tune of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," and even though we're not in Hawaii with them, this scene looks a lot like our lives with our own kids right about now.

Listen to the parody and commiserate with the Holdnernesses as they attempt to make sense of this new Pokémon Go reality.