Paloma Faith has welcomed a baby girl after a planned Caesarean section.

Announcing the news via Instagram, the singer explained to her followers that she lost a litre of blood during the birth and is in “so much pain despite the pain killers.”

“Well, I’m not pregnant anymore,” she began her post simply. 

Sharing a photo of her newborn daughter’s feet, Faith continued: “I had a planned c section yesterday. I’m in a lot of pain and didn’t sleep last night but it’s worth it to see and meet the new little cherub I have in front of me.

“It’s been about 30 hours and already I’m exhausted, sore and my nipples are on fire with a baby piranha that wants to kill me on them every few hours, but I am of course elated!” 

Faith added: “This baby couldn’t be more loved or wanted if she tried (yes I have two gals).

“I’m now going through the constant worry of bottle vs breast, last time I breast fed exclusively and I think it was too hard!

“I don’t know if I wanna put myself through that this time… but I’m trying anyway. And my nipples are on fire.

“Lost a litre of blood and I’m in so much pain despite the pain killers. The joys!” 

Amid the slew of congratulatory messages posted in the comments section, though, are those who have thanked Faith for being “so incredibly honest.”

“This is really refreshing,” reads one. “Thank you.”

Another says simply: “Thanks for not pretending it was a magical and pain-free experience!”

And still one more says: “Congratulations on your baby girl and on your honesty.” 

It is incredibly rare to find stories like Faith’s on social media. Indeed, as author Melanie Golding previously told Stylist: “I have met one or two women who had wonderful births, who bragged about having ‘no drugs’ on social media.  

“We’ve all met these women, and heard these stories, because these are the only stories that get shared in public. I would listen to the ‘great birth’ stories, grimly smiling, saying nothing, thinking my own story would be unwelcome and only make everyone uncomfortable.”

She added: “I thought I was the exception. I was thinking of how awful it was, how shocking, and how I had failed at every turn. But then I started talking to the others who listened quietly, and I found that many other women had had a terrible time, just like me.

“Many of them felt cheated, and lied to, and patronised.” 

Explaining that she believes “a little more truth would be helpful” in promoting a more realistic image of what it’s like to give birth, Golding finished by saying simply: “Censoring ‘bad’ birth stories, however you feel about that, is not a way of protecting us.

“It is simply another way in which women are silenced.” 

Of course, Faith is known for being refreshingly candid about such matters. When she first announced she was pregnant in September 2020, the award-winning singer made sure to add that this was following a “struggle” with IVF (she had six rounds of the treatment).

She has spoken about the complexities of being a pregnant woman in lockdown who is known for having a “sunny personality,” too, and her past experiences of post-partum depression. And she has previously spoken about giving birth to her first child in “very traumatic” conditions, too.

Congratulations to Faith, then; not just on the birth of her baby girl, but on using her position in the spotlight to raise awareness of fertility and birth issues.

Because, in doing so, she’s likely helped others to feel less alone in their own struggles. And that is no small thing.

Images: Getty