Vanessa Morgan Celebrates C-Section Scar with Tattoo 17 Months After Son River's Emotional Birth

Vanessa Morgan/Instagram

Vanessa Morgan is opening up about reclaiming her Cesarean section scar after her son's emotional birth.

The Riverdale actress — who plays Toni Topaz on the popular CW teen drama — spoke with Kindred By Parents about how her plans for the birth of her son, River, changed when his life was at risk.

After planning for an unmedicated birth, "I was thrown a curveball and River's heart rate was racing, and I had to get an emergency C-section," the actress, 30, explained.

"But I remember being a little bit ashamed that my body let me down, and I kind of had to release that for me and be like, 'No, I'm proud of my body.'"

As part of a partnership with Gold Bond's #MyScarStory campaign, Morgan shared she's found a way to love her scar with a meaningful new tattoo. "I got the word kintsugi, which is Japanese pottery that is believed to be more beautiful for having been broken," she explained.

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Last November, Morgan opened up to PEOPLE about some of the advice and support she's received from her Riverdale family since becoming a mom, including from former costar Mark Consuelos and his wife, Kelly Ripa.

"I talked to Kelly after I gave birth," said Morgan. "Mark, they were just excited for me, and gave me beautiful, beautiful baby clothes for River."

"Kelly, she's also had one and gave me some good advice for healing, and using silicone bandages, and that's what I use," Morgan said. "And she just told me, 'Yeah, up to a year you might still feel pain,' and all this stuff. So it was nice talking to somebody else who's been through it. She has given me some good advice of healing in that way."

vanessa morgan/ instagram

The Canadian actress welcomed River in January 2021 with estranged husband Michael Kopech. The pair, who tied the knot a year before, announced they were pregnant with a boy in July 2020.

In January, she celebrated her baby boy's first birthday with a sweet tribute on Instagram, sharing some adorable photos of the birthday boy and his cake.

"One year of YOU. Loving YOU. Growing with YOU," Morgan wrote in the caption. "Happy 1st birthday my lil Buddha. Your Birth day was also my rebirth. My greatest purpose. Crazy how fast this year flew by. Grateful everyday I get to call myself your Mommy. I love you."