“I’ve listened as women explained to me how it should be while knowing it was never how it would be for me. I had to learn to give more of myself than I even knew how to give.”
‘I’ve watched my body fail at so many things I was told were natural to my biology.’: Mom of 3 urges ‘there’s no universal motherhood journey’
‘Postpartum depression isn’t real.’ ‘You’re spoiling them with too much attention.’ ‘Here, let me show you the right way to do it.’: Mom reacts to unsolicited parenting advice
“Every single child is different, every single way to parent is different. What worked for you will not work for everyone. What you were told to do at one time is probably not the way any longer.”
My Confidence These Days Is As Soft As My Postpartum Body
“‘Did anything work for you today..?’ Avoiding eye contact with the dressing room attendant, I hand over a large stack of garments and give a sheepish ‘not this time.’ I wonder if she notices this was my third trip to the fitting rooms. I wonder if she notices how long I was in there. I wonder if she heard me audibly laughing trying on some of the pieces.”
‘Hair loss, depression, anxiety, mood swings, tears, a healing body—it all can await us after bringing life into this world.’: Mom talks about life postpartum, ‘It’s worth any amount of hair’
“We’re all thrown out into the open ocean of motherhood just trying to stay afloat and make our way back to shore alive…but no matter how big those waves are, the open ocean of motherhood is the most beautiful, humbling, and awe-inspiring creation there is.”
‘We landed back in Nashville, Tennessee as a family of 6. Two adoptions, two very different faith-building experiences.’: Mom shares growing family through international adoptions
“The pandemic threw a whole new spin on things and the entire adoption process felt so volatile. The worry could have buried me, so I had to face it head-on. If God called me to it, He would get me through it.”
‘I was sitting in this green recliner, holding my baby. He was wrapped up and delivered, carrying with him the secret of an extra chromosome.’: Mom shares journey on World Down Syndrome Day
“This morning, I’m almost 9 years into this journey. I’m sitting in a chair in my living room drinking coffee, trying to find the right words, and I barely recognize the girl sitting in the green recliner.”
‘A couple were looking for help to grow their family. My husband said, ‘I’d never stop you blessing the lives of others.’: Mom of 5 becomes gestational carrier
“The process of getting pregnant with someone else’s baby is equally terrifying and exhilarating.”
‘I told my husband I couldn’t do it anymore. The fear in his voice when he told me to give Raelynn to him scared me even more.’: Mom opens up about postpartum anxiety journey
“I hit my breaking point when I found myself on the floor hyperventilating and crying. I just couldn’t take it anymore. I had no idea what to do with a newborn, even though I’d done it before.”
‘I need to speak with you about your ultrasound.’ My placenta had connected to my firstborn’s face.’: Mom shares journey birthing son with cleft lip and palate, blindness
“I noticed voicemails on my home phone. Everyone had our cell numbers, so I couldn’t imagine who could have called our house and left not one, but three messages. Surprisingly, it was my doctor. ‘Something doesn’t look right.’ She wanted me to call her back, but didn’t say any more than that.”
‘Before I walked across the stage in 1992, as the youngest R.N. in my class, I had already received a different title: ‘Mother.’ Twice.’: Teen mom defies odds to become awarded nurse
“When I walked across the stage at 22, I was determined to lead by example. I wanted to show any young mother out there the choice is theirs to make. Only you can decide how your life will turn out.”