“I learned quickly how much society attributes a woman’s self-worth to her childbearing abilities.”
‘I refused to go to church on Mother’s Day because I couldn’t bear it.’: Woman opens up about infertility struggles, ‘It is not a big, bad secret’
‘Scott was in bed Googling autism. ‘This is me, isn’t it?’: Mom urges ‘radical’ acceptance after whole family diagnosed with autism, ADHD
“I was now the only neurotypical person in the house.”
‘I wondered why on EARTH I thought it was a good idea to have a child.’: Woman opens up about postpartum depression, anxiety, ‘Mamas, please know you aren’t alone’
“From a painful pregnancy which had me dealing with a SLEW of crap, to a traumatic emergency C-section 10 days after my due date, I thought the worst was over. But I couldn’t have been MORE wrong.”
‘His tiny body was suspended between her arms and mine. The silence seemed too BIG for the hospital room.’: Adoptive parents create community to bring multicultural education into homes, give flowers to expectant mothers
“Our mighty guy picked flowers from our garden to give to his birth mom. He hugged her, celebrated his 2nd year of life with her, and basked in the attention of so many people who love him. I’m grateful.”
‘This is all my fault. I did this to her.’ For months, I felt worthless.’: Mom embraces daughter’s Down Syndrome diagnosis, urges ‘see the positives’
“I was lying on the bed like a giddy schoolgirl watching our baby. The doctor stopped. ‘I’m not happy with the shape of the head.’”
‘If I paid more attention, ate healthier, and drank less wine, maybe things would have played out differently.’: Mom details miscarriages, infertility journey, ‘I’ll never take my title of mama for granted’
“Some people think it’s SO easy. They think to get pregnant, stay pregnant, and have a baby is like baking a cake. Sadly, it isn’t.”
‘Where is your husband?!’ I took the kids to a party less than 48 hours after giving birth, newborn in one arm, champagne in the other.’: Mom overcomes affair and alcoholism for her kids
“I earned points by doing things he wanted, when he wanted, how he wanted: cleaning the condo, home-cooked meals, editing his work emails, sexual favors. When I hit 1,000 points, he asked me to marry him. For him, it meant ‘I control you.’”
‘There’s nothing there.’ The tumor was breaking the bone from the inside out, but nobody believed me.’: Woman survives ‘invisible’ nervous system attack, shares mental health journey
“I lost every friend I had. Nobody would speak to me. I dreaded going to school, I just wanted to sleep. I hated myself for the pain and worry I caused my family.”
‘Laundry doesn’t care if someone dies or not.’ In a world where ‘busy’ is a success, grieving people get a hall pass.’: Mom, widow urges ‘time truly is all we have’
“The truth is, grief changes you. I live with urgency because I know what it’s like to have everything I hoped for taken in an instant.”
‘She opened her arms and reached out to us for a big hug. Our hearts melted.’: After pregnancy losses, couple finds ‘pure love’ in adopting 5 daughters
“She had been waiting for us every bit as much as we had been waiting for her. Our family has kept growing ever since.”
‘Her birth parents changed their minds.’ The call ripped us apart. ‘She’s coming to pick her up.’: Woman shares journey with infertility, adoption, foster care, urges ‘you will make it to the other side’
‘I woke up and decided to take a pregnancy test. I couldn’t explain it. Almost immediately, two lines showed up. Then, my phone started ringing. I looked down and saw our social worker from our adoption agency was calling.”
‘After just 2 WEEKS, he helped with medication and even cleaned after I lost control of my bladder. ‘I knew this hot mess would fit right into my life.’: Couple shares journey from ‘a Bumble swipe to baby wipes’
“I was ready to write him off, and I didn’t even invite him to the hospital. But he’d already arranged to be there and was right by my side. In fact, he never left.”
‘He appeared on ‘Adopt US Kids’ 3 months after he was with us. ‘He doesn’t want to be adopted.’: Mom adopts son as adult, co-writes story with him
“He said, ‘When I came home and saw a room decorated for me and a house key, I was so overwhelmed I didn’t know HOW to respond.”
‘He has 4 to 6 months left to live.’ Hospice prepared us for the worst, but our faith was bigger than that.’: Woman shares powerful love story through husband’s stage 4 cancer battle
“The day before getting discharged, I thought it was the strangest thing Devan requested for my mom to get him a ring pop. ‘Will you take a walk with me?’ As we are walked through the garden outside the hospital, I see from the corner of my eye a piece of paper. Instantly, my heart started pounding. Tears began pouring down my face.”
‘I’m so sorry mommy wasn’t there to protect you.’ Forever didn’t last as long as we thought it would.’: Adoptive mom remembers medically-complex daughter after her passing
“‘She’ll probably be in the hospital until her 2nd birthday.’ I enjoyed every second I got to be her mom. Even if I knew how this was going to end, I would do it all over again.”
‘Why did you even have this child, Kelsi? You’re failing him.’ I heard voices tell me to plan my death or my baby would die, and it would be my fault.’: Brave mom of 4 candidly shares journey with postpartum psychosis
“I’d close my eyes and see myself holding my son’s lifeless body. I couldn’t get that image out of my head or decipher whether it was real or not. I wanted him to have a life full of love and fulfillment, and realized my only escape was to end my life. Stained with tears and folded neatly into my bible, I wrote my goodbye letter.”
Dear 18-Year-Old Me: Buckle Up, It’s Going To Be A Ride!
“I write to you on the day before your 40th birthday. There are so many things I want to tell you. Bring tissues, you are going to need them.”
‘The doctor said, ‘I’ve never seen a woman deal with morning sickness like you. It’s time to cut the dramatics and drink some water.’: Woman raises Hyperemesis Gravidarum awareness after life-threatening pregnancy
“I was vomiting 80 times a day. I lost a devastating 36% of my body weight, 58 pounds. I knew what I was dealing with wasn’t just ‘morning sickness.’ I was fighting for me and my daughter’s life.”
‘Thank you Jell-O tummy, thank you stretch marks, thank you droopy boobies.’: Mom finds new beauty in postpartum body
“For giving my son a warm place to sleep, for allowing my body to stretch enough to create my beautiful son, for creating milk for him to eat.”
‘This is awful!’ I couldn’t walk. I was alone with two really little kids, and something was REALLY wrong.’: Woman survives stroke at 41, urges ‘know the signs’
“For five days, I tried to drive, take care of my kids, and go about life, but I looked like I’d had a few too many cocktails. I couldn’t walk in a straight line, and my speech was very slurred, but they discharged me.”
3 Things To Never Ask A Transgender Woman
“If you wouldn’t ask a cis woman why she became a woman, then you shouldn’t ask a trans woman. I am because I am, and that should be good enough.”
3 Life-Changing Tips For Maintaining A Positive Mindset
“We are all a work in progress.”
‘After 4 years of never speaking, she called out ‘Mama’ when we visited. We were forced to return home without her.’: Mom of 3 shares journey with international, twin adoptions, ‘Every day I recognize how blessed we are’
“An elderly lady responded. She DEMANDED to know why a stranger was knocking on her window. Imagine her shock to discover her birth granddaughter, born two decades earlier, was living in Canada!”
‘What’s my PURPOSE?’ I audibly heard, ‘Quit drinking.’ This was NOT the answer I wanted.’: Woman shares journey to sobriety alongside close friend
“I’d quit for 2 weeks and say, ‘See, I don’t have a problem! I think you misunderstood.’ I strolled up to the cottage and fixed a Bloody Mary, a really GOOD one.”
‘You will never be able to carry your own child.’ At 14, my dream was completely crushed.’: Woman with MRKH Syndrome shares journey to uterus transplant
“’They’ll never do that in the US, right?’ I was amazed it was even a possibility. When I got off the phone, I had to go to the bathroom and wipe all the tears away. My dream was becoming reality.”