“It was painful. But the way his tiny fingers brushed my arm, fingers, and breasts while feeding made me never want to give it up.”
‘I had a huge amount of bagged milk in the freezer, and nothing to do with it.’: Woman donates breastmilk to moms in need
Dear Special Needs Parents: My Lonely Hands Are Stretched Out, Waiting For You To Take Them
“The one who I can call at any hour of the night, because both our families are wide awake anyhow. That friend who sends memes of familiar frustrations, and follows up with ‘We got this,’ and ‘I’m always here.’ The friend who overcasts the heavy, uneducated opinions of others with her kindness.”
My Daughter Died Of Toxic Shock Syndrome—Here’s What You Need To Know
“If you use tampons then you run the risk of contracting it.”
‘She was the youngest in the oncology suite and people were staring at her pregnant belly. This was not a situation people were used to seeing.’: Breast cancer warrior delivers miracle baby girl
“‘You can take my hair, you can take my boobs, I just want to live.’ From the day of diagnosis, it was always clear. Alex was going to do everything and anything to not only fight for her own life, but to fight for TWO.”
‘Mommy, am I going to get so sick that I die?’: Mom of Cystic Fibrosis warrior waits for a cure, ‘He takes it all in stride’
“What I wouldn’t give for his biggest worry in life to be a grazed knee or his sandwich cut the wrong way. He is my light and my strength.”
‘Today I went looking for the photo of your casket. In the middle of this storm, I found it. Proof you were loved.’: Mom urges ‘hug your babies’ after outliving daughter
“I downloaded the photos of the day you were put to rest and promptly hid them in a folder on my laptop. I wasn’t ready. Today I went looking. I needed to see the reminders of your impact.”
‘I’m tired and need a sandwich.’ Oh no. This was supposed to be love at first sight. I could only think of how tired I was.’: New mom gets candid about motherhood, ‘None of us really know what we’re doing’
“I kept these thoughts and feelings tucked away like my shameful little secret while I put on a brave face. Clearly, they must have forgotten to install my mother’s instinct.”
‘But you’re too young to have it.’ My body aged from 26 to 83. I could barely walk a mile.’: Woman shares grief of psoriatic arthritis diagnosis
‘My diagnosis flipped my world upside-down. None of my friends could relate to what I was going through. I felt stuck in my body.”
This Having To Carry The Load Of Their Blackness, It Weighs Them Down
“We place huge backpacks on their backs, and we slowly fill them with bricks.”
‘Her legs look shorter than average.’ I brushed it off and laughed.’: Mom births daughter with dwarfism, ‘She’s the miracle I never knew I needed’
“My doctor came in, very somber. ’We’re concerned she has a growth issue.’ When she was welcomed into the world and laid on my chest, everything clicked and I knew.”
‘The first thing the doctor said was, ‘I see we’re having some anxiety lately?’ I was in denial.’: Mom battling postpartum depression says ‘it’s NOTHING to be ashamed of’
“I’d stay in the same clothes for days and shower once a week. My hair was never brushed. ‘I’ll never let it get this bad again.’ I was disgusted with myself.”
They Say Mothers Are Made Not Born – But This Mother, My Mother, Was Born To Be Mine
“Her talent at loving her kids in just the right way, it’s made me better at doing the same. And for that, I’ll be forever grateful. Every day, I attempt to be even half the parent she is to me.”
‘I saw nurses and doctors head to toe in PPE.’: Man delivers free meals to healthcare heroes
“I’ve never really thought about how many hours our healthcare and frontline workers put in every single day. I knew I wanted to help.”
5 Things Everyone Needs To Know About Mental Illness
“Mental health disorders do not have a ‘look.'”
‘Their birth story was both beautiful and a parent’s worst nightmare.’: Woman loses baby to Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome, surviving son diagnosed with autism
“I felt something in my new mama heart I couldn’t explain. It didn’t take long for me to start seeing the writing on the wall. But Jack was still our beautiful, kind, intelligent little boy he’d always been.”
‘I looked him in the eyes and said, ‘I will die a slow painful death.’ He nodded.’: Widow diagnosed with ALS 5 years after loss of husband, ‘My legacy will not be fear’
“I was under the impression I’d met my quota and wouldn’t have to endure something that painful ever again. One morning, my left foot started dragging behind me. I was petrified.”
‘I opened Google and typed ‘pink discharge pregnant.’ Everything indicated it could be normal.’: Mom spreads miscarriage awareness, ‘Women are suffering in silence’
“Suddenly pain started. I felt a clot and a little relief. The bed, my jacket, and my underwear were all soiled.”
‘After 10-hour surgery, we walked into a room of alarming bells. Nurses rushed in. ‘She’s a fighter!’: Mom inspired by daughter battling spinal cord tumor
“At 16 months old, I watched her vomit all over herself from chemo and go back to smiling. Maybe it’s a metaphor for how messy life is: clean it up and get back to what makes you happy.”
Dear Husband, I Think We’ve Forgotten Each Other
“Sweet husband, in this crazy mix of kids, I will do my best to remember you. And I ask you do your best to remember me, too.”
‘But you don’t LOOK disabled.’: Woman urges ‘disability is not a bad word’
“A patient fought through pain to avoid people looking at her for using the equipment she actually NEEDS.”
‘Something was terribly wrong. She wasn’t crying. ‘Your girl is very sick.’: Mom loses 19-day-old baby to Trisomy 13, ‘God will turn these ashes into beauty’
“I went for car drives and SCREAMED. I felt so much bitterness and anger. No one could tell us how long she’d live. Maybe just a few more hours, maybe months… we had no idea.”
7 Ways To Support The Special Needs Mama
“I am not the person I used to be.”
‘I was tired of staring at negative pregnancy tests and empty bedrooms.’: Foster mom battling infertility says ‘no matter how I’m called to mother, I’m a whole person’
“I mourned the potential loss of a forever family. My heart was double aching for the loving home I knew we could provide a child in need.”
Dear Society, Please Stop Objectifying Breastfeeding Mothers
“I saw a man staring behind the counter with the most disgusted face. He spit out, ‘You know, we have bathrooms where you could do THAT.'”
‘The elderly woman’s voice started to break: ‘You saved us and I just wanted to say…THANK YOU.’: Woman shares heartwarming moment with veterans, ‘We are ALL Americans’
“The entire room turned to stare at the woman. ‘I was in the Netherlands. And they slipped a note under our door telling us to stay inside. A note that said you were coming. To save us.’ I just broke down and cried.”