“The electricity had been turned off. I was enrolled in Cosmetology school, but hadn’t gone in weeks. I was so tired. My grandparents were on vacation, so I thought I’d go to their house and shower. My intentions were good. I sat in their shower for what felt like an eternity. I remember each individual drop of water hitting my body as I cried out to die. I was fighting the demons, doomed to lose. I lost that day. I didn’t go to school. Instead, I stole $7,000 worth of jewelry from my grandmother.”
‘I keep telling them to give up on you. I don’t know why they won’t listen.’ The officer grabbed my black and blue arms. I was a walking zombie.’: Former addict transforms her life, ‘I was never hopeless. I was never unworthy.’
‘Barbara, what’re you doing all by yourself, girl?’ She did this every single night.’: Mom thanks ‘the most inclusive person I’ve ever met’ in a humbling tribute to once-bullied woman
“When I moved two years ago, I didn’t know a soul. After 9 years in Chicago raising babies, I was terrified to start all over again, leaving behind an amazing mom tribe I’d formed. Starting from scratch in a new city is like dating. But during my first year in San Antonio, I met Amy at a PTA meeting.”
‘You can’t be serious.’ I couldn’t breastfeed my newborn, completely covered, because it was ‘offensive.’: Mom shamed for breastfeeding at Busch Gardens
“Within a minute, a female Busch Gardens employee approached me and told me I could not breastfeed my child. Doing so would be offensive to park patrons, and I would have to move.”
‘We lost a beautiful woman. She was a wife and mother. She was kind, upbeat, smiling, and generous.’ Mom reminds women to ‘check on the mom wearing lipstick’ after losing friend to postpartum depression
“She ran circles around the rest of us, volunteering, coordinating and simply ‘making things happen.’ I, like many, were surprised when her death announcement addressed her struggle with postpartum depression. Her social media portrayed happiness and perfection, never indicating she was suffering.”
‘Take your pants off.’ I took a deep breath and headed back. As I lay on the medical table, half naked, all I could hear was my heartbeat.’: LGBT couple embark on IUI journey, ‘our little one came into the world fast and furious’
“Around 11:30 a.m. I awoke with an immediate urge to poop. ‘Wait! I am 29 years old. I won’t poop my pants. That’s ridiculous.’ I started moaning. I could feel it in my bones — I knew I was close. And still no midwife. She asked me if I wanted to push. ‘YES!’ I cried out.”
‘The day a woman stops asking for your affection is the day that means she doesn’t want to fight anymore. Put your phone down, look at her and listen.’: Woman advocates for healthy relationships
“Don’t wait until she loses her mind. Help her. She needs you. See the woman you fell in love with. See her and choose her.”
‘Mothers don’t shower often. Especially new mothers. When we say this stuff, we are met with horror. But it is the truth.’
“I remember finally getting the energy to shower, a place where I’d feel so tired that I’d read the shower bottles and stare into space while the water hit my back. I was a zombie. My husband came in and said, ‘It’s time to feed him,’ and I cried.”
‘It’s the nicest thing you can do for a mom. Getting hand-me-downs. Mothers giving other mothers their kids’ clothes that don’t fit anymore.’
“Getting a bag of clothes from another mom is like she’s giving you a piece of her heart. That little dinosaur t-shirt she packs in a bag to give to you reminds her of the adventures her little one had in it. They hold memories, and they hold love.”
‘Been trying a little experiment for the last 2 weeks, putting breast milk on one side of my stomach. I can’t believe the difference!’
“I rub it into my tummy while nursing and lather it on so it’s almost dripping off. I let it air dry and just pull my shirt over after. I put it on every time I nurse.”
‘She makes it look easy. This picture was snapped by my boss in the middle of a work day at the office. I think more places can be more flexible than they are currently.’
“I hope other employers will see this picture and see that it CAN be done.”
