“One day, I chose to sit outside in a park during my lunch break. A stranger complimented my new bag. It was such a little thing, but it shifted something within me.”
‘I bawled my eyes out as I paid for my groceries. ‘I’m failing as a mom.’ I felt so useless, alone.’: Postpartum depression warrior starts mission to spread kindness
‘Your baby has a significant limb discrepancy.’ I wanted to hide my pregnancy. I didn’t talk about the baby.’: Mom shares journey with ‘suffocating’ postpartum depression
“After the news, I withdrew. I felt trapped, suffocated by own body, my own thoughts. These were NOT the feelings I imagined having as a mother.”
‘I felt nothing. The alarm started sounding and nurses flooded into the room. All I could say was, ‘Does she have it?’: Mom recounts labor experience of daughter with Down syndrome
“And when the nurse said to me, ‘Are you okay? You don’t seem excited.’ I hated her for it. I hated that I hated her for it, but I did. They began inducing me, and the minute they did I started contracting.”
Let’s Face It —We All Knew Something Was Up With Meghan
“You could see sadness and a cry for help, but nobody would listen.”
‘It’s not her, it’s him. She isn’t leaving.’ I sat there, wide-eyed, waiting for them to explain. I thought I was hurting my baby.’: Preemie warrior graduates NICU after emotional 67-day stay
“I told my husband I was heading to the hospital for fluids. ‘Same story, different day?’ The nurse turned the monitors away from me. That’s when everything changed.”
‘You should take a look at this.’ It was IDENTICAL TWINS! I was oblivious to the doctor’s concerns.’: Endometriosis warrior welcomes premie twins in NICU, ‘You go one day at a time’
“I had to undergo surgery to give my babies a chance to survive. The procedures were TERRIFYING. But I would endure whatever it took!”
‘I broke out with an allergic reaction in HANDCUFFS. I spent all night lying in jail, completely defeated.’: Mom of 8 battles alcoholism, ‘I try to have unconditional love for myself’’
“I played the martyr, feeling sorry for myself raising these babies alone, instead of admitting I needed help. I was a total failure of a mom.”
‘Your baby has a funny eye.’ I looked down and saw it. The folded ear and almond-shaped eyes. The world froze.’: Woman advocates for special needs moms, ‘Our path is unique’
“Our daily lives have an element of ‘extra.’ Extra appointments, extra judgment, extra advocating, extra support. It also comes with extra love.”
‘There’s no way.’ I dug out my stash of pregnancy tests. 3 minutes later, I screamed.’: Mom surprised by pregnancy after infertility, ‘It’s more beautiful than I dreamed’
“Adoption wrecked me in ways I wasn’t prepared for. IVF destroyed my desire to be pregnant. We had two children and yet I didn’t feel like our family was complete.”
‘What will people think?’ I worried myself to sleep. That little pill held so much shame.’: Mom of 6 shares struggle with anxiety, ‘It’s made me stronger’
“I’d wake up, heart racing, and rush to the crib. Once I felt her breathing, I could settle back into sleep. I was angry all the time. Small things made me want to pull my hair out.”
