“Leave the papers piled on the counter to attend the tea party. Pause the vacuuming for an impromptu game of hide-and-seek. Take him in your arms and envelop him in your unconditional love. Because there will be time—so much time—to get all the things done, and babe needs you.”
‘That little one who once rested so perfectly upon your chest doesn’t fit there quite so well anymore, and you forget to hold the baby.’: Mom urges ‘forget about the to-do list’
‘Go the F– to sleep! You ruined my life!’ I cried and clenched my fists. Nothing I did helped.’: Mom shares candid reality of Postpartum Depression, ‘You can come out a warrior’
“He would stay awake all day long and barely sleep at night. ‘You’re so annoying, I wish I never had you!’ When I realized what I’d just said to my sweet baby, I knew something was really wrong. I wasn’t myself.”
‘I texted her, ‘My baby has died inside me. Would you still be willing to come?’: Mom to child born still thanks birth photographer, ‘These pictures are our most precious possessions’
“We found out at 38 weeks and 4 days that our baby had died inside of me. I knew immediately, more than ever, I wanted those photos.”
‘She wants to meet you!’ I remember the call like it was yesterday. I squealed like a little kid!’: Woman with endometriosis adopts ‘sweet little angel’ after traumatic pregnancy
“I remember church where children would sing the sweetest songs. I’d think, ‘I can’t have that.’ I explained to my future husband I may not be able to conceive.. We wanted it so badly.”
‘No one tells you it’s going to be this hard. The second they take their first breath will also be the day you’ll begin to forever hold your own.’: Mom gushes ‘it is all worth it’
“You’ll wish more than anything to return to yesterday, to go back for just one day, to witness their first smile, revel in their first giggle, and be serenaded by their very first coos.”
‘The baby weight will melt away with breastfeeding.’ When my milk never came in, I was devastated. I hated my body.’: Mom discusses postpartum self-love, ‘You’re worthy at any size’
“I saw all these moms on Instagram, three days after having their babies, in jeans going out for coffee. I had a mom pouch, wider hips, wider thighs, and lots of new stretch marks. I felt like a failure already at one week postpartum.”
‘Not to worry, you’re SO young.’ We were filled with false hope. Naively, we did the baby dance for a year.’: Woman pregnant with rainbow baby after infertility battle, ‘Keep climbing mama’
“Our Doctor looked at us and said, ‘I WILL have you pregnant.’ We entered the dark world of empty bank accounts, bruised and botched bodies, and a home with stained walls from our screams. We couldn’t give up.”
‘Nineteen years ago, a mama kissed her babies goodnight for the last time. She got on a plane or walked into a building, and never came back.’: Mom reminds us ‘we never know what tomorrow will bring’
“I know you’re tired. I know you’re at your wit’s end. But mama, tonight, take a moment to look down at those babies you made. How beautiful and perfect they are. And tell them that you love them with your whole heart, and you’ll never stop. Not for an instant. No matter what.”
‘You asked me this morning, on your birthday, ‘Why did those people blow up New York?’ I was unprepared for this moment.’: Mom shares open letter to 9/11 baby
“On the morning of September 11th, I went into labor. You were born just before midnight, 12 years after that ominous day changed our worlds forever. How do you explain hate to a beautiful, loving, kind, newly-minted 6-year-old?”
‘The room was awfully quiet. ‘Are you SURE about the dates?’ They abruptly sent me away. I couldn’t function.’: Woman celebrates double rainbow baby, ‘If it didn’t happen, we wouldn’t have him’
“At 6 weeks along, I started to bleed. I was convinced it was happening a third time. She gasped, ‘Oh wow, a heartbeat!’ Words I’d never heard before. I was waiting for the other shoe to drop.”
