“’What a gorgeous baby!
He must be a dream come true?’
Please don’t forget to say to mom,
‘He’s great, but how are YOU?’
This precious new arrival
will have brought much disarray.
So, make sure you inquire:
‘Can I help in any way?’
‘He’s perfect, but I’m struggling.’
A tale as old as time.
These overwhelming feelings
are a challenge to define.
‘Every inch of me is aching.
I’ve been truly torn apart.
It’s hard to grasp this newfound love
consuming all my heart.’
Tiny steps, my dear old friend,
for baby and YOU too.
This world is new for baby
but it’s also new for YOU.
Give yourself some time, my love.
Just take it day by day.
You’re growing too. You’ll find your feet.
The pain WILL go away.
And, when you think you’ve grasped it:
This mothering, I mean.
Another hurdle will appear
to rip you at the seams.
You’ll stumble all along the way,
but falter you will not.
You’ll never cease to be amazed
by the strength that you’ve now got.
And on those days that push you
to the depths of much despair.
Look right into his little eyes
and you’ll find comfort there.
Nothing could prepare us
for this ocean of unknown.
Please always know, no matter what,
that you are NOT alone.”
This story was submitted to Love What Matters by Maria Tempany of Dublin, Ireland. You can follow her journey on Instagram and purchase her poetry book ‘A Mother’s Birth’ here. Be sure to subscribe to our free email newsletter for our best stories.
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