“I made sure the case worker knew I spoke Spanish. I wanted him to have a familiar culture and language. ‘We have a baby boy at the hospital who is ready to be discharged. He is Hispanic. Are you willing to take him?’ This was the moment these 25 years and Spanish classes had prepared me for! I walked into the hospital with an empty stroller, and came out with a forever son.”
‘She was a homeless, single teen mom who aged out of foster care. She had 6 kids and was the same age as me! My heart broke.’: Single woman fosters 36 kids, adopts 2 children into ‘forever family’
‘You hold one while feeding another. You get in the shower to hear the baby cry. You get them to sleep, and wonder if you loved them all enough today.’: Open letter to ‘the mama with more babies than hands’
“It’s falling asleep just to be woken right back up. It’s wondering if they will ever be able to do anything on their own, and then crying when they do. It’s getting them to sleep, and wondering if you loved them all enough today.”
‘I heard a knock on the door. Our ultrasound tech was called into another room. ‘OH MY GOD, IT’S TWO!’ I screamed.’: LGBT mama births surprise twins through IUI, navigates Postpartum Mood Disorder
“Our physician said three words: ‘How are you?’ As I bounced our colicky daughter up and down in my arms, I immediately fell apart. For the first time in two months, I answered that question honestly – I told her I was not okay and I needed help.”
‘Can I go to the nurse’s office?’ I was dizzy, ready to faint. My teacher turned to me and said, ‘Absolutely not. Sit down.’ She didn’t believe me.’: Young woman recounts journey with Type 1 Diabetes
“In a slight state of shock, I asked again. ‘It’s an emergency.’ She continued to dismiss my requests and began completely ignoring me. She didn’t believe me. Furious and embarrassed, I walked out of class against her will. I hid my illness from the world.”
‘There’s a second sac…and a third.’ My heart stopped. ‘Oh my God, triplets!’ All my plans were quickly whisked away.’: Mom births triplet rainbow babies after miscarriage, infertility, ‘It takes a village!’
“All of a sudden, I was terribly confused. ‘No way,’ I told the sonographer, half smiling and fully hoping she was joking. We left the OBGYN that day not knowing just how much God had in store for us. 27 weeks into my pregnancy, I began experiencing early contractions.”
‘I’m really sorry.’ I had 2 babies at home! I soon wondered how staying alive could feel so much like dying.’: Woman beats invasive breast cancer, ‘All we have is today’
“I thought I knew what was coming. But really, I didn’t. My mouth felt dry and tasted oily, my stomach churned, my scalp prickled and my bones ached. I hovered in a depression for weeks. My kids needed any precious energy I had.”
‘I overheard nurses murmuring about a ‘bruise.’ Then I heard, ‘I don’t think that will fade.’ The left side of her face was a deep red.’: Mom vows to raise baby with Port Wine Stain as ‘the most confident girl to ever walk the planet’
“We weren’t trying to get pregnant. They lifted me off the toilet after I nearly passed out. My vision dotted with stars, I remember saying, ‘I don’t care if it’s permanent. I love her just the way she is.’ Everywhere we go, strangers ask, ‘WHAT happened?’ We can’t go to the store without getting stared at.”
‘I can’t do this!’ I roared like a lion. I was like an animal pacing around trying to find the right spot. I bit Justin!’: Mom recounts ‘other-wordly’ home-birth story
“I was breathing and saying things like, ‘Help me!’ and, ‘I can’t!’ The pain was so intense. When I started to panic my husband grabbed my hands and said, ‘’Meg, the place you’re looking for is here. It’s right here.’”
‘Thank you, sis, for checking in even when I don’t always check on you back.’: Mom to son with autism says ‘check on your special needs family or friend, they may not know they need it’
“I whined about my stresses over the phone. I cried about how hard life is with a special needs child. I must have sounded so self-absorbed. And then you said, ‘I can’t relate at all, but you’re doing amazing. Don’t feel bad for venting, ever.’ Instantly, my anxiety washed away.”
‘Did you HEAR that, Amanda? Are you getting all of this? You need to listen.’ I was constantly taken out of the classroom.’: Deaf woman turned dental hygienist urges ‘fight for what you stand for’
“I was the only deaf student. The truth is, it killed me inside. When you are young and your peers see your hearing aids, they can be cruel as heck.”