The Beauty of Motherhood

To the new or expecting mom,

​I know you are tired. And your back hurts. And you haven't had a good night's sleep in weeks... months even.

​I know you are uncomfortable in large crowds and you cry at everything on television for no reason other than hormones.

​You are struggling to get in and out of your car, but you smile each time you pull into an "Expectant Mother" parking spot at the grocery store.

​You are hungry every 20 minutes, but you get heartburn from yogurt.

​I know you have cleaned your house from top to bottom more than once because nesting has really set in.

I know you are filled with many emotions as you daydream about meeting your baby for the first time.

​I know you didn't know you could love a person so much. And this is only the beginning.

You read every best-selling pregnancy and birth book, but no one told you about the awesome mesh underwear or padsicles to help soothe your lady parts and aid your recovery.

You squeeze in a few minutes to eat your own dinner before nursing your sweet baby again.

​I know you planned to take 6 weeks of maternity leave, but you decide to take more time (unpaid) because you can't imagine leaving your newborn.

​You feel like you have no idea what you are doing. And that is okay.

​You feel like a cow with the amount of milk that you are producing and expressing.

​I know you have 1.5 billion things on your to-do list but all you really want is to take a hot shower and eat chocolate.

​I know that you are in a constant cycle of eat, sleep and poop right now. You still cry at everything on television and you and wondering when you won't look pregnant anymore.

​I know that your childless friends all wondered why you hired a doula, but you will happily be sharing your doula's contact information with them next year after they find out they are expecting.

​Mom, it gets better. With each day your child will learn from you. Sure they need you every waking hour now, but that won't always be the case. They will become more and more independent. One day your baby will no longer need you to do those things you spent countless hours doing for them. Each day gets better and before you know it, you will be registering them for Kindergarten like I did today.

There will come a day when you can't remember what life was like without your little one. You will look back at this time and think, "I really miss those early days." You will start to see them use your gestures and say the same phrases you do. They will grow up with your strength, determination and work ethic. They will love hard like you do. Their giving nature will be complimented by their warm and loving spirit. All because they have a mom like you.

​Remember to enjoy the journey because the days are long, but the years are short. The beauty of motherhood surrounds us in an infinite number of ways. How will you recognize it today?​