Okay, everyone- sorry I’ve been MIA lately, but here’s the thing: Life gets a little- well, no, it gets a lot – crazy real fast. I’ll be honest, I just haven’t had the time to post anything, let alone sit down and write.
Anyway, today’s topic isn’t a personal experience but rather an experience of a friend. She’s a new mom of baby number three. She’s so used to everyone asking her, How’s the baby doing? How are your other two kids adjustingto having a new sibling? But when I asked her how she was doing, she wasn’t used to that. Instead, she sent me pictures of the new baby with their siblings, who are settling in well as a family of five. However, she still isn’t used to somone checking in and asking about her, besides her husband and inlaws. She forgets how to respond because she’s so used to people asking about the kids.
Why is that? Why do people always ask moms of little ones how the kids are doing first and only then ask about the mom? It should be the other way around– How is mom doing? first, and then, How are the kids? Don’t get me wrong, the kids are important too, but people often forget that the kids are only here because of the parents. And between the two parents, the mom goes through the most– carrying the child, for nine months.
Some moms have morning sickness their entire pregnancy, like my friend did. Some only have it during the first trimester, while others are fortunate enough to avoid it altogether. On top of morning sickness, we not only have to carry this baby to 40 weeks, but we also gain weight (which we may never lose). We get poked with needles so many times– it feels like 7,000 times. As if that’s not enough, we have to pee every hour- somtimes every half-hour. And from the moment we find out we’re pregnant, we stop getting a decent night’s sleep.
And then some of us go through infertility treatments or miscarriages, but you rarely hear anyone talk about those obstacles. Then we have moms who are always tired and grouchy– well, yeah, we’re allowed to be tired , grouch, and pissed off. We’re bringing another human into this world and are happy about being able to do that all while dealing with the hormones that make us grouchy, happy, sad, and well crazy. LOL. But again, some people think it’s a walk in the flipping park. Now, I know I may have skipped some pregnancy side effects, but the biggest one is that we also have to push a watermelon out of our hoo-ha, or have a C-Section whether we like it or not. Yeah, there are drugs to help us out; however, that’s if we get to the hostpital on time to receive them.
Amidst all the mood swings, morning sickness, pokes and prodding, and giving birth, anyone who has experienced all of this would agree that getting the baby is worth it in the end. But then, even though you have the reward, you as the mother have to go through a whole new experience every time called postpartum. Some women are lucky enough to just get a small case of the baby blues; however for my self , it’s a strong case of the baby blues. For others, it’s postpartum depression or anxiety that seems to never go away. But through the pregnancy, the journey of birth, I would do it all over again.
In conclusion, while the journey of motherhood is filled with challenges- from pregnancy to childbirth to postpartum recovery- the joy and love that come with bringing a new life into the world make it all worthwhile. It’s essential to recognize and support mothers, not just by inquiring about their childrem but by genuinely asking how they are doing, even long after the child is born. After all, a mother’s well-being is crucial for the entire family’s health and happiness.
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