12 Most MOMentous Moments of Motherhood

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Motherhood is wondrous one minute. Terrifying the next. Excruciatingly hard some times — and pure joy, at others. It’s frustrating and glorious. Exhilarating. And humbling. Here are a dozen of those momentous moments, in honor of Mother’s Day.

1. Discovering you’re going to become a mom

Whether this is a surprise or something you’d been wanting for years. Whether you are going to give birth or welcome a child into your life by adopting, fostering or some other way… it is an incredible moment when you realize you are going to be a mother. You never forget it.

2. Becoming a mom

Actually entering the world of motherhood by welcoming your baby (or babies) the first time, is totally life changing. You touch their skin, nuzzle their fingers, smell their hair and know that you are now, and will always be, this amazing creature’s mommy.

3. Realizing you are a perfect goddess in your child’s eyes

Those looks your child gives you when completely relying on you are impossible to put into words. You are your child’s everything. And you are perfect, in your child’s eyes. That stage passes, but the memory of it never fades.

4. Seeing how mind-blowingly difficult even “little” things about mothering can be

The things you thought you’d do with ease after you became a mom? Yeah, toss those all out. Every woman’s idea of what simple task she’d expertly handle after becoming a mom is different. The similarity is that an amazing number of those “little” things are not little or easy, at all.

5. Being scared, for the first time, about being not needed

This moment can come at any time for a mom. It’s a very personal feeling. But I suspect all moms have them. And I clearly remember the first one, like it was yesterday — but it was almost eight years ago.

6. Appreciating how much your mom did for you

Being a mom bestows many of these feelings — from the limitless love to the priceless life lessons your own mom gave. Once you’re a mom, yourself, these moments come with so much more gratitude and appreciation.

7. Loving the milestones your children reach and pass

Moms can instantly recall the times their babies first wobbled across the room, said “Mommy” and (finally) learned to use the potty. And most of us are happy to share them with total strangers… just ask us and see!

8. Feeling a pang of guilt or of inadequacy

This is inevitable, I think. Moms want the best for their children. And life doesn’t allow us to be perfect or provide all of the comfort and happiness we moms seek to give. The first time this becomes apparent, it’s unsettling and troubling. And it’s memorable.

9. Realizing that “mommy guilt” regularly returns

At some point, moms figure out that these pangs are, unfortunately, fairly frequent visitors. I think this stems from the fact that most moms really are the best moms they can be. But we’re all just humans, too. And in modern society, balancing mothering with taking care of ourselves, working and carving out the space to grow throughout life, as women, means moms will often be pressured and made to feel tension from the demands.

10. Watching as your child struggles

There comes a time, sooner or later, when all moms wrestle with this. It’s hard and can be painful. But it’s one of the ways moms actually help their children the most.

11. Soothing your children when they are sick or hurt

This never gets easy. If only love could make it all better. Moms distinctly remember what this feels like.

12. Being astounded about how deeply you can love

Women are told, and know on some level, that the love they will feel as mothers is boundless. But experiencing it is an entirely different thing, all together. And that love keeps growing and growing along with our children.

These are just a dozen of the momentous moments of motherhood. There are thousands, really. What are the ones you think are at the top of the list?

Featured image courtesy of CameliaTWU via Creative Commons.

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Becky Gaylord

http://www.gaylordllc.com

Becky worked as a reporter for more than 15 years in Washington, D.C.; Sydney, Australia; and Cleveland, Ohio for major publications including the New York Times, Salon.com, Business Week, the Wall Street Journal, and was Associate Editor of the Plain Dealer's Editorial Page before she launched the consulting practice, Gaylord LLC. The company helps clients improve their external relations and communication and increase their influence and impact. Becky blogs about that (a few other things) at Framing What Works.