How birth and becoming a mother changed my life- an account from 5 women

Giving birth and being a mother has changed my life in so many ways I don't even know where to begin.  Going through labor and delivery showed me how much I am capable of and made me realize I can do anything!  It was an incredibly empowering experience.  Being a mother has been the best lesson in being in the moment.  In those first few weeks and months when the days and nights blur and you are in survival mode, you simply cannot exist any way else. I was definitely pushed to my limits with my little guy and there have been (and still are) plenty of maddening, frustrating and scary moments, but the LOVE!  Oh my gosh, it is like nothing I could have imagined.   Amber

A few nights before going into labor I asked my husband, "If I run, will you chase me?"  He knew what I meant and looked at me like I had 15 million heads and just calmly said, "Let's cross that bridge if we should get to it, how does that sound?"  I was terrified and just kept over analyzing everything.  A couple of days later and a lot of breathing, pushing and a bit of moaning, we were blessed with the birth of our daughter.  They immediately put her in my arms and there we sat, skin to skin and she looked up to me as if to say, "I know who you are and I love you so much already." We attempted our first try at breast feeding and I just let the calm of the moment wash over me.  There was this overwhelming feeling of love and a need to protect my little girl.  It was at that moment that I looked to my husband and said quietly, "If I run, it's WITH her, NOT from her."  My life hasn't been the same since.  Being a momma is the best thing I've done with my life.  Kristin

It's true what they say, that after you have children, you worry less about yourself. Instead of the promotion at work, you worry about whether your child will have nice friends. Instead of the your tan or your wrinkles, you worry about their booboos and their life lessons. So, I still worry a lot. But being a mother also means I get to be surprised by how funny, clever, and brave my kids are. And I can't think of anything more worthwhile than helping them when they're sick or sad, or when we help each other figure out how this crazy world works. Jackie

It has made the miracle of birth so real for me.  As I hold my baby and nurse her, I sometimes cannot believe that she is the baby that grew inside my body - and here she is!  Wow!  Valerie

All of our experiences are life changing and form who we are. Birth and motherhood enable you to learn to endure pain, work hard, care for another life while making room in your heart and soul to love more, protect more, teach more and ultimately let go. You look back at your accomplishments, your children's accomplishments and you then experience feelings of pride, appreciation, and success. Life changing experiences... changing and forming lives.  That is powerful.  My mom, Gail