The Gift of Motherhood

Sons are a special gift from God!

By Glenni Lorick, IBCLC
Motherhood is a gift. It takes just a brief moment of intimacy to create a child, then about nine months for that child to develop each finger and toe, eyes, ears and nose, internal organs and hair. From the moment she realizes that her body is cradling a new being, a woman is forever changed. She is no longer just a girl or somebody's wife or daughter. She is a MOTHER with all the hopes and dreams and longings of the universe centered on the tiny baby growing in her womb.

My youngest 2 children, Anna and John Carl fill me with joy.

The one day the miracle that is childbirth brings her face-to-face with the little person she has dreamed of day and night for months. Her newborn knows her voice and gazes at her entranced. As she relishes the feel of satin baby skin she experiences a love unlike anything she has ever known. Knowing that her body is capable of providing baby's sole sustenance for at least 6 months is both empowering and overwhelming. 

It is a gift filled with unexpected surprises like exhaustion, mood swings and aching breasts. There are moments, perhaps, when a new mother might wish for a brief second that maybe she hadn't been given this gift! But those moments are overshadowed by the joy of baby's smile, the contentment of snuggling a baby who has nursed to sleep, and the satisfaction of knowing that she is the only REAL expert on her baby. She is the one who understands his expressions and intuitively knows what he needs before he even has a chance to ask.

My oldest daughter, now a mom herself, is a delight.

It is a gift that keeps on giving. Sometimes it gives frustration when a toddler won't listen. Sometimes it gives hurt when an older child is hateful. Sometimes it gives heartbreak when an adult child makes a bad decision. But it also gives wonderful memories made in the most mundane moments, memories of words adorably mispronounced, of spontaneous expressions of love, and of sweet hugs and kisses. It gives a deep sense of satisfaction as children learn and grow and become amazing people.

Yes, Motherhood IS a gift. For those women whose arms ache to hold a baby and whose eyes are heavy with unshed tears, it is a gift that seems elusive. So if YOU have the amazing privilege of being a mother, enjoy this Mother's Day knowing that the very best gift you could ever receive is the unconditional love of the miracles you brought into this world!