“My age doesn’t determine my ability to be a good mother ❤️

I got pregnant and became a mom at 19.

Being a young mom comes with a fair share of challenges and sacrifices.

Just when I was getting used to my woman’s body at 19, my body started changing to create a new life and was no longer my own.

As a young mom I am sacrificing my youth.

A lot of people my age are out at bars, concerts and parties and meeting new people all the time…

Meanwhile I’m home all night and day changing diapers, feeding the baby, potty training, sleep training, etc.

My husband and I didn’t have much “us” time. We got pregnant around 8 months after meeting. Those 8 months were blissful and amazing. Sometimes I wish that we would have had more time with just the two of us.

But despite the things you sacrifice when being a young parent, there are so many amazing things you get to experience.

I’m growing up with my kids as I raise them and everyday I learn from my children as much as they learn from me.

I have learned to be happy and thankful for what I have, to be resourceful, to look forward to the future and what’s in store for my family and I.

I’m glad that motherhood came early for me. It’s worth the sacrifices and challenges to have this extra time with my babies 🥰

So to all the young mommas out there doubting yourself or being told by someone that you can’t be a good mother because you’re too young…

Don’t listen to them. Keep being the amazing momma you are.

I know you’re doing your best. I know it because I was you…and I still am you ❤️”

Instagram: @Mandythemama

 “HELLO HORMONES.

Hooly Dooley, have they done a number on me this time round.

The baby blues were more intense than I’ve experienced before and caught me off guard.

But, it’s normal.

The feelings are valid.

This is a part of postpartum.

This is physiological and part of our development after birth.

Our feelings deserve to be heard without judgement.

Our feelings deserve to be validated without someone else making it about them.

We deserve to vent, to cry, to feel anxious or panicked for no real reason, other than the hormones flying around.

We have big feelings that need to be felt and processed.

They will dissipate and become less intense over a short time – and if they don’t, let someone know because it could be something more but something that you can be supported through and given help.

We all experience different variations of baby blues.

For me, my third baby saw it being the most intense. I felt unstable and fragile. I think this was also to do with my baby arriving 4 weeks early, so maybe my body wasn’t ready to make the adjustment?

The worst has definitely passed and I’m feeling more myself and intune now.”

Instagram: @jessie.juggles.three

Photo by: @amycaitlinphotographer

MAMAS! Stop thinking your current struggles are small compared to others. You are not living someone else’s life.. you are living this one. Right here and right now! .

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When I was pregnant with Emerie I reframed for a long time telling people how I really felt. And I battled with guilt because this feeling of depression and fear wasn’t normal! Telling myself there are women who would do anything to be carrying a life. Get over it faith! But I couldn’t stop panicking. Crying. I couldn’t get out of bed for weeks. I felt as if I was fighting for my life. Dramatic? Sure you could say so… but it’s what I was feeling.

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I don’t care how big or small your current situation is. You are not being a drama queen. You are not ungrateful. You are allowed to not be okay durning it all. .

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I truly believe we suppressing our emotions only makes the trial worse. It’s okay. Allow yourself to feel what you need to feel. That way you don’t stay in that season of life longer than you need to.

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Have you ever felt like there was a time you couldn’t open up about what you were feeling in fear that’s what others would think?”

Instagram: @lifeforeverchanged

“I refuse to hide my belly, stretch marks, cellulite and everything that went into bringing our sweet girl into this world…this is REAL, this is beautiful, this is the gift God has given us as women. The ability to stretch to maximum capacity to allow healthy baby’s to grow deep within our womb. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

The GIFT of perfect timing…when that perfect hormonal cocktail is released to signal the contracting of our uterus, slowly (or sometimes really REALLY fast) pushing our baby’s down through our expanding pelvis’s. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

The GIFT of lifting our babies up into our arms where they know exactly how to nurse. I just sat here in awe this morning thinking about how our bodies know exactly how to double our blood supply so we have reserves after we birth our placentas…and then just hours later we can stand up, walk to the bathroom to pee & come back with some sexy diapers on to hold and nurture our little ones. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

It’s blowing my mind…yet, so many women hate on their “mom bellies” they hide their cellulite, they WISH for less loose skin…today, don’t forget – please don’t forget – how fierce and gorgeous you are!  We created the gift of LIFE, our bodies will never be the same and I’m here to shout from the internet rooftops that I’m totally a-ok with that! .”

Instagram: @alliupham

I was 27 years old and ready to start a family with my husband. After a few months I experienced a chemical pregnancy and I was a little confused about what that meant. I started to realize that this journey to pregnancy may not be easy. You’re never told that growing up.

So we continued trying, a few months went by and I was pregnant. We celebrated with caution but as weeks passed and I felt the intensity of early pregnancy (sick day and night) I let myself feel safe. The day our lives changed began innocently enough,  we went for a walk, we enjoyed a morning of talking about the baby and the possibilities of things to come. We were home 20 minutes when I started bleeding. My heart sank and I knew; despite the reassurance from my husband and mom that bleeding is common in early pregnancy. By the next day the bleeding was heavy and the pain kept me from standing straight. We spent the night in emerge waiting…waiting to hear that nothing could be done and sent home.

What I didn’t know was that the bleeding could last for weeks or that I’d experience contractions so painful I would be bedridden. I wasn’t prepared for what I would pass. I let out a shriek when I saw it. I didn’t know any of this. And there was no way of knowing the grief that was to come. I was empty. In every sense of the word. We will never get to hold our child in our arms. I wasn’t prepared for that reality and that pain.

None of this was ever talked about so everything was a shock to me. After months of living in my own mind and losing myself to grief I opened up and shared my story. It was the best decision to let the healing begin as I learned that I am not alone and I shouldn’t feel ashamed, that there is so much love and support from people who have a similar experience and my child got to be celebrated as they should be. I’ve since become very open about my story so that anyone in my life that, God forbid, has to experience loss knows from the start that they are not alone.

We are lucky enough to have our sweet rainbow baby here with us and she just turned one!

Instagram: @kami_and_fam

“Over the last 6+ months I’ve received a ton of questions from people asking me about my body. A lot of those centered around my once very shredded midsection – “are you freaking out about losing your abs?” or “are you worried your abs/body won’t come back?”

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The answer is a hard NO. I’ve always been an advocate of a healthy lifestyle and loving your body for what it is capable of. Talk to any of my clients and they’ll tell you, the focus is always on getting stronger, faster and healthier and loving those changes… the rest will fall into place in time.

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Right now my focus is having the healthiest pregnancy I possibly can and doing what’s best for Baby L. Even before pregnancy you would never see me doing multiple workouts per day, I always took at least 2 full days off and I never restricted my diet.

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Embrace and love your body! And cheers to this beautiful belly growing and nourishing a new life! I’m beyond obsessed with it.”

Instagram: dagmaralometti

“Infertility is one of those words you hear tossed around a lot. Everyone knows someone who has had a difficult time starting a family. Because of that, the severity of infertility is often lost because of the sheer fact that so many people are effected by it. To those who haven’t dealt with infertility themselves (or has seen someone up close and personal deal with it), you may not fully understand the grueling emotional, physical, spiritual and mental toll it takes on you. The hopelessness, loneliness and devastation that women and men feel at the hands of infertility is no joke. And it shouldn’t be taken lightly. Those who battle infertility are often seen with smiles on their faces in public, but suffer tremendously behind closed doors. In a world where an emphasis is highly placed on when you’re going to get pregnant, pregnancy announcements, gender reveals, raising perfect children, documenting play dates, baby boutiques, mommy bloggers and exuding motherly perfection, those who are unable to participate in those things are constantly reminded of so.

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Be kind and considerate when discussing your pregnancy and/or children. 1 in 8 couples faces infertility. 61% are facing it silently. I am 1 in 8. Although I am now a mother to my beautiful Ezra, infertility will always be a part of my past and my future. Because of that, I will always be hurt by insensitive comments.

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To those of you suffering, you are not alone. I know your pain. You have a tribe of women and men who are here for you. Who are rooting you on. We will have faith for you when your faith has run out. It is my greatest hope and prayer that every person who desires to be a parent has the opportunity to do so. Keep moving forward. Surround yourself with positive people. Do what you need to do to protect your happiness. Cry when you feel like it. Be angry. Be frustrated. But never, ever, ever give up. As ugly as infertility is, I promise that a beautiful life is ahead of you. ❤️❤️❤️”

instagram:@literallyelise

“Our family is so excited to announce that we are expecting baby #2 after 3 years of trying and never giving up hope! After the loss of our identical twins at only 10 weeks, it was extremely difficult for my wife and I to move forward. We were scared and confused. What if it happened again? What if we never got pregnant again? I remembered we shared that taboo topic with friends and had received so much support from people who had experienced a miscarriage in the past. Their stories were inspiring, uplifting and encouraging. We weren’t alone in this world. We held on to that. Months passed and nothing was happening. We questioned each other. Then, our son had some questions too. Mommy, Daddy, can I get a little brother or sister? But little did he know, we have been trying and trying. Any hint of pregnancy, my wife bought another First Response Pregnancy Test. We desperately wanted another baby. At one point, we said to each other, maybe we’re only suppose to have one child. January 2019, while I was on a video call with my illustrator to discuss my next children’s book, my wife whispered my name. I looked. She was shaking, in tears, holding one of the many pregnancy tests. I already knew what that meant. “Are you fking serious?” I cried, squeezing her tightly before looking at the results. She was pregnant with our baby. For the past few weeks, we kept it a secret because we had to be sure this time. Today, we had our 12 week ultrasound check up and the doctor told us that our baby is looking great. We are content and excited for this new journey. October 10th 2019, we can’t wait to meet our baby girl or baby boy.”

Instagram: @arnoldhenry

“I’m pregnant with my rainbow baby after miscarrying in June of this year. This experience has been so different than with my first, my 16mo old son. after loss, pregnancy doesn’t feel the same. it’s scary, it’s full of anxiety and fear. Hoping you make it another week of growing this sweet babe. We received some scary news at our anatomy scan at 19wks. chances of cystic fibrosis, kidney disease/ bowel infection or down syndrome. We felt so broken. All we want is for this sweet boy to be healthy. We did a lot of genetic testing after that, and we prayed. A LOT. surrounded ourselves with family and tried to let faith overcome our fear. We were more than blessed to hear our testing came back completely normal and our baby is healthy. Everyday has new challenges, missing the baby we lost, but each day we feel more joy knowing that THIS baby was chosen for and gifted to our family. We can’t wait to just have him in our arms and know he’s safe and sound 🖤 14.5 weeks left until he’s here!”

Instagram: @emkantarevik.eak