Yes, I was definitely pregnant.
My heart was pounding.
My head is starting to feel dizzy.
My stomach hurts.
I was nervous, excited, scared, and ecstatic all at the same time.
Photo from iStock.
This was actually happening! After years of dreaming, preparing, and anticipating this day, it’s finally here. I was going to be a mother.
Little did I know that in just nine short months, I would embark on one of the most exhausting, life-changing, heart-wrenching, yet indescribably rewarding journeys of my life.
Nine months later, she would learn firsthand the price of motherhood. I know exactly what it takes to be a mother. I will gain a whole new understanding and appreciation for this beautiful woman I call “Mom.”
I learned about the things mothers experience that their children rarely know about.
Here are 10 things your mom never told you.
1. You made her cry a lot.
She cried when she found out she was pregnant. She cried when she gave birth to you. The first time she held you, she cried. She cried with joy. She cried in fear. She was worried and cried. She cried because she cares about you very much. She felt your pain and your happiness and whether you realized it or not, she shared it with you.
2. She wanted the last pie.
But when she saw you staring at it with those big eyes and licking your mouth with that little tongue, she couldn’t eat it. She knew that seeing your little tummy filled would make her much happier than seeing her own little tummy filled.
3. It hurt.
It hurt when I pulled her hair. It hurt her as she grabbed her with her sharp nails that were impossible to cut. It also hurt when I bit her while drinking her milk. You bruised her ribs when you kicked her in the stomach. You stretched her belly for 9 months. When you entered this world, you made her body contract in her pain.
4. She was always scared.
From the moment you got pregnant, she did everything in her power to protect you. She became your momma bear. She was the kind of woman who would say no when the girl next to her asked to hug you, and would cling when you hugged her. Because in her mind, no one can keep you as safe as she can. Your first step made her heart beat two beats. She stayed up late to make sure you got home safely, and she got up early to see you off to school. If I bumped her toe or stumbled a little, she was right there. She was going to hit you with any bad dreams or late night fevers. She was there to make sure you were okay.
She stayed up late to make sure you got home safely and got up early to see you off to school.
5. She knows she’s not perfect.
She is her own worst critic. She knows all her shortcomings, which sometimes makes her hate herself. But she’s the hardest on herself when it comes to you. She wanted to be the perfect mother and she didn’t want to do anything wrong, but she also made her mistakes because she is human. She’s probably still trying to forgive herself for them. She really wishes she could go back in time and do things differently, but she can’t. So be nice to her and know she did everything she could.
6. She watched you sleep.
There were nights she stayed up until 3 a.m., praying that you would finally fall asleep. She could barely open her eyes as she sang to you, and she was begging, “Please, please sleep.” And when you finally fall asleep, she lays you down and, even though she’s exhausted, she finds herself lying down as she sits by your bedside admiring your perfect angel face. All the tiredness would disappear for just a moment when you experienced more love than you expected. -Stretching out her arms, her eyes hurt.
7. She carried you for much longer than nine months.
You needed her to do that. So she did. She will learn how to hold you while she cleans. She will learn how to hold you during meals. She even held you while she slept. Because it was the only way for her. Her arms would get tired and her back would hurt, but she held you still because you wanted to be close to her. She snuggled with you, loved you, kissed you, played with you. You felt safe in her arms. You were happy in her arms. You knew you were loved in her arms, so she held you as often and as much as you needed.
Her arms were tired and her back was sore, but she held you still because you wanted to be close to her.
8. Her heart hurt every time you cried.
There was no sound as sad as your screams, no sight as horrifying as the tears streaming down your perfect face. She tried everything in her power to stop your tears, but when yours wouldn’t stop, her heart would break into a million tiny pieces.
9. She puts you first.
She didn’t eat, shower, or sleep. She will always put your needs before her own. She spent all day meeting your needs and at the end of the day she had no energy left for herself. But the next day she’ll wake up and do it all over again because you meant that much to her.
10. She would do it all again.
Being a mother is one of the most difficult jobs anyone can have, and it can sometimes push you to your limits. Cry, hurt, try, fail, work, and learn. But you will also experience more joy than you ever thought possible and feel an irresistible love in your heart. Despite the pain you put her through, the sadness, the late nights and early mornings, her mother would do it again for you, because you are worth it to her. .
So next time you see her, tell your mom thank you. Let your girlfriend know that you love her. She can’t hear it enough times.
This article was originally published on May 27, 2016.