A Mommy Shares....

Who doesn't love moms? There is nothing like a strong woman who loves, protects, guides, and cheers on her child. At least I was blessed (thankfully) in my life to have a really good mom. And now that I am grown I look around and am seeing many of my female friends, and family take on the role as a mother. It is beautiful to me to see these women that I love, love their babies. I can't wait to be a mother myself. I was thinking the other day that I wanted to interview my dear Kiera on her views of being a first time mommy. She has an adorable (and I mean adorable) 1 year old son, Liam. When she first became pregnant, I was elated and wrote this. You see Kiera and Donovan (and now Liam) are very important people in my life. I love them, and it has been very exciting to watch the two of them become parents. Here is what Kiera had to say about being a mother.

How did you feel when you first learned you were pregnant?
I was INCREDIBLY nervous. Although it was planned, you hope to be the best mother you can be. You become nervous, because it is too late to turn back the clock, and so you hope you are at a point in your life that you can truly give the baby a good life. I got scared. Once reality set in I was elated. I was over the moon. I knew that God had given me this baby because He knew it was the right time, and you can never be 100% prepared.
What was the best and worst thing about being pregnant?
Nothing was "best". I hated being pregnant. I felt fat. I couldn't do anything. As my pregnancy went on I developed all kinds of minor issues that were more bothersome and uncomfortable to me. I could no longer see my toes. My ankles were now cankles. My feet hurt. My back hurt. My tailbone hurt. My hands were swollen- I couldn't wear my wedding ring. My stomach itched INCREDIBLY bad. I could go on and on with the complaints. There was nothing I liked about being pregnant, except when I felt him kick or saw him on the ultrasound machine.
When did you start to feel yourself bonding with your baby while pregnant?
Instantly, the minute I found out I was really pregnant. He was still a tiny bean in my tummy.
What sort of things did you crave while being pregnant?
Candy, candy and more candy. I never really had any weird cravings (like when you hear pregnant women crave pickles and ice cream together). I always wanted candy. Not chocolate, but sugar. I also craved soda, but I think that was because I stopped drinking soda while I was pregnant, and I just wanted one.
What can you share about the birth experience?
I remember being SOOO scared up until I went into birth. You just don't know what to expect as a first time mom. You hear horror stories, and you are glued to the "birth story" TV shows while pregnant, so you see all the pain. But.. It was midnight- and I remember dreaming about peeing in my pants. I remember thinking that it felt so real that it woke me up out of a dead sleep. The second I woke up I realized I was really laying in a pool of wetness. So, I immediately sat up- the second I sat up it all came gushing out- and I mean GUSHING. My next reaction was "oh sh**". That instantly woke Donovan up. I ran into the bathroom and it was all over. I showered and called the hospital- but I was not having any contractions. They told me to go back to bed and if the contractions didn't start by 7 AM to come in. Yeah right... go back to bed. My water just broke- are you kidding me? Needless to say there was no sleeping, and contractions started exactly an hour later. It took me five hours to be fully dilated and then I pushed for another 4 hours. Yes, I pushed for four hours. And I am not talking about a little push like you are constipated. (Ok, am I graphic enough?) After 9 hours of labor he was born. And I thank God for epidurals. There is no way I will ever have another child without one.
Can you describe what it was like to lay your eyes on your beautiful son for the first time?
I cried, and cried, and cried. I remember telling Donovan that I did not want to hold him until after they cleaned him off.. but the second I laid my eyes on him, that is all I wanted to do. He had TONS of hair (I was so jealous of all the hair). It was definitely one of the most emotional times I have ever had in my life. Being pregnant you always imagine what your child will look like. But you cannot wait to see him to see what he really looks like. Once I saw him, I just wanted to keep him in my arms and not let him go.
Did you experience any postpartum depression?
Thank the Lord, I didn't. It was extremely hard to go back to work and it made me really sad, but not to the point of depression.
What advice can you give to other women who are getting ready to go down the motherhood path?
*You can never be 100% ready to have a child. By ready I mean things like financially, mentally etc. It is on God's time.
*Women may feel they are ready/or not ready to become a mother, but ultimately it is on HIS watch when it will happen.
* Take an infant CPR course
* Enjoy sleeping in late NOW-because that stops
* TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF. PAMPER YOURSELF NOW. DO THINGS YOU LIKE TO DO. BE SELFISH. You won't get to be/do any of these things once you are a mother.
What has changed the most in your life since you became a mom?
EVERYTHING- nothing about my life is the same as it was. The biggest change is that life is not about me anymore. It's about my son. I would break my back for that kid. I would die for that kid. Every aspect of my life has changed from who are my friends, what I do on a Friday night, to how often I take a bath and, how fast I fold laundry (you know, if you don't fold it fast enough then your child will come and unfold everything and throw it all over the living room).
Is it true that a mother's love is indescribable?
Yes, it is absolutely true. My thoughts on this concept are indescribable, but some people are better at being a mother then others. Some women may not agree with this concept- and these women are usually the ones that no longer have custody of their children. But for most women this concept is completely true. I would lay down my life for my son, and there is not one other person I would do that for except for the Lord. Just like ones love is for the Lord is indescribable.. so is a mother's love for her child.
Random thoughts on motherhood?
Sometimes I wonder if other people perceive me as a good mother. Nothing is more rewarding then hearing someone tell you that you are a good mom. Any mother tries to be the best mom they can be. If any mother ever tried to say they don't care what other people think about their "mothering" skills then they are lying. Two biggest rewards of being a mom 1) when your child hugs and kisses you and 2) when someone tells you that you are a good mother.


So there you have it.. answers from a first time mother, who is learning and loving as she goes. And just so you know Kiera is a wonderful mother. Liam is a beautiful boy, and he is loved and cherished. I am lucky to have someone to go to for all my questions about being a mommy when it becomes my turn!