The Power and Beauty of Motherhood

Is there any single word that can describe how life changes once you’re a mother? After all “mom bod” is two. Being a new mom is one of the most magnificent experiences you’ll ever live through, and it only gets better as you watch your children grow and become their own people.

Motherhood is so much more than just living that mom life — though we know you look amazing doing it. What moms really mean is also something that spans far beyond Mother’s Day, though we won’t turn down an entire day dedicated to being the superheroes we are.

How Motherhood Changes You

You may have known yourself to a T as a woman, but when you become a mother, an entirely new part of you is revealed.

When you give birth to your child, you breathe life into an entirely new part of your identity, too.

So many qualities you may have never considered suddenly become the guiding points of your entire life.

 You’ll discover deeper patience than you ever imagined

 You evolve into someone just a little kinder, curious, and imaginative.

 You see life through the lens of truly selfless love, wholly unconditional and complete.

You also learn that love is not fixed — it grows along with your child. Life as a mom is so much more than caregiving and nurturing a beautiful little soul. It’s connecting with a higher part of yourself that is so full of compassion, care, and affection.

 Having a baby makes your heart feel as though it’s grown 10 sizes overnight. The love you felt toward your child before they were even born exploded into a whole galaxy the moment you laid eyes on them. And that feeling only grows more each day as you get to bask in the utter bliss of calling yourself this little human’s mom.

The Miracle of Birth – Embracing the Mom Bod

Yes, that’s right. Because the incredible miracle of life that your new body reflects is the physical embodiment of your love.

 Sure, you may want to lose a few pounds or tone your tummy again, but your stretch marks and extra weight are only a sign of the feat of pure magic you’ve pulled off.

Many women come to see themselves in an entirely new light after they go through pregnancy and childbirth. And perspective plays a large role in just how this experience changes you.

Rather than thinking about how you looked before having a baby, it’s better to focus on why you carry such a new beauty now.

There’s no denying that new mom glow. And you can stay just as radiant throughout your motherhood journey if you keep your mind on the life-giving energy you carry within you every day.

The Science of Motherhood

In 2006, the Scientific American journal published a study that found women really were different after becoming mothers. Research shows that all female mammals undergo “fundamental changes” to their brain that leave lasting neurological differences after birth.

Your “material brain”, as it’s called, is completely different from your pre-baby mind. Increased hormones and neural pathways make you more attentive to your baby’s needs and better at caring for them.

This is why even a mom who never spent time around children can find herself falling in love with motherhood so easily. It may not always be a walk in the park, but it is something your body instinctively knows how to adapt to.

And for the mothers who may experience postpartum depression, the power and beauty of your journey is not diminished. The fact you still try your hardest to nurture and care for your child despite your mental health struggles demonstrates how much they’ve already changed you, and how much love you continue to carry even if you are wrestling with depression.

The Long-lasting Effects of Life as a Mom

Becoming a mother changes you every day, whether your child is 2-months-old or 20.

One day, you may even watch them give birth to their own children and watch the miracle of life repeat itself once again.

There is nothing in the world that comes close to expressing the lessons and love your children teach you. In fact, we can say that our babies start teaching us to be better humans the moment they’re born.

As you watch your children grow, they will continue to impart you with wisdom you could never imagine, all while reawakening long-dormant parts of your younger self.

This Mother’s Day, we want to wish every mother a wonderful day full of love and laughter. Even if you have lost children, you will always be their mom, and the beauty of your bond with your child will endure forever.

Life as a mother is brighter, happier, and fuller. The vulnerability you experience only fortifies your love, and it makes the unique relationship you share with your child one that you know any other could never come close to.

Meet Heather

1. What do you love most about being a mother?
   1. Being a mother is like a sisterhood. You just don't know until you become one. I wouldn't trade being a mom for anything.
2. What’s the most valuable lesson you learned from your own Mom?
   1. My mom has taught me many things. The most valuable lesson I would say is to relax and enjoy the moment.
3. What do you feel is your greatest strength as a Mom to your kids?
   1. I feel like I am my daughters' biggest cheerleader. I fully support her in any life experience she has.
4. What is the most important lesson that you want your kids to learn before they launch into the world?
   1. The most important lesson I would tell my daughter before going out into the big world would be to not give up on your dreams. Set your goals and don't give up until you achieve them.
5. 5 Fun Facts about you?
   1. I can snowboard
   2. I can sew pretty much anything
   3. I have 7 tattoos
   4. I love cats
   5. I used to have my belly button AND my tongue pierced
6. Your favorite local restaurant
   1. Foxtail

 Meet Kelly

1. What do you love most about being a mother?
   1. Watching my kids grow and mature into fun, interesting, delightful humans.
2. What’s the most valuable lesson you learned from your own Mom?
   1. My mom taught me the art of balance. She masterfully combined family, friendship, and her career without cutting corners. She showed me the importance of having interests and passions outside of your children and how important those are for your own fulfillment. She managed to create an environment where her family truly wants to spend time together without feeling like it is an obligation. I very much try to model my own parenting around the lessons that I have learned from my mom. 
3. What do you feel is your greatest strength as a Mom to your kids?
   1. I think I do a good job of making my children feel heard and seen. They trust me with their secrets and feel safe sharing with me in such a way that I do not make them feel judged. I try to gently guide them in the right direction without admonishing them for their missteps. 
4. What is the most important lesson that you want your kids to learn before they launch into the world?
   1. I want my kids to truly believe that they are completely capable of finding success and happiness. I have raised them to be independent problem solvers who should not really need me out in the real world. I want them to know that they can trust in themselves to make good choices and ultimately recover from whatever might go awry. 
5. 5 Fun Facts about you?
   1. I am terrified of rats.
   2. I bungee jumped off of a cliff in New Zealand.
   3. I played the baritone for the marching band during halftime of football games in my pom-pom uniform. 
   4. I was a cook, a waitress, a bartender, a retail salesperson, and a DJ in college.
   5. I have spent thousands of hours with middle schoolers as I have been teaching 7th graders for 17 years. 

6. Your favorite local restaurant
   1. Pierce Tavern

Meet Peggy 

1. What do you love most about being a mother?
   1. I love watching my kids' personalities emerge as they grow up and change. It's been an adventure like no other! It has been really awesome to see them discover their own viewpoints and opinions on things as they are in their late teens and twenties. I love and appreciate that we now have a level of friendship between us. 
2. What’s the most valuable lesson you learned from your own Mom?
   1. My mom was widowed at 55 and my parents marriage was very traditional in the sense that she relied on my dad for many things outside of raising her six children. She had to learn to do so many things for herself that she had never done before. She traveled, met new people, learned to write a check, and lived her life a little less fearfully. She taught me it's never too late - and age was only a number. 
3. What do you feel is your greatest strength as a Mom to your kids?
   1. My greatest strength as a mom to my kids is being there for them no matter what and supporting them even when I may not see things the same way they do. I feel I am a good listener and able to see all sides of an issue. 
4. What is the most important lesson that you want your kids to learn before they launch into the world?
   1. The most important lesson that I want my kids to learn before they launch into the world is to be kind to everyone. You truly don't know what it's like to walk in someone else's shoes or what they might be going through so kindness and giving the benefit of the doubt are everything!. Also, the people you love should KNOW that you love them. 
5. 5 Fun Facts about you?
   1. I love to polka and am a Cheesehead through and through.
   2. I tend to cry when I'm happy or sad or anything in between.
   3. I love to bake as it helps me to relieve stress.
   4. I am not afraid to act or look silly when out with friends.
   5. I am an ordained minister (thank you, internet!) and have officiated weddings.
6. Your favorite local restaurant
   1. Foxtail

Meet Dorothy

1. What do you love most about being a mother?
   1. My favorite thing about being a mom is watching my children grow into their own; finding their interests and pursuing what they want to do.  
2. What’s the most valuable lesson you learned from your own Mom?
   1. The most valuable lesson I learned from my mom is family is the most important thing and always comes first. We are always there for each other to celebrate life’s highs and support each other through life’s lows.  
3. What do you feel is your greatest strength as a Mom to your kids?
   1. My greatest strength as a mom to my kids are my children themselves. They are constantly teaching us new things, They open our minds to new experiences and ways of thinking.
4. What is the most important lesson that you want your kids to learn before they launch into the world?
   1. Be a good person, love unconditionally and be open to new ideas and experiences.
5. 5 Fun Facts about you?
   1. I was born and raised in Downers Grove, IL
   2. I have dual citizenship in Spain and the USA
   3. I love to travel
   4. I enjoy cooking
   5. I love rehabbing homes with my husband
6. Your favorite local restaurant
   1. We love everything about Foxtail!

Meet Rochelle

1. What do you love most about being a mother?
   1. The fact that I get to go through life with them and watch them grow and become their own people and have interesting conversations with them.
2. What’s the most valuable lesson you learned from your own Mom?
   1. To ask for what you want/need and be an advocate where you can
3. What do you feel is your greatest strength as a Mom to your kids?
   1. I think I have shown them that moms can do a lot of things and I have taught them to be independent and follow their passions.
4. What is the most important lesson that you want your kids to learn before they launch into the world?
   1. To be empathetic and understand that people have all kinds of different experiences and means and to treat everyone the same regardless of where they come from or what they have or who they are. Love is love.
5. 5 Fun Facts about you?
   1. I have traveled to 30+ countries
   2. I once worked with State Rep. Barack Obama to pass a piece of crucial state regulation
   3. My dad went to Woodstock
   4. I have been a vegetarian for over 25 years
   5. I hosted Adorn512’s very first pop up at my house
6. Your favorite local restaurant
   1. Cadence Kitchen & Co.