Mother’s Day – a day to celebrate a mothers tenacity, strength, determination, sacrifice and imperfection. A day set aside for mothers around the world to be celebrated and appreciated for the love, care and unwavering support to their families. A day where a majority of us still wake up exhausted, get to do it all but still wouldn’t change it for the world.
We had the pleasure of interviewing five mothers in different stages and journeys in motherhood with truly inspiring stories. All showing an incredible amount of strength not just to themselves and their families but to every mother out there navigating this journey called motherhood!
It’ll be safe to call them “shero’s”.
Introduction
Tracy battled with infertility and had 4 babies via IVF and a surrogate in under 13 months having 5 children in total, working full time and keeping it all together.
Tiffany has two adorable daughters (after being told she wouldn’t be able to have kids) and is fighting breast cancer sharing her story of resilience and strength.
Meg a plus-size amazing mother turned the negative sayers hurtful words about her weight into building blocks to self-love, is owning her life and taking other mothers along preaching self-worth and acceptance.
Sara, a mother of two is using her social media with hundreds of thousands of followers to showcase what real motherhood really looks like and inspires mothers in the most humorous ways possible.
Lastly, Niyoosha. A determined refugee turned financial Advisor. Mother of two who fought thyroid cancer and is out to let any mother undergoing similar circumstances know that things can still get beautiful.
Meg
Tell us about Meg
I’m a self-loving, wellness-seeking, powerlifting, stay at home mama to 2-year-old Maci. I spent the first part of my life, pre-motherhood, struggling to find my self-worth through dieting and focusing on numbers. It wasn’t until I became a mother that I began to attempt really searching for my true self-worth. Mirrors were never my friend and you would never find me in front of cameras. Something about having a daughter changed a lot for me. I began realizing that I am not a number. My worth is not defined by my weight or my size. And for the very first time, my self-love journey slowly started to begin.
What does “motherhood” mean to you?
Motherhood, to me, is love. It’s heartache, it’s exhaustion and yet it’s fulfilling. It is forwards and backwards and one of the most difficult experiences. It’s never one size fits all.
What made you start sharing your journey?
I started sharing my journey only a few weeks after Maci was born. I struggled with breastfeeding and was spiraling through postpartum depression and a ton of anxiety. I was filled with guilt. I began using my writing as therapy to express my hurt, my frustration, and my heart. This mixed with my body issues created the message I share to this day. From body acceptance to mental health, there’s not much I shy away from.
How do you get by your tough days?
If I’m not writing about it, I’m powerlifting. These are my two outlets. Writing gives me mental peace. Powerlifting gives me physical peace. If neither of these are available for me to do, I focus on my breathing. Something about taking long, deep breaths seems to calm me down and prevent a panic attack.
One Ideology you wish you could change about motherhood?
That working moms and stay-at-home moms each have it easier or harder than the other. All of it is hard. All of it is exhausting. All of it looks like the grass is greener on the other side. And all of us are just doing our best.
Assuming your future 20 year old daughter gets to read this, what would you love her to know?
I would love for her to know that she doesn’t need to change who she is or how she looks in order to be worthy and deserving of love, achievement, and celebration.
One advice to every mom
Time will keep moving forward. And though the days might feel long, the years are short. What works now may not always work for us later. Your plans and decisions can change, and that’s okay. Give yourself grace, mama.
Tracy
Tell us about Tracy
My name is Tracy and I have 5 children. My story is unique because I had 4 children in 13 months (YES, Really). I had one natural birth, one through IVF and my twins through surrogacy. We have 4 babies at home, plus our tween who is 12 yrs old. The story is remarkable and we are thankful for our life. Although, we’ve come to realize with this whole experience that we have to always be on the offensive, constantly anticipating needs and situations, otherwise the kids completely take over. My husband and I both work full time and feel like we have mastered the balancing act. We are great partners at managing 5 children.
What does “motherhood” mean to you?
Nothing compares to motherhood. To me, being a mom means laughing, loving, living in the moment, learning and leading. As my children’s mother, I am their protector and would sacrifice anything for them. I just want to equip my kids with the knowledge, skills and ability to give them the best life.
What made you start sharing your journey?
Our journey was complicated, difficult and emotional. Even though we were faced with many challenges, we never gave up. I want others to never give up because anything is possible. If you look at my story you can see that this is true. I am very open about the fact that we did IVF and used a surrogate. It is important women understand there are other alternatives, so they must be open minded.
How do you get by your tough days?
I know how lucky I am to have my children. They really do not stress me, because I am so grateful to the life I have been given. Infertility is something several women face. I think when you go through what I did with IVF 4x, a hedge with a surrogate, a miscarriage…when you finally have success and have a baby you have incredible perspective. I would take exhaustion any day to have my kids.
One ideology you wish you could change about motherhood
I wish men can have babies! Ha
Assuming your future 20 year old children gets to read this, what would you love her to know?
I want them to know they are the best thing that ever happen to me. I love them so much and it is a love that no one can explain. It’s the most unconditional and eternal love one can ever imagine. I tell my son Hunter that I will always be by his side for everything and anything. When my 4 babies gets older I want them to know that too. My support is unwavering.
One advice to every mom
Kids do not need a perfect mom, they need a happy one!
Tiffany
Tell us about Tiffany
My name is Tiffany. I’m a wife and mom to two little girls, pediatric nurse, and breast cancer thriver. On my Instagram page I document my life through photos as I navigate motherhood and family life while dealing with a diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer.
What does “motherhood” mean to you?
Motherhood has literally been the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I was first diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer in 2010. I was a newlywed and was looking forward to starting a family. With that diagnosis I was told that my treatment for breast cancer which included chemotherapy and other medications, would likely cause fertility issues and I would possibly have a difficult time having children naturally. I finished chemo and a few years later with my oncologist’s blessing, began my journey to motherhood. I was able to naturally conceive not once, but twice! So motherhood isn’t something I take lightly. Even on my worst days, I remain thankful for my little blessings.
What made you start sharing your journey?
I started sharing my journey originally as a diary of sorts for myself. I enjoy taking pictures and it was an easy way to keep them organized in one place. I realized that people enjoyed seeing something “real” on social media. It’s easy to get caught up in all the perfect and beautiful things that we see on social media. Those things are great, but it’s not always reality. I wanted to share with people my good, bad, and ugly as way to connect with other moms and women in general. My hope is to inspire someone who may be going through the same everyday musings that I am.
How do you get by your tough days?
On my tough days I look to my girls for inspiration. I have to keep fighting for them. They need the best version of me possible. Sometimes that means taking a break for myself. A little “me time” as a mom (and breast cancer thriver) goes a long way. So I may go get my nails done, go to Target alone, or go on a date with my hubby. Sometimes all I need is a trip to Starbucks and an un-rushed shower (lol!).
One ideology you wish you could change about motherhood
One ideology about motherhood that I would change is trying to have every mom fit the same mold. Some women work, some don’t. Some breastfeed, some bottle feed. Some moms are very protective, and some allow their kids a little more freedom. Motherhood is hard enough without having to compare and compete. At the end of the day, we are all trying to do what’s best for our kiddos.
Assuming your future 20 year old children gets to read this, what would you love her to know?
If my children get to read this 20 years from now I’d want them to know that I love them so deeply today, tomorrow, and forever. They are the best thing to ever happen to me.
One advice to every mom
My advice to other moms out there is to hold tight to all the little moments. Embrace the good and the bad. It may sound cliche but it’s true; the days are long but the years are short. It all flies by so quickly. When the bad days come, just hold on because there is so much goodness around the corner. You are who you’re children need, and you were made for this. And always remember, YOU ARE A GOOD MOM!
Sara
Tell us about Sara
My name is Sara, I am a mother of two. Liam who turns 5 this summer and little Emma who is one year old. My job is social media where I talk about and show all sides of motherhood.
What “motherhood” means to you?
The first Word that pops up is love. That amazing strong loving feeling you have as a mother, how you just suddenly want to put your kids first no matter what. The amazing journey that is exhausting, hard, but most of all amazing.
What made you start sharing the content you post?
Because with my first pregnancy I felt so alone. I didn’t know what was normal, I felt like no one talked about the sides of motherhood that’s hard. So I wanted to share my experience and show that it’s okay to have a messy house and stretchmarks, its okay to not be the picture-perfect mom.
How do you get by your tough days?
I think the most important thing that helps me is to understand that the hard parts of motherhood and the first year with a baby is just that, one year. I don’t stress about the things they need to learn like sleeping on their own or in their own room. I think things should happen at their own speed and try to remember how much I will miss them when they are grown and do not need me as much as now.
One ideology you wish you could change about motherhood?
The bad conscience. How we always judge ourselves as mothers. We need to give ourselves a break and focus on the fact that we are raising the next generation. It’s the most important job you can do, and other things can wait without you feeling bad about it❤️
Assuming your future 20 year old children get to read this, what would you love them to know?
That I am proud of them. That I will always be there. They can always call, talk, or visit me. No matter what happens, I want them to know that I’m there and will support them.
One advice to every mom!
My best advice must be to listen to your own mom-heart. When you have kids you get 1000 opinions from everyone, but YOU know what’s best for YOUR child 😍 Every family is different, and what others do may not be right for yours. Believe in yourself and your instincts, don’t let social media or people affect you too much.
Niyoosha
Tell us about Niyoosha
My name is Niyoosha, I live in Australia. I have a two-year-old baby girl and a one-year-old baby boy. I came to Australia as a refugee, studied hard, and became a financial advisor. I absolutely love fitness and a healthy positive lifestyle and that’s what I promote on my Instagram page.
What does “motherhood” mean to you?
Motherhood means the world to me, there is no better feeling in the world! It absolutely has its ups and downs but honestly my daughter’s cuddles, kisses and smiles makes everything beautiful. You just have to learn to be patient and appreciate being a mother! Once you learn to be grateful, you’ll enjoy the motherhood journey more.
What made you start sharing your journey?
I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer two weeks after my wedding, it was such a scary thought. I started googling (as you would these days) and all I could find were negative comments from people about putting on weight, being depressed, not having kids, and so on after their treatment. I wanted to change that for young girls who are being diagnosed with this particular cancer daily and promote positivity and show them you can still stay fit, become a mom and enjoy every day of your life after thyroid cancer!
How do you get by your tough days?
Gratitude is definitely the key for me, I remind myself how blessed I am to first of all be healthy, to have my family and a healthy baby. People take a lot of things for granted and make things much more difficult in their heads. We need to learn to appreciate everything we have.
One ideology you wish you could change about motherhood
It really disappoints me seeing mothers being judged for every little thing they do. We have to understand and support each other, every pregnancy, body, and baby is different. You CAN NOT compare yourself and your babies to others. People’s culture and lifestyle are different and every mom is trying their best to survive day to day and wanting the best for their babies. The last thing she wants is being judged and being told that she has to do her “motherhood” in a certain way. As long as you’re feeding your baby (breastfeeding, bottle feeding, or both), as long as you’re giving them love and surviving every day, you’re doing an amazing job! Don’t put so much pressure on yourself
Assuming your future 20 year old children get to read this, what would you love them to know?
I wish you could feel how amazing I feel seeing your every milestone, from the moment I held you it was love at first sight. Motherhood can be difficult some days but thank you for making it easier for me with your cuddles and smiles. I hope you grow up to be a caring, adventurous girl with values and knowing I’ll always be here for you.
One advice to every mom!
Do not compare your body, your baby, or your pregnancy with others! We’re all different. Do not put so much pressure on yourself to be a perfect mom! In your child’s eyes, you’re the perfect mother! Your child needs your happiness more than anything, try to enjoy every second of motherhood because they really grow up way too quickly. Be supportive of each other and don’t judge other moms. Appreciate every mom with every body shape, parenting style, and all! Your way might be perfect for you but not for others ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Wishing every woman trying to conceive, expecting mothers, new moms and experienced mothers a HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!
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1 comment
Wow! Thank you! I continuously wanted to write on my blog something like that. Can I take a portion of your post to my site?