When my oldest daughter was a newborn, she had reflux and would stop breathing.I lived in a constant state of panic. I slept with my head next to her bassinet, listening to her breathe, never fully resting. I would watch her chest rise and fall, over and over, just to make sure she was still there. The job never stopped. That was the beginning.
Now my husband and I have four children, and they are our world. It all started in those early years with the constant care, long nights, endless laundry and the soft newborn snuggles. Being a mother comes with the fear you carry quietly. The way your body stays alert even when you’re exhausted. The instinct to protect that never really turns off.
My daughter is an adult now. She’s strong, smart, capable, and one of my very best friends. Sometimes I look at her and think about how far we’ve come from those nights beside the bassinet. I’m so grateful we made it here. That’s one of the miracles of motherhood. You give everything at the beginning, and one day you get to watch the amazing people they become.
Motherhood is made up of moments like that, but it’s also made up of a thousand things no one ever sees.
Getting up early to make breakfast so it’s hot and ready before your kids head out the door. Washing laundry so the soccer uniform is clean for practice. Picking up dirty socks scattered across the floor. Cleaning out closets and making sure they have the right clothes in the right size. Stocking the fridge with their favorite snacks so when their friends come over, they feel welcome.
Each little act of service builds to create a home where kids feel loved in every corner of their lives. A home they’re comfortable in. A home they want to bring their friends to because they know they’ll be welcomed there too.
That’s the work mothers do constantly. And so much of it goes unseen and unrecognized.
Another moment that shaped me as a mother came a few years later, when my second son went through a difficult year medically. He had multiple surgeries in a short amount of time, including having a tumor removed from his knee and later his appendix taken out. I sat by his side through every surgery. I stayed with him as he recovered. I made his favorite food. Put on his favorite shows. Sat with him through the pain.
That’s what motherhood often looks like. Being there. Over and over again.
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Motherhood is full of contrasts. Fear and pride. Exhaustion and gratitude. The long nights and the moments where you step back and think, how did we get here?
I think it’s important to pause and remember this work. Not just on one day, but more often than we do. To acknowledge all the things mothers carry, and all the things our mothers carried for us. And also to recognize those who may not be mothers themselves, but show up as caregivers, mentors, and steady presences in the lives of our children and our families.
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