‘Her whole world could be breaking, but for her children, she’ll always smile. Being everyone’s everything isn’t easy.’: Mom says ‘behind those smiles, my beautiful fellow mothers, I see you’ 

“A picture says a thousand words doesn’t it? A mother happily smiling with her newborn baby?

Well, to be honest, it wasn’t a magical moment where the heavens opened up. I had a three day on and off labor, a posterior one, which meant baby was the wrong way, and the labor pain was all on my back. I begged for an epidural, and was guilted with my choice. It was also patchy, so I could feel parts of my body.

But, for the photo? I smiled.

My baby came out with the cord around his neck, struggling to breathe, exhausted from being pushed out and then sucked back in by my somewhat defective birth cannon. He was taken from me and gone for hours, while I had nurses squeezing my breasts like they were trying to get out the secrets to eternal life. I felt like a sore cow.

But, for the photo? I smiled.

You can see my legs up in stirrups, and it’s not because I was riding a horse. I was being stitched up by a random woman in scrubs, who introduced herself to my lady bits with a needle, and didn’t even tell me her name. I felt everything. I was crying in pain.

But, for the photo? I smiled.

Because that’s what we do. We smile. We try to hold it all together. Right from the moment we give birth, we try to make it perfect. Even when we are struggling.

But, behind those smiles, my beautiful fellow mothers, I see you.

Being everyone’s everything isn’t easy. Being the person who keeps everything going isn’t easy. Your strength, your capabilities, your determination, your love… it’s admirable. It’s amazing. You are amazing. To struggle isn’t a failure.
To cry isn’t a failure. To say ‘enough’ isn’t a failure.

Motherhood is fragile. And, behind every mother’s smile is a strength that is incomparable. A woman who never quits, and in the toughest times, shows the world her bravest face. Her whole world could be breaking, but for her children, she will always smile.”

This story was submitted to Love What Matters by Laura Mazza, where it originally appeared. Follow Laura on Instagram here. Do you have a similar experience? We’d like to hear your important journey. Submit your own story here. Be sure to subscribe to our free email newsletter for our best stories, and YouTube for our best videos.

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