A Mother is Born

I took an amazing trip four years ago. I took a journey into motherhood. The year after we were married, I announced to my husband I was pregnant. I was excited and scared. I devoured information about pregnancy and natural childbirth, scrutinized my changing body, reveled in those first kicks, and traced the little baby parts in my belly, trying to guess whether I was feeling an arm or a leg. After nine months of waiting the work began. There’s a reason they call it “labor.” Giving birth is the hardest (and most rewarding) thing I’ve ever done. Time ceased to exist when the contractions became difficult. I took them one at a time. After nine hours of labor we had a healthy baby girl. I finally got to meet the miracle that had been growing inside me, touch the little feet that had been jabbing me, and kiss the cheek of the child who made me a mother.