birth of a mother.

the overlooked birth experience.

birth: n. the emergence of a baby or other young from the body of its mother; the start of life as a physically separate being

Every time a first child is born into a family, another quieter, less celebrated birth takes place. It is an important birth. The birth of a new mother. Each consecutive birth from then out for a woman is empowering and beautiful, but nothing compares to the first, the instant where through labor a woman transforms into a mother. The transformation takes months. The birth experience alone does not make it complete. But in an instant. A woman becomes something so much more than she has ever been. She emerges from herself and becomes more. More aware, more attuned, more reliable, more needed. A mother is more than a woman.

The journey to motherhood is exhausting, strenuous and emotionally taxing. Becoming a mother is a beautiful thing. The birth of a new mother should be celebrated no matter what the circumstances are. Birth, a joyous occasion where baby breathes the first breath of new life, is an experience that brings new life not only to the child now being suckled at her mother's breast but also to the woman who brought her into the world.

Today, a mother was born. A beautiful mother, a strong mother, a woman who through the journey now holds a baby in her arms and heart. Celebrate the journey, not just the destination. Celebrate the trials, not just the joys. Celebrate the birth. celebrate the less acknowledged birth. celebrate the mother. becoming who you are meant to be.