This post is part 1 of 6 in the series How I Became a Mother.
Confession time: I’ve never been a real big baby person. I thought babies were cute and all, but I was never the girl to be fawning over them. I also had some rough babysitting gigs as a teenager. I’m not sure if the memories of those naughty children or the fact that I was so focused on building a career had set me back, but something had me unsure if becoming a mother was the right path for me. Also, I was just terrified of childbirth. Yee-ouch!
My husband Luke and I got married fresh out of college. I was 23. He was 24. Between working hard to make it in TV news just to get laid off a few years later, and then starting a new career in the fast-paced field of entertainment marketing, we were busy! I had no driving pull to have a family beyond our two cats.
After a few years of marriage, Luke’s biological clock (do guys have them?) started ticking, and he brought up having a baby. I knew deep down that we would have kids eventually, but I continued to drag my feet. It never seemed to be the “right time.”
Then one day, it hit me like a ton of bricks – I wanted to be a mom. After more than five years of marriage, we decided to give it a try, and our beautiful Charlotte Layna was born on June 11, 2013. I realize now how incredibly blessed I am to have conceived naturally, carried a baby to full-term (plus eight days), and delivered a healthy little human. I know that’s not everyone’s reality. And, even though I had reservations about the “right time” and whether I would be able to “get it right” as a mother, I can’t imagine life without my daughter.
When I think back to June 10, 2013, as we walked into UnityPoint’s Methodist Medical Center to start the scheduled induction, I realize I had no idea what I was in for. Considering the fear and hesitation I had to begin this journey, I was so thankful to have such a great medical team. From the nurses’ good humor and candid answers, to the blessed man with the epidural, to the encouraging doctor who made me feel like an accomplished Olympian while pushing, I truly enjoyed my birthing experience (well, other than the contractions and stitches and all of that – ha). Everyone from the lactation consultant to our sweet discharge nurse was supportive and got us started on the right foot.
Fast-forward two years and our little 8 lb, 5 oz. ginger-baby is now climbing giant slides at the park, saying “bless you” to me when I sneeze, and scolding the cat when he gets too close to her snacks. As I prepare for her second birthday, I reminisce about those first couple days. I became a mother at exactly 1:21 p.m. on June 11, 2013. It’s interesting to think about how that one minute in time is the one and only minute we ever become mothers for the first time. And then we spend the rest of our lives “becoming” the mothers we want and need to be for our children.
Becoming a mother changed me instantly, and it continues to change me for the better on a daily basis. I occasionally think back to the days when I had reservations about having a family and wonder, What was I thinking?! I didn’t know what I was missing, but now I do, and I’m so glad I finally figured it out!
Charlotte, you’re the greatest blessing your dad and I have ever received, and we thank God for you constantly.
Cheers until the next baby (maybe…)!
Read more from our How I Became a Mother series, sponsored by UnityPoint Health – Des Moines:
About Our Series Sponsor
At UnityPoint Health – Des Moines we offer a wide range of Maternity, Pregnancy, and Parenting Services to help guide you through this exciting time. At each of our three Maternity Centers – Iowa Methodist, Iowa Lutheran, and Methodist West – you will find experienced staff and personalized care to help you welcome the newest member of your family. Becoming a parent is a new journey for many, so we offer a wide variety of services, including certified lactation consultants, childbirth education and preparedness classes, perinatal services, and patient care facilitators.
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