Mothers

"A Mother's heart is a vast and glorious thing".
...From the book Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge

I am so often amazed by the strength and beauty of a mother's love for her child. In my job I see it so often, mothers making decisions in childbirth that are best for their children, women sacrificing their needs and desires to care for their children, women giving up their hopes to make sure their child has the best possible chance for a good outcome. I'm not talking about women sacrificing everything that they are or want for their children as their children age (I am an advocate for women pursuing their hopes and dreams even once they are a mother). I am also not criticizing women who take medications during labour. What I am talking about here is the strength I've seen specifically in my pregnant moms (clients/ friends) for protecting their unborn children.

I most recently saw this strength demonstrated in my sister-in-law Leah. Last Wednesday evening we were to have dinner at Mom and Dad Siebert's with family and friends. The evening did not turn out as we imagined because my dear sister-in-law had a bleed at 29 weeks of pregnancy (she has placenta previa). Her and I ended up spending the evening in Exeter emerg and then transporting by Ambulance to a hospital in London. The thing that struck me the most that night was her strength, her courage and her optimism despite receiving the difficult news that she will be spending the rest of her pregnancy in the hospital. Here is a woman who had plans to work, to spend time with her son, to camp and enjoy the summer and now she finds out she'll be in the hospital for months.

Her reaction amazed me. She was extremely calm (she'd had a bleed once already), and POSITIVE about the whole evening. While sitting in Emerg, she shared the reasons why she was grateful that she'd had the bleed when she did. I couldn't believe it. I tend to overreact to negative situations and build up the worst scenarios in my mind, but she was saying all the reasons why she was grateful. It really struck me, she had a real peace, a real strength and she was willing to do anything to keep her baby safe. Even enduring IV's, blood draws and being shifted from bed to bed. I never once heard her complain. She talked about how relieved she was that she had been in Zurich when she had the bleed (so there was someone to watch her son), how glad she'd been to have spent time at the trailer the week before, how much she liked the doctors and appreciated how well they treated her. Her only concerns were for other people: for her unborn baby's saftey and for her husband who would have to leave work and drive to London from Kitchener to see her, and who would be missing his camping trip with a friend now that she was confined to the hospital.

So I write this blog in honour of Leah, and all the other mothers that I know. Who put aside their own desires and endure negative circumstances (with a smile on their face) for the love of their children. For all those pregnant moms that I get to support in labour, who endure pain and the fear of the unknown for the sake of their babies. I see these women emerge on the other side...strong, self-confident and brave. Warrior princesses. Women are truly amazing!!

Mel