For all the mammies and mammies to be

My best friend who just had her first baby emailed me this a while ago and i thought it might crop up here but it hasn't so here ye go, I hope ye like it: Being a Mum We are sitting at lunch one day when my daughter casually mentions That she and her husband are thinking of "starting a family." "We're taking a survey," she says half-joking. "Do you think I should have a baby?" "It will change your life," I say, carefully keeping my tone neutral. "I know," she says, "no more sleeping in on weekends, no more spontaneous vacations." But that is not what I meant at all. I look at my daughter, trying to decide what to tell her. I want her to know what she will never learn in childbirth classes. I want to tell her that the physical wounds of child bearing will heal, but becoming a mother will leave her with an emotional wound so raw that she will forever be vulnerable. I consider warning her that she will never again read a newspaper without asking, "What if that had been MY child?" That every plane crash, every house fire will haunt her! That when she sees pictures of starving children, she will wonder if anything could be worse than watching your child die. I look at her carefully manicured nails and stylish suit and think that no matter how sophisticated she is, becoming a mother will reduce her to the primitive level of a bear protecting her cub. That an urgent call of "Mum!" will cause her to drop a soufflé or her best crystal without a moment's hesitation. I feel that I should warn her that no matter how many years she has invested in her career, she would be professionally derailed by motherhood. She might arrange for childcare, but one day she will be going into an important business meeting and she will think of her baby's sweet smell. She will have to use every ounce of discipline to keep from running home, just to make sure her baby is all right. I want my daughter to know that every day decisions will no longer be routine. That a five year old boy's desire to go to the men's room rather than the women's at McDonald's will become a major dilemma. That right there, in the midst of clattering trays and screaming children, issues of independence and gender identity will be weighed against the prospect that a child molester may be lurking in that restroom. However decisive she may be at the office, she will second-guess Herself constantly as a mother. Looking at my attractive daughter, I want to assure her that eventually she will shed the pounds of pregnancy, but she will never feel the same about herself. That her life, now so important, will be of less value to her once she has a child. That she would give herself up in a moment to save her offspring, but will also begin to hope for more years, not to accomplish her own dreams, but to watch her child accomplish theirs. I want her to know that a cesarean scar or shiny stretch marks will become badges of honour. My daughter's relationship with her husband will change, but not in the way she thinks. I wish she could understand how much more you can love a man who is careful to powder the baby or who never hesitates to play with his child. I think she should know that she would fall in love with him again for reasons she would now find very unromantic. I wish my daughter could sense the bond she will feel with women throughout history who have tried to stop war, prejudice and drunk driving. I want to describe to my daughter the exhilaration of seeing your child learn to ride a bike. I want to capture for her the belly laugh of a baby who is touching the soft fur of a dog or cat for the first time. I want her to taste the joy that is so real it actually hurts. My daughter's quizzical look makes me realize that tears have formed in my eyes. "You'll never regret it," I finally say. Then I reached across the table, squeezed my daughter's hand and offered a silent prayer for her, and for me, and for all the mere mortal women who stumble they're way into this most wonderful of callings. Please share this with a Mum that you know or all of your girlfriends who may someday be Mums. May you always have in your arms, the one who is in your heart. Thought this was so lovely even for all of us that are already Mum's and for all those we know that will be becoming Mums. [/b]

Awwww - I'm normally quite tough but that had me going... thanks

God, that is so nice and very emotive. Thanks AB

I have tears in my eyes. Hope nobody walks in.

Wow!

That set me off But its really lovely,thanks

That's so lovely. I'm sitting here at my desk balling

Thats really lovely thanks for sharing it with us MrsNoc

God I have tears in my eyes!!! It's sooo true thanks for sharing it with us!

I'm all teary now....it's such a huge thing to do isn't it? Creating a human. I can relate to the bear cub thing because at my 12 week scan the radiographer had to press my tummy hard to get the child to move so he could get a better look at its back, and the poor thing jumped in the air! I got such a shock when I saw the babies reaction that I very nearly yelled at the radiographer! But I was also stunned to see my child move for the first time. Ah Jesus I am fully sobbing now, Jesus, hormones.........who'd have 'em?