Motherly Stories - Essays About Being A Mom - Motherly
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Motherly Stories

Motherhood changes us. Celebrate the ups and downs with these honest, insightful essays about becoming—and being—a mom.

mom holding baby working from home - mental load survey

It’s official: the mental load is hurting your relationship with your partner, survey finds

A new study uncovered just how much of a toll family planning takes on romantic relationships

Updated Jul. 23, 2024
my motherhood journey

Your motherhood journey might look different than what you expected—and that’s OK

Sometimes, it's the things you didn't expect, didn't need, or didn't do that shape who you become as a mother

Updated Jul. 23, 2024
mom parenting teenagers walking with preteens outdoors

I’m a much better parent of tweens than I was of toddlers

I’m a limited, fallible, inadequate parent to teenagers—and I’m grateful for it every day

Updated Jul. 22, 2024
mom soothing baby - encouragement for moms

These words from a stranger reframed my view on motherhood

Maybe she has been in my shoes before and remembered how fleeting this season is—even in the midst of the hard moments.

Updated Jul. 22, 2024
mom, dad and two kids holding hands standing at the beach during sunset and one child is jumping

I took my kids out of school for 3 months to travel—and we’re doing it again

The kids learned more in that time than they ever would have in a history class in school because they got to see things up close, in person.

Updated Jul. 19, 2024
childhood dream came true- woman standing on diving board

My childhood dream came true at the pool—as a 37-year-old mother of two

After years of aging, being a foodie and birthing two children, my whole body jiggles, but I own it. It has shown me sacred strength, earning my unparalleled respect.

Updated Jul. 18, 2024
mom hugging toddler on kitchen counter - potty training post-mortem

Potty training post-mortem: What went wrong, how we recovered and what we learned

Things started off well, then fell apart. We couldn’t believe how hard the process was.

Updated Jul. 21, 2024
bereaved parents club- sad woman sitting on couch

An invitation to the bereaved parents club 

This is paradoxical: to love and to lose in this way. It’s unthinkable, and yet here we are.

Updated Jul. 12, 2024
detaching from social media- mom playing with smiling baby

Detaching from social media made me fall back in love with my life—exactly as it is

For anyone feeling overwhelmed by the pressures of social media, I encourage you to consider taking a break.

Updated Jul. 12, 2024
mom and two kids on top of mountain - katy-robin garton adventuring outdoors with kids

Adventuring outdoors with kids: It’s not about the gear, it’s about connection

If you’re feeling hesitant about getting out there, this is for you.

Updated Jul. 06, 2024
best friends in pajamas playing karaoke - what is a sleepunder

If you’re against sleepovers, give ‘sleepunders’ a try

There's more to this great alternative!

Updated Jul. 03, 2024
mom in swimming suit on beach with young daughters

Wear the bathing suit and let your kids see you happy and confident in it

Our bodies are beautiful and swimsuit-ready just as they are.

Updated Jul. 03, 2024

I was conflicted about having a third child—here’s what I’ve learned during my daughter’s first year

Our life is busier and louder, but it is also so much brighter now that she’s here.

Updated Jun. 26, 2024
woman laying in hammock

Summer is here—and so is my mom guilt

Nobody needs me right now, but I still feel that my value is tied to my usefulness.

Updated Jun. 18, 2024
relocating-for-a-better-life- little girl with suitcase at airport and bluey in the car

Relocating for ‘better’: This Bluey episode reminds me of my own complicated feelings about starting over 

Watching Bandit tell Bluey that their move would mean a better life for them all has made me question whether our own move truly has been better for all of us. 

Updated Jun. 21, 2024
mother holding child close up - recovered from postpartum psychosis ppp

I recovered from postpartum psychosis: Here are 5 things I learned

And now, I’m actually grateful for my experience.

Updated Jun. 21, 2024

PSA: You are allowed to feel sexy postpartum

There’s a power, a love, a strength emanating from me—even with a stye, leaky breasts and a colicky baby.

Updated Jun. 13, 2024
family camping sitting on car roof - camping safety tips for parents

5 camping safety tips for parents, from an emergency medicine doctor

What to know before you go, from managing bug bites to heat illness to sunburns.

Updated Jun. 17, 2024
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