Motherly Stories - Essays About Being A Mom - Motherly
×

Motherly Stories

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

ER nurse tying her hair cap

This viral post from an ER nurse about separating from her child is heartbreaking

"I feel punished for having to be the 'good guy.' I have to send my 3.5yo child away. I won't get to visit her. I won't get to hug her. I won't get to tuck her in at night. We have FaceTime, and that's it. For up to a month, or who knows how long...and many of my coworkers have had to do the same."

Updated Feb. 08, 2022
pregnant mom holding belly

Pregnant mamas—our babies are the hope the world needs right now

We're growing our babies during a monumental time in our world's history.

Updated Sep. 14, 2022
women holding and looking at baby while baby looks at camera

Taylor on how she finally admitted to her husband she needed help

"I packed a bag at one point so I could run away in the middle of the night. I told myself that they would be OK. He could find a wife that wasn’t such a burden and didn’t cry all the time. My daughter could have a mom that didn’t get angry at every little thing."

Updated Jan. 06, 2023
sad woman leaning against a wall

I lost my job because of the coronavirus pandemic

My boss called and asked if I could come into the office for a quick meeting. My stomach sank. I knew what was coming

Updated Jan. 27, 2022
mom kissing her newborn son on the cheek while they both lay on the floor

Toni on what she wants moms to know about postpartum depression

"What was postpartum depression? No one told me this could happen. No one told me I wasn't a failure if I experienced it. No one told me they were there for me if I was struggling or there were steps I could take to heal."

Updated Oct. 20, 2022
mom carrying toddler on her back

I saved so much mental energy when I quit social media

I'm learning to accept that likes, loves and share reactions don't define my parenting or who I am as a person.

Updated Feb. 14, 2022
couple kissing

We both feel invisible in new parenthood—but I promise, I see you

I see a growing love for our daughter that is the most beautiful thing I have ever witnessed in our decade together.

Updated Sep. 30, 2022
Raising strong Black women - A daughter kissing her mother's cheek

Black History Month: Teaching my daughters to celebrate Black women’s strength

Mothering Black girls, for me, can be fraught with the responsibility of teaching them Black women's stories while clearing space for them to write their own.

Updated Feb. 09, 2023
mom holding a baby and sitting next to a toddler on a plane

To the parents worrying about taking your kids on a flight—you can do this

Kids are not robots and we can't control their every move—no matter how much we prepare.

Updated Jun. 13, 2022
couple snuggling on the couch

Our favorite date night is movies & takeout

If prioritizing your marriage doesn't look like dates out on the town, you're okay. Your marriage isn't doomed.

Updated Jan. 28, 2022

I couldn’t have gotten through early motherhood without you

She must have sensed my neediness, because she invited me, a fragile stranger, into her apartment. It was cozy and inviting, strewn with kid stuff and safely baby-proofed. I lay my little one on a blanket on the floor and took a deep breath in, relaxing for the first time in ages.

Updated Jan. 27, 2022
child eating breakfast at the kitchen table- picky eater

How I learned to cope with my child being a picky eater

He won't eat new things—but I was like that, too.

Updated Feb. 22, 2024
woman sits in bed and looks at pregnancy test - announced pregnancy early

I didn’t wait three months to announce my pregnancy

Did you share your pregnancy early or did you wait?

Updated Dec. 20, 2022

The incomparable magic of my baby’s first giggle

Observing him has taught me a lot about human nature. Namely, how did he learn how to make this sound?

Updated Jan. 11, 2023
husband kissing wife on the head

What I want my kids to know about real love

Even when it seems like it would just be easier not to. It is always, always worth it.

Updated Mar. 23, 2023

Kezia on when she knew she wasn’t OK and needed help

I’ve never understood depression. I’ve never understood the stigma. Or the severity, until the day I did.

Updated Sep. 29, 2022
×