20 reasons why being a mom of 3 totally rocks

Congrats—you have three kids! Or maybe you’re a mom of two who just popped positive on a home pregnancy test (?) and are wondering what exactly you’ve gotten yourself into.

As moms of three, we’re here to spill some secrets: It. Is. Amazing.

Don’t let scary articles on the Internet or strangers’ unsolicited comments worry you: having a trio of tiny people is totally awesome.

As moms of three, here are 20 reasons why this life rocks:

1. Newborns don’t scare you

Remember when your firstborn came along and you had no clue what you were doing? But now, late night feedings feel like old hat and you’ve got a lactation consultant’s number already saved in your phone. You’ve already built up incredible muscles in this momlife, so you have the confidence to deal with newborns like a pro.

2. You learn to accept your amazing body

With three kids, there’s little time to fret about love handles or silvery stretch marks. You want to model self-empowerment for your (many!) kids and decide that the three humans you made are proof enough that you = amazing hotness.

3. You can actually enjoy what’s precious about each stage

By the time you have three kids, you realize just how fast it all goes. Your third baby brings so much pure joy—unlike the first time around when that joy was mixed with nervousness and worry about if you were doing it right. (You were, you just didn’t realize it, mama.) By the third baby, it’s all joy.

4. You get the most out of your hand-me-downs

Kids products and clothes can get expensive, but the budget goes a LOT further if you pass those items down to multiple children. Plus you don’t mind investing in a nicer version of an outfit or piece of gear because you know you’ll get real use out of it—making more room in the budget for mom + baby items you adore.

5. You become a master of efficiency

Give a mom-of-three 30 minutes and she’ll vacuum the house, answer 4 work emails, pinch her husband’s butt and squeeze in a power shower. And take several very deep, long breaths while alone in her closet.

6. Your children become more independent—by necessity

Ever try to breastfeed your baby while getting your older kids out the door for school? You quickly learn that tots need to dress themselves and take some responsibility around here for once! ? Because a mama-of-three’s attention is (understandably) divided and she can’t possibly do everything for everyone, kids learn to care for their basic needs sooner. And they can actually do it! Even preschoolers can do things like pour themselves water, put their shoes on and brush their teeth with some coaching. (Psst, this is really good for them, too!)

7. You become open-hearted

By the time you have three kids, your sense of control is gone—in a good way. Your heart opens to the stray cat who needs a home, the friend who needs a place to crash for a few days, and the little old lady who needs visitors. You know you can’t do everything, but realize that this season of your life is full of people and service and sacrifice. Your heart opens up to it.

8. You learn how to simplify

With three kids, the “stuff” can really pile up. Moms-of-three learn that life is better with less, and we choose to let it GOOOOO (sing it Elsa.) And P.S., learn how we do it with The Simplified Home, Motherly’s 48 hour decluttering class. Seriously, life-changing.

9. You cook in bulk like a pro

Give a mom of three two hours on Sunday night and she’ll make oatmeal for the week, Instapot enough frozen chicken to last until Super Bowl Sunday, and pack lunch for three. She’s got this.

10. You know where to get the best deal on everything

Bulk coffee? Amazon. Bulk diapers? Walmart. Bulk. . . vacations (can that be a thing?). . . Airbnb?

11. But you only spend money on what really matters

Like OMG bonnets. Yes, three kids can get pricey. But with a budget to stretch, moms-of-three say “bye bye!” to wasting money on needless activities, cheap junk, or overpriced clothes. You learn to spend money on what really matters: simple, high quality toys—and a babysitter for date night out.

12. Your negotiation skills are on point

Used car salesmen know better than to try to out-negotiate a mom of three. You just dealt with your oldest’s Peppa-pig related meltdown, while convincing your toddler to eat her broccoli, while shushing a baby back to sleep over the video monitor. Hostage negotiators have nothing on these mamas.

13. Your friends see you as their motherhood guru

“Share your sleeping-through-the-night secrets with me, oh wise one.” You are the all-knowing one of your mom squad, and your friends have nothing but respect. (Smart ladies.)

14. You get really creative about sex

“Hey, the baby’s asleep, our preschooler is at a playdate and I think our oldest is working on a coloring book. We’ve got 9 minutes… meet me upstairs?”

15. Sitting 3-across car seats (it can be done)

Yes, it can be done. By squeezing your three into the back seat, you’re a one-woman HOV lane. You don’t need to upgrade to a bigger car (yet!) if you don’t want to. You make energy efficiency look so good.

16. You rock babywearing

You know those amazingly-cool-looking, Boho-chic Instagram mamas wearing their babies all wrapped up while sipping Tumeric tea as a Spring breeze floats by? THIS IS YOU. With two other kids to keep track of, babywearing becomes a way of life. (Ahem: free hands, FTW!) You trendy thang, you.

17. You’ve got the whole birth order thing down

With a trio of kids, birth order becomes super real to you. Your oldest aims to please, your middle is adaptive, and your baby is, well—he’s your baby. Many of the insights around birth order apply—and help you understand what each of your children needs.

18. No child left behind

When you have three kids you’ve entered constant-child-counting land, making sure nobody gets left behind at Chuck E. Cheese. One-two-three, one-two-three might sound like a dance move, but it’s the rhythm of counting that moms do to make sure everyone is A-OKAY.

19. Your littles love on each other

There’s nothing cuter than your older kids fawning over the “widdle bay-bee.” Watching your kids develop a bond with each other is one of the most life-affirming things to witness—knowing they’re going to get to be buds for the rest of their lives.

20. You actually make time for self-care

With 3 kids, self-care is not optional—in fact, it becomes a way to make sure you are up to the daily challenge. Whether it’s rising up early to drink coffee in silence, finding a gym with built-in childcare (score!) or handing off the Saturday morning shift to dad, moms-of-three know that self-care is essential. If only we could have known that as first-time-mamas!