Real Moms of the South End, or A Real Mom's Confession to a New Mom

Recently I made the decision to bring A Mom Is Born's New Mom’s Groups back into my living room, where they started five years ago.  But five years ago, my couch didn’t sag. I didn’t have duct tape covering the metal in the frame, but I do now because errant pieces of spring can poke holes in people’s pants.  Five  years ago, I didn’t have a cat, who like all cats, sheds  and requires far more
vacuuming than I do.  Five years ago I only had 2 children whose books, toys, knickknacks and socks covered most flat surfaces in my house.  Now I have 3
children, and whoever said that each child in the family adds exponentially to
the number of kids you previously had…that person was right.

It’s a smart business decision to hold groups in my home, but as hesitant as I am to show my clients the fingerprints on my kitchen appliances, as frightened as I am that a baby’s pacifier will fall to the floor and force a mom to get on hands and knees, eye level with the dust and cheerios and errant beads under my couch, it fits in with my commitment to help moms have a healthy, positive, and empowering experience in the childbearing year.

How? Part of my work is to keep things real. What were the expectations of new
motherhood, and how do they compare to the reality? Where do those expectations come from? What are the perceptions held by new mothers about themselves and about other new mothers, and how do they compare with the reality? Well, I am a mother of 3 young children with competing physical and emotioanl needs, and their needs consume me.  I am also a working mom, and my client needs compete with my children’s needs.  I’m not a good housekeeper, and I don’t have a cleaning lady. And the cabinet that houses my television is almost never closed, because TV is a necessary parenting tool in my busy house.  In many ways, I am no different than the women in my group; perhaps I’m just fast-forwarded a few years.  

This is motherhood, as real and imperfect as it gets.  Please come join the loving madness, Thursdays at 10AM starting November 29th. Bring your baby, 12 weeks and younger. And because I was a new mom one, too, I've got breakfast waiting for you. And I serve it on real plates, because you deserve it, Mother. Just ignore the chips in the dishes.

Maria is the owner of A Mom Is Born, providing support services to pregnant women and new mothers. To learn more, please visit www.AMomIsBorn.com