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.

Breastfeeding mom and crying baby

Society isn’t listening to the needs of breastfeeding mothers—they need support, not judgment

Even though research tells us that most women are not able to reach their breastfeeding goals due to factors outside of their control, many women who stop breastfeeding feel like a failure and feel guilt and shame about weaning. 

Updated Nov. 30, 2022

6 things parents should know about IEPs, from a school psychologist

Nobody knows your child better than you. Your child’s IEP team should have school professionals who also want your child to succeed.

Updated Mar. 22, 2024
woman exclusively pumping while baby lays behind her

Exclusively pumping is still breastfeeding, mama—and here are 5 ways to make it easier

Over time, I started to realize that I wasn’t failing at all—just taking a different route.

Updated Jul. 31, 2024
mom watching child play on rocking horse - sahm

8 reasons I love being a stay-at-home mom

Despite all the things that make the role a tough one to maintain, I have truly grown to love the opportunity of staying home with my child.

Updated Sep. 03, 2022
parents helping kids put their backpacks on- morning routine for kids

How to make the transition back to early mornings a little easier for the whole family

Hello to early mornings and a flurry of tasks to complete before 8 a.m.

Updated Jul. 09, 2024
Dad being an engaged parent

What dads do isn’t ‘help’—let’s stop calling it that

We need to proactively work to change the narrative around parenting roles.

Updated Sep. 03, 2022
mother hugging child on bed - bedtimes for kids

I don’t have the ‘perfect’ bedtime for my kid

For some parents, as much as we try to implement structure and routines and systems, those things just don’t work as well as we wish they would.

Updated Sep. 03, 2022
smiling mom and baby lying on bed - quality time

I’m prioritizing time with my baby right now, and that’s OK

Because I know how fleeting time is, and that these precious moments are ones we will never get back.

Updated Sep. 03, 2022
mom hugging son at drop off- mom sad on the first day of school

To the mom who is saddened by the start of school

This year, when you’re swallowing the lump in your throat and waving good-bye and counting down the minutes until pick up, you need to know that someone else feels it too.

Updated Jul. 31, 2024
mom exclusively pumping while baby lays on bed

To my wife who is exclusively pumping: I am in awe of you

"I may not know much about a woman’s body or breastfeeding, but I was super proud and grateful that she was able to go that long trying to breastfeed and pumping."

Updated Aug. 18, 2022
two boys kissing their mom: mom and son

The mother-son bond is tender and unbreakable

The relationship a mama has with her son is powerful, gentle and absolutely beautiful.

Updated Feb. 24, 2025
mom and newborn baby NICU

My NICU experience shaped the way I parent—even three years later

Time is precious. I don't take time for granted. It's not a race to the next milestone.

Updated Jan. 17, 2023
two girls learning to share toys

Why I think it’s important to encourage kids to share

It is possible to be specific and respect boundaries while encouraging kids to share.

Updated Sep. 07, 2022
mom and baby boy - boy mom

Here’s what many people don’t know about being a boy mom

But here’s what many people don’t know: Raising boys has more tender moments than outsiders realize. There are feelings, emotions, and compassion beyond the energetic and loud exterior.

Updated Aug. 07, 2024
mom giving baby a bottle

Why saying “Just Breastfeed!” is harmful to mothers

Saying 'just breastfeed' furthers the misalignment between our expectations for breastfeeding and the realities of so many families’ experiences.

Updated Jan. 18, 2023
happy family sitting on the couch: lazy parenting fosters independence

How ‘lazy parenting’ can encourage kids be more independent

Lazy parenting—despite its misnomer of a name—taps into what parents and kids want and need.

Updated Sep. 07, 2022
couple hugging: to my husband

To my husband: I might not say it enough, but thank you

We didn’t know what life would have in store for us when we said “I do” all those years ago.

Updated Nov. 21, 2022
family laughing on bed - happy kids

5 ways to help parents raise happy kids (that aren’t gifts)

Happiness is something that goes far beyond what you give your children—it lies in how you raise them.

Updated Sep. 07, 2022
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