5 times Serena Williams mom-ed like a boss

1. When she won her 23rd Grand Slam while pregnant

When Williams announced her pregnancy she was met by both congratulations and confusion. Few people have the athletic ability to do something like win the Australian Open, so when the world learned that she was eight weeks pregnant when she did that, plenty of people could hardly believe it. That’s a #momboss.

2. When she used her personal trauma to raise awareness

It’s not just Williams’ incredible athletic ability, but the incredible way she has used her own experiences as a mother to support other women that makes her so admirable.

Serena had to advocate for herself in the maternity ward the day after her C-section , she told Vogue , when a pulmonary embolism threatened her life. This lead to a series of traumatic medical events that left her bed bound for the first several weeks of her daughter’s life. Williams used her celebrity status to advocate for mothers who don’t have the resources she does.

“According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, black women in the United States are over three times more likely to die from pregnancy or childbirth-related causes. But this is not just a challenge in the United States. Around the world, thousands of women struggle to give birth in the poorest countries. ” she later wrote for CNN.

3. When she launched a business as a postpartum mama

In May the new mom started a new business venture—a clothing line that shares her first name. “After 15 years of false starts, and people in fashion telling me “no,” it only only drove me to work harder. As a result, I discovered what it meant to invest in myself, and I allowed that belief in myself to drive me to reach my dream,” she wrote on Instagram.

“Never stop believing in yourself, you’re worth it,” she ended the post, giving us words for every mama to live by.

4. When she didn’t let her Wimbleton loss crush her

Williams lost to Angelique Kerber at Wimbledon when she was just 10 months out from giving birth. She’s battled her way back to the tennis courts and trained as hard as anyone could imagine. But coming back to work after having a baby is hard, and whether you go to an office or a stadium, there are always setbacks.

In her post-match interview Williams explained that the loss wouldn’t hold her back, and that her journey had just begun. She offered some inspiring words for her fellow mamas.

“For all the moms out there, I was playing for you today. And I tried. I look forward to continuing to be back out here and doing what I do best,” she said.

5. All the times she was honest about how hard this all is

Williams could present the world with a pretty picture of motherhood, but she doesn’t. She’s honest about the ups and downs, her struggles with unfolding the stoller, breastfeeding , postpartum weight loss, and guilt over missing milestones . She’s even been honest about mid-flight toddler vomit.

Motherhood is challenging, but Williams is clearly up for the challenge, and by sharing her stories, she’s sharing some of her confidence with the rest of us.