Every Mother's Story

Every mother has a unique story of how they became a mom and the journey that followed. In this series, we will be sharing the stories of mothers from all walks of life and through all ages. Each story is a testament to the strength, love, and resilience of mothers everywhere.

Say "Hello!" to Sarah, a young career-driven woman and first-time mom to a 13 month-old girl. The journey to becoming a mother is has been "interesting" to say the least. Sarah was extremely blessed to have a smooth and frictionless pregnancy. Once, she became a mother, she was on a full roller coaster ride to self-discovery. 

 "I have experienced a lot of self-growth over the last 13 months." said Sarah when we asked her about her motherhood journey. She learned a lot about what she could do and accomplish - physically and mentally, beyond her imagination, where her old self would have gone berserk. She used to think that the challenge was mostly on the baby, but she soon realized that the real challenge was on how she reacted whenever something happened to the baby. She had to learn how to respond with patience and love no matter what. 

Sarah went on to explain that she didn't know that she could survive the days with less than 4 hours of sleep, not eating consistently despite having to breastfeed and have the patience to tend to a crying baby so often. But most importantly, Sarah learned what it means to have a tiny little human being be 100% dependent on her and how she needed to be there for her daughter no matter what she was going through herself. Even when her own needs were unmet, Sarah somehow found inner strength that kept her going. 

The rewarding part was when her baby met milestones such as smiling, giggling, recognizing mommy, or having a tooth. When the baby was unwell and reached out to her for comfort, she felt loved and needed. She was the caretaker, and it made her feel warm inside to know that her baby was safe with her. Being a mother meant protecting and nurturing her child. It gave her life a bigger meaning and purpose, one that was not centred around herself. 

Challenges are inevitable when it comes to motherhood. When her maternity leave came to an end, sending the baby to daycare was mentally challenging for this mother. She had a lot of thoughts about whether someone would be able to take care of her baby like she did. She was tempted to quit, but her mother encouraged her to continue working because that was part of her self-identity. Her mother reminded her that kids only need their parents for about 20 years and that she should not neglect herself. Trusting the process was key.

Culture also played a role in this mother's motherhood journey. Growing up with typical Asian values, being respectful to elders are still upheld in this family, but they have healthy conversations together rather than take an authoritative approach. Sarah appreciates this because it is the type of household she would like to raise her child in.

Balancing motherhood, work, and personal life can be challenging, but this mother found ways to make it work. It took her a few months to adjust to going back to work, but as the baby grows, it's becoming easier as the baby is less reliant on her. Having parents' around are definitely helpful as they help care for her baby when she's unwell. Sarah's husband also helps a lot, and as he gets better at taking care of the baby, it puts Sarah at ease. Sarah also upgraded some home appliances to help ease household chores so that she can spend more time with her baby. 

Sarah's advice to other mothers is to surrender to the journey of motherhood, be that mom, and remember to take care of themselves. She acknowledges that finding balance is a constant struggle and a transformation of an individual. Sarah advises not to overthink and just surrender to the journey of motherhood while taking care of oneself.

We'd love to hear from you about your story or your mother's story - from the first moment of being pregnant to the joys and struggles of raising a child, these stories are a testament to the strength, love, and resilience of mothers everywhere. Join us as we celebrate every mother's story and the beautiful, messy, and wonderful journey that is motherhood. Share with us on our social media or email us at hi@happybunch.com.my.