Let’s be real with each other.
The biggest part of my life right now is being “mom.” I will be straight-up honest with you: I was never the girl who grew up dreaming about motherhood. I figured I might have kids one day, because that’s what you’re “supposed to do.” It just was never a clear and bright vision for me.
I think it’s so inspiring that there are women who just know, with every fiber of their being, that they were meant to be moms and meant to shepherd their little ones through life. I admire that so deeply.
But me? I often felt guilty that I didn’t feel that same intense pull – not when we were considering pregnancy, not during it, and honestly, not even consistently over these first two years of motherhood.
Do I absolutely love being a mom to my son? A thousand percent.
I feel deeply connected to him – like I was meant to be his mom.
But calling myself “a mom” still feels strange sometimes. Like a role I’m still getting used to. It’s the oddest distinction: I always feel like his mom, but not always like a mom.
I haven’t heard many women really talk about that. About how, for some women, motherhood can feel like an out-of-body experience. At the pediatrician, when they call his name and ask, “Are you mom and dad?,” I always feel a tiny jolt before I respond: “Yes, we are.”
The Emotional Whirlwind of First-Time Motherhood
Being a first-time mom is a mixed bag of emotions, experiences, and messes.
I went into it pretty clear-eyed. I’m practical, type-A, highly optimistic but grounded. I knew hormones would go wild. I knew we’d be sleep-deprived. I knew crying would rattle my nerves and put me on edge.
But when it all actually happened?
It was like being hit by a tidal wave. It was everything I expected and nothing I could have imagined—at the same time. My experience felt otherworldly. And still, even now, I sometimes think: Is this real? Am I really a mom?
“Sleep Now While You Can”
The amount of advice you get as a new mom is… astounding.
My silly favorite? “Sleep now while you can.”
As if there’s a bank of sleep you can withdraw from later. That one makes me chuckle. Most of it comes from kind hearts and good intentions, of course. But honestly? Nothing – and I mean nothing – can prepare you for being a first-time mom.
I read the books. I saved the pins. I downloaded the trackers and apps. But when you’re in the trenches, every bit of that wisdom seems to vanish into the emotional whirlwind of the moment.
And yet, there are moments so magical, they stitch themselves into your soul.
I remember weeping when I looked into his eyes for the first time, because he has his dad’s eyes and eyelashes – the lucky dude.
My cheeks hurt so bad from smiling when he wobbled his first steps to me just after his first birthday.
Or how his whole body melts into mine during a post-nap cuddle in the rocking chair. I can recall that feeling so viscerally.
These moments are etched into my heart. I would do anything for him.
What I Hope To Build Here
Being a first-time mom is hard.
And joyful.
And overwhelming.
And peaceful.
It’s all of it, all at once.
Through this blog, I hope to connect with other women on this journey—women who are navigating their own versions of “becoming mom.” I want us to share it together, so we all know: We’re never alone.
Let’s Connect!
Did motherhood hit you in unexpected ways too?
Leave a comment below or share your story—I’d love to hear how you’ve navigated your first-time mom journey.
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Author Bio
Hi, I’m Jenna—a first-time mama, dream chaser, and encourager of women stepping into bold new chapters. On this blog, I write about motherhood, life, entrepreneurship, and everything in between—because we’re not meant to do any of it alone.