Maternity

 

Drawing with color pencils by Amarie 

Young bride, it is a state that one hopes for and dreads at the same time. It is the unknown world that opens to the young woman, and the doubt remains about whether she can handle all the stages up to childbirth, the course of which and the outcome of which are unknown. It is a journey of emotions, challenges, and discoveries. Motherhood is much more than just a state. It is a complex journey filled with intense joys, upheavals, and unique experiences.
The only thing I realized with certainty was that the average duration of a pregnancy is nine months. I found this term extremely long! My pregnancy was accompanied by multiple physical transformations: weight gain, changes in body shape, hormonal fluctuations, mood swings, sudden fatigue, cravings, uncontrollable hunger, and the emergence of new ailments like aversion to the smell of morning coffee and, above all, digestive issues characterized by nausea and vomiting. These changes were both a source of fascination and discomfort. On a psychological level, my day was divided between an ambivalence of happiness and apprehension, an oscillation between serenity and anxiety in the face of the unknown. Fortunately, time was precious, and the profession engulfed all my worries. Besides, I had no one to confide my doubts and my anxieties to and to seek advice from. "Each pregnancy is a unique journey," my dear family doctor assured me. "Don't worry, I'm here!" My prenatal care was provided by a physiotherapist with her weekly light exercises, regular check-ups with my gynecologist in Bruges, and my local doctor for minor ailments. They all try to reassure me as best as they can to ensure a positive pregnancy. My delivery would take place, if possible, in a hospital setting. I worked until the evening before, making sure to give birth before the medical service opened the next morning with an ultra-fast, taxi-style delivery.
My motherhood was ahead of its time in the difficult context of the movement for women's place in society and the not-so-easy reconciliation of professional and family life at the time. We were already exposing ourselves to numerous family and societal criticisms, firmly challenging ancestral norms. While the support of those around becomes crucial during the pivotal period in the lives of the mother and child, one struggles with misunderstanding, exhaustion, hormonal upheavals, identity questions, baby blues, and the increased mental and physical load. It is a delicate transition where the mother-child relationship is established and the confrontation with the new role, that of a parent, takes place. My primary goal: to be a good mother despite the challenges. Succeed in balancing everything, offering the best to your child. It was essential to value my atypical journey, to accept imperfection, and to remind myself that every story is legitimate. Despite the challenges, motherhood is rich in happiness: first smiles, first steps, shared discoveries, and bonds that are woven day by day. The relationship with the child, filled with tenderness, wonder, and sometimes challenges, profoundly transforms the one who becomes a parent. Motherhood is also about growing with your child, questioning yourself, learning to let go, and passing on values. It is a journey marked by doubts and bright moments, fatigue and laughter, worries and pride.