For Mothers of Young Children
Overwhelmed at the Thought of Becoming a New Mother? Me Too
The magnitude of becoming a mother has often felt overwhelming, but I draw strength from the steadfast mother figures in my life.
As a soon-to-be new mom, I have been counting down the days waiting for my baby to be born. If you’ve had a baby, I’m sure you can relate! I have had the highest of highs and the lowest of lows being pregnant, and I expect that to be a constant in my life after my baby is here.
I have much to be thankful for. My baby is growing. She is healthy. I am healthy. But I have also felt the emotional, physical, and financial stress that comes with having a baby.
My body hurts. All the time. And as I approach my third trimester, I can only expect that my body will keep hurting. I also miss how my body was before I was pregnant, and I worry about how I will look after delivery.
Since my husband and I are still in college, we have had to make plans to be financially stable once I stop working and my husband takes on the weight of our finances while also going to school.
But I think the emotional toll has been the most challenging for me. It’s felt like a roller coaster. I feel so blessed and so excited to welcome my daughter into our family in a few short months, but I also know that motherhood and parenting will be a challenge as well.
During some of my roughest days being pregnant, I have often asked my husband, “What were we thinking?” I have sometimes wondered if we made a mistake bringing a child into the world. I have felt fear for the future, doubt in my ability to be a good mom, and the heartache of choosing to sacrifice my career goals for a time so that I can be home with my baby and other children we may have.
In those moments of fear and doubt, it’s easy to forget that motherhood is a divine calling and that the Lord will not let me fail if I follow Him.
A Humbling Responsibility and a Divine Calling
When I was growing up, my parents always said that the most worthwhile things don’t come easy. They wanted me to know that hard work reaps blessings, and I think that applies to motherhood as well.
I don’t think I’m alone in feeling intimidated thinking about being a mom. My kids are going to look to me and to my husband to help them throughout their lives. We will be responsible to teach them the gospel and to be good people. We will also be responsible for their temporal and emotional needs. This is a lot of pressure, and it sometimes feels overwhelming.
President Russell M. Nelson has said, “The highest and noblest work in this life is that of a mother.”1 Similarly, President James E. Faust (1920–2007), Second Counselor in the First Presidency, taught, “There is no greater good in all the world than motherhood. The influence of a mother in the lives of her children is beyond calculation.”2
For such a noble work, I’m humbled to think of how much work I have to do to emulate the many wonderful examples of mothers in my life.
The Impact of Righteous Mothers
I have always looked up to my mom. She went through a lot very early in my life, and she has shaped me into the person that I am now through her incredible strength and kindness throughout my life. I am also blessed to have an amazing mother-in-law in my life. She raised my husband to be a loving, chivalrous man of faith, and I am indebted to her for that.
Following their examples and living up to who they are as women and as mothers feels like an almost insurmountable task. These women are incredibly Christlike, and above all else, they honor their responsibility as mothers. Their love for their respective husbands and children is second only to their love of God.
These traits are the exact things that have led to their successes as mothers. Though they probably felt like they were failing at least once while raising their kids, the Lord strengthened them.
I recognize that there are a lot of women who don’t have the example of a loving, righteous mother to look up to. Some lose the influence of a loving mother through death, divorce, or emotional abandonment. Whatever the circumstance may be, there is always hope for the future. The Lord sees our efforts, and those who follow Him will receive power to teach and influence children in important ways.
Elder Brian K. Taylor of the Seventy has said:
“To mothers, especially young mothers, who often feel overwhelmed and underwater while striving to raise ‘a sin-resistant generation,’ never underestimate your central role in God’s plan. In stressful moments … know that God sanctifies your most difficult days. ‘Fear thou not; for I am with thee,’ He peacefully reassures [Isaiah 41:10]. We honor you as you fulfill the hope of Sister Joy D. Jones, who stated, ‘Our children deserve to understand their divine identity.’”3
When I think of the influence that my mom and mother-in-law have had on me, I feel honored to be a woman and to try my best to live up to their examples. I am humbled that the Lord entrusts His daughters with the mantle of motherhood. Though there will be challenges ahead, I am grateful for the calling of motherhood and the opportunity I will have to love a few of God’s children as my own.