When my daughter was born, almost eleven years ago, a friend gave me a copy of the poem “Mothers With a Baby” by Guadalupe Morfin.
The poem reads, in part,
Mothers with a baby need
someone to sing them to sleep
to tell them a story
to promise them a party…
A mother with a baby needs
someone to tell her how pretty she is
smelly or not
and when the baby gets sick
and won’t go to sleep
the mother with a baby needs
an elf to bring her a beer
a fairy to give her a massage…
a blackboard that will hold a rainbow
and a chalk
and a big question mark…
a magic wand…
a unicorn…
an enchanted maiden
who has never had a baby
and the one who must be told
what’s in store for her…
Reading the poem then, with a newborn baby in my arms, I smiled. I desperately wanted my beer-bringing elf and my massage-providing fairy during those difficult days and weeks and months as I transitioned into motherhood.
Reading these words now, almost a decade into the motherhood journey, having survived sleep-training and potty-training, with the dark cave of postpartum depression seemingly thousands of miles behind me, I realize how much wisdom is packed into this charming and deceptively playful poem.
What Do Mothers Need?
Mothers need stories — they need the stories of the mothers who have done this before them and are doing this with them. They need to hear tales from others’ journeys along the familiar, well-worn paths we tread as we raise our children, recognizing that we are not alone. We need to tell our stories, to other mothers, and to the enchanted maidens, too.
Mothers need support — though perhaps in more earthbound forms than the helpers referenced in the poem. As cliche as it sounds, we truly need the village. We were never meant to mother alone in the suburbs!
Mothers need chalkboards that can hold rainbows AND question marks — they need safe places to gather and seek advice and inquire about their journey.
Mothers need compassion. They don’t need judgment or advice from well-intentioned strangers about breast vs. bottle or cry-it-out vs. co-sleep.
Mothers need hugs and stories and wisdom and intuition and strength and courage and understanding and safe places. Mothers need to breathe and hold themselves with compassion.
So I’m super excited to tell you about a few things going on around here about meeting the needs of mothers.
Mindfulness for Mothers: In Person!
The first is that my MINDFULNESS FOR MOTHERS course is now available as an IN-PERSON program in the Twin Cities! The classes will be held at Playmore & Prosper in Plymouth, MN, and begin in September 2017. This will be a great way to connect with other mothers, share your stories, and learn how mindfulness can help you navigate the ups and downs of mama-hood.
You’ll work with me in-person for six weeks, with loving guided meditations just for mamas, and tons of support, compassion, laughter, and breathing.
(And I’m working on getting the beer-toting elf to visit…. 🙂 )
You can learn more, and register, here.
Mindfulness for Mothers: Online
The second cool mama-related thing is that, in honor of Mother’s Day, the online version of Mindfulness for Mothers is now 30% off with the code MOTHERSDAY! The class focuses on practical, meaningful ways we can practice mindfulness — on our own, and with our children. It’s all about taking care of ourselves so we can show up for the people we love with presence and compassion.
The discount is valid through Mother’s Day (May 14, 2017).
And seriously mamas, I’ll work on the unicorn thing.
Because that would be AWESOME!!
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