How To Celebrate The Journey To Motherhood… Especially When Pregnancy Sucks!

HOW TO CELEBRATE THE JOURNEY To MOTHERHOOD… ESPECIALLY WHEN PREGNANCY SUCKS!

The Journey to Motherhood is unique for every woman. Some get pregnant easily and immediately, others have to wait… and wait… … … and wait. Some experience months of “morning” sickness that lasts all day long while others never get more than a slightly upset stomach. Some experience complications and anxiety along the way while everything seems to go right for others. No matter what your journey looks like it’s a transformation worth celebrating. So, how do you celebrate the journey to motherhood, especially when pregnancy sucks? Let Kelsea’s story inspire.

Kelsea’s Story

I always wanted to be a mom. The only thing that’s fluctuated when it comes to my dream of motherhood is the timing.

At first, I thought early 20’s… then I hit those early 20’s and was like “Uhhhhh! maybe when I’m 30?” It’s just not where I was at in life. God had blessed me with nieces and a nephew and my job at the time was working with kids. I felt like I was able to be a “mom figure” to all the kids in my life but still loved being able to send them back to their parents at the end of the day. My heart was full and I felt complete for the moment.

Besides, Brandon and I were trying to build a foundation for ourselves and our future family before adding kids to the mix. We wanted good jobs, a house of our own, and to be married. And as time went on we started checking things off our list. We got great jobs, bought a house, and were starting to think about the next step, marriage.

But God had other plans.

Shortly after buying our home and after being together in a fully committed relationship for 9 years I got pregnant. Let me tell you, we were shocked!

When I took the test I didn’t think anything of it. I was so sure it was going to be negative. Nope. Clearly positive. My heart dropped… I felt so many emotions. I knew my life would never be the same and that scared me because I was so comfortable with the life Brandon and I had created.

I took a picture and sent it to Brandon. He immediately left work and we went and bought a few more pregnancy tests. Every single one came back positive. We looked at each other and just cried. We were both so happy but also scared. We hadn’t expected to experience this moment for a few more years.

After the initial shock, I went into full-on mom mode. I downloaded all the pregnancy apps and read everything I could get my hands on about being pregnant. I wanted to be the best mama possible for my bundle of joy.

But guess what. Pregnancy sucks. Early on in my pregnancy I tumbled off a rock, passed out at work, basically lived in my bathroom for 7 months due to the unrelenting morning sickness which also resulted in several trips to the hospital because I couldn’t keep anything down. I felt so defeated. I felt like I lost myself and was seriously depressed for the first time in my life. Writing all that down breaks my heart.

I wanted to just be joyful and revel in being pregnant. I wanted my baby to feel all those happy emotions but it was so hard and there weren’t many happy days during those long hard months.

My saving grace was my support system. Without Brandon, my mom, family, and friends I don’t know where I would be. They helped me through the hard times and were the light I needed during the dark, difficult moments.

In my third trimester things finally started looking up and I started to feel like myself again. I got the morning sickness under control and started to enjoy being pregnant. Best of all, I felt like I was finally bonding with the little life growing inside me.

Pictures have always been important to me and I’d always wanted maternity pictures but they became absolutely crucial. I wanted to remember and celebrate my journey to motherhood and see the beauty of being pregnant that I didn’t feel for so many months. In my third trimester, I became a warrior and felt powerful as a woman. I feel like I can concur anything now, and will do anything for my baby boy and family.

I worked with Maren Elizabeth Photography and she was absolutely amazing! We talked about my vision and everything that I wanted to capture in these photos and Maren made it all come to life. She found the amazing people at Rowan Tree to make our floral dreams come true and Cricket + Ruby provided the amazing dress! I knew I was in good hands and love how everything turned out. I’m so grateful to have these pictures that make me feel powerful and confident in the mother I will be and remember this journey and smile.

I’m about to begin a new chapter and I’m so ready. Our lives and priorities have changed but the love is only growing.

Beau, daddy and I are scared but love is stronger. This is all new to us but we can’t wait to love on you and help/watch you grow into the man you are meant to be.

How to Celebrate the Journey to MOtherhood.

From the Photographer

Pregnancy is the process by which new life is created. Both for the child, and the rebirth of the woman as a mother. Maternity pictures are the perfect opportunity to celebrate the culmination of this journey.

Pictures are my way of collecting memories. Moments I want to hold on to or remember how they felt. That is what I try to do for my clients in every picture. Even if pregnancy totally sucked, maternity portraits will help you remember all the positives and celebrate the journey to motherhood, like the excitement and love you felt for the life growing inside you.

For this boho-inspired maternity session, I worked closely with local vendors to elevate and make them feel truly special. Don’t be afraid to go all out for pictures, that just makes them all the more fun!

Do you know someone with a story to share about motherhood, running a business as a mom, or a photographer who takes portraits of motherhood that inspire? Are you in one of those categories? We’d love to feature your work. Head on over to our Get Featured page to find out how.

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