Before I was a Mom, I made and ate hot meals, had unstained clothing, and enjoyed quiet conversations on the phone.

Before I was a Mom, I slept as late as I wanted, and never worried how late I got into bed. And, I brushed my hair everyday.

Before I was a Mom, I never tripped over toys or forgot words to lullabies. I did not worry about whether or not my plants were poisonous, and I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom, I never had been barfed on, peed on, spit on, chewed on, or pinched by tiny fingers.

Before I was a Mom, I had complete control of my mind, my thoughts, my body and I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom, I never held down a screaming child while a doctor did tests or gave shots. I never looked into teary eyes and cried with a child. I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin from a baby. And I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom, I never held a sleeping baby just because I did not want to put it down. I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I could not stop a child's pain. I never knew something so small could affect my life so much. I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom, I did not know the feeling of having my heart outside my body, or how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby. I did not know what bond there is between a mother and a child. I did not know that something so small could make me feel so important.

Before I was a Mom, I never got up in the middle of the night every ten minutes to make sure everything was okay. I never knew the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom. I did not know I was capable of feeling so many emotions this deeply...

Before I was a Mom.

This was forwarded to our office by Nancy Gesner, RN, Family Birth Place