Real Life Story
Ling's story
“I was afraid to leave the house! I thought that I was protecting my baby from all the germs in the outside world.” Ling is a first-time mom who faced a tough transition after her baby girl was born. She felt overwhelmed by the changes that motherhood brought and was isolated, spending nearly all her time indoors with her infant. There was no family close by to help.
When her daughter was eight weeks old, Ling discovered the MomShare group at The Women’s Center. “I was unsure about joining a group of other mothers,” Ling shared. “I was afraid of judgment and how I would compare to other moms. I thought I was the only mother in the world who felt incapable and inadequate.”
Ling gathered her courage to attend MomShare, her first outing with her newborn except for doctor’s appointments. She was surprised and relieved to find that the group leader and other moms were supportive and nonjudgmental. After the first meeting, Ling felt a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She got encouragement from other mothers that she was doing her best. That alone made her a great mom. She let go of the “shoulds” of motherhood and started to think about what was best for her and her baby.
Ling learned that “a happy mom makes a happy baby. If a mom is taking care of herself, she is better prepared to take care of her child.” Through MomShare, Ling found her very own “village” and women who support each other.
