Uncategorized Archives - Page 5 of 19 - Mothering in the Middle

Opening to Desire – An Excerpt from The Life Organizer

by Jennifer Louden

On most of the Life Organizer pages, you’ll encounter questions like “What do I desire this week?” “What calls to me, even if it doesn’t make logical sense or I’m certain I don’t have the time or energy for it?” “If I were suddenly infused with twenty times more courage, what would I want this week?” “What depth of desire might reveal itself to me?”

Almost every “week” a question or two asks you to consider what you desire, how you want to explore and shape the life force coursing through you. Why such a focus on desire? Because it’s pure life force speaking to you, and we have neglected and misunderstood it for far too long. […]

When the Bough Breaks – An Upcoming Film about PPD

Dear Reader: The women in this film are younger than most midlife mothers. But, their struggles with Post Partum Depression are real and deserve your attention. They are raising funds to complete this worthwhile film: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/when-the-bough-breaks-a-documentary-about-postpartum-depression/x/6296194.

Here is Lindsay’s story:

I had a dream. My dream was to get married to the love of my life and have a family. I lived the good life in my 20’s. I worked in the music industry, hung out with rock stars and just had fun. When I reached 30, I knew it was time to say goodbye to the single days and get married.

So, I met my husband, three months later we were engaged and ten months later we were married. Five months after we said “I do,” we found out I was pregnant. Two of my biggest dreams were coming true in one year! How lucky I felt. […]

Excerpts from The Zen of Midlife Mothering – Wendy Sue Noah

Are You a Polar Bear Mom?

by Wendy Sue Noah

…It is a Sunday, years later. I gather my tribe for an IMAX movie at the Science Center, and we see “To the Arctic.” … The movie focused on a mother Polar Bear who had two nursing cubs, but could not find any food. The commentator described how unusual this is, since a mother Polar Bear needs to nourish herself in order to nurse more than one cub; in this case, her love filled up her milk for them.

Against the odds, and as they continued on their journey, she fed her cubs and thwarted off the advances of other adult bears…

As I researched the magnificence of the Polar Bear further, I found that they are of great cultural importance to the Inuit (Eskimo) people of northern Alaska, Canada, and Greenland. Polar bears are greatly respected for their strength, courage, and spiritual power….

What really touched me is that in Inuit mythology, polar bears frequently shape-shift into human form and back, putting on a white bear coat to take on their grand form. When I look back at the crisis that led me to take on this unstoppable, powerful polar bear manifestation, I see now that I actually shape-shifted in my mind and heart. Maybe on the outside, I look like this petite white woman, but on the inside, the polar bear that I became was doing that RRRROOOOOAAAAAARRRRRR of strength, courage and spiritual power!

…There (is) nothing in Heaven or Earth that would keep me from protecting my babies. I am, indeed, a Polar Bear Mom and proud of it!…..

Moms Standing as One to Raise Happy and Healthy Kids (Celebrating Moms for Moms Day – March 4)

by Kriste Stevenson

Kriste (l) with friend (r)

Judgment comes easy. It is so easy to raise an eyebrow in another mom’s direction and question her choices, even before you become a mom yourself. I know I don’t speak for just myself–that’s just how easy it is. Whether you’re a first-time mom in your twenties or you came to be a mom during those “geriatric pregnancy” years, it is human nature to cast judgment toward moms who don’t do it the way you would.

As a mom who came late to the party after waiting several years for the “right time” to have kids, I have been on the receiving end of my fair share of judgment. Did I wait too long to become a mom? Am I too old for this gig? Was it the infertility my fault because I waited to grow up before I tried to have a baby? How could anyone put their career before starting a family? Do you look at me and wonder if it took me so long to have a baby; are children that important to me? […]

Excerpts from The Zen of Midlife Mothering – Ellie Stoneley

Milky Magic: Breastfeeding From a Geriatric Mother – Ellie Stoneley

Photo courtesy of
Ellie Stoneley

I’m old. In 9 months I’ll be 50. I’m a first-time mother. I have a 22-month-old daughter. I drive along singing, “The Wheels on the Bus” even when she’s not in the car with me. I secretly love it when she wakes up needing me in the night, however tired I am. I am still breastfeeding her.

So, it would appear that, certainly according to much of the tabloid press, I’m practically the devil incarnate. A crazy, breastfeeding, sagging old loon that a poor child has to put up with as a mother; a veritable harridan.

Personally I don’t think I’m that bad.

Support a Judgment-Free Motherhood on May 4th – Moms for Moms Day

Moms for Moms Day is a day for all moms to show their support for judgment-free motherhood by engaging with us on social media! Snap a selfie while holding a sign with a positive message for other moms and upload it to your twitter/pinterest/instagram/facebook accounts with the hashtag #moms4moms to help spread a message of compassion and love. You can even do your own take on our Campaign for Judgment-Free Motherhood photos and do something where you engage some of your mom pals! Then tag us & TheBump.com so that we see your messages!

Excerpts from The Zen of Midlife Mothering – Cyma Shapiro

Midlife Mothering: Ain’t All It’s Cracked Up to Be by Cyma Shapiro

When you think of mothering, you might think of loving, picturesque scenes of mother and child(ren). You might imagine all-things good, safe and nurturing. Add graying hair, eyeglasses, drying skin and a host of maladies including hot flashes, insomnia, reduced height size and memory capacity, slowing biorhythms and you now have (new) midlife mothering.

So, listen up — I have a dirty little secret: I’m not certain that midlife mothering is all it’s cracked up to be….

Pickture That….

Dear Readers: Rarely will I endorse a product, unless I’m “gaga” over it. I’m GAGA over the bracelets created by Pickture That – a most unique and perfect gift for ANY MOTHER – complete with your own family photos. Please note that by mentioning us or providing them with the code, you’ll receive 15% off. I have worn mine for more than one year and have received dozens of compliments. You will, too. (See our new ad below).

Gray Matters (Part II)

by Deatra Haime Anderson

In my last article, I wrote about options for coloring gray (or white — I use “gray” to mean both) hair, but what if you don’t want to cover it? I think for all of us, it’s a big question and what you ultimately decide depends on how you feel about your changing hair. If you’re in the camp that decides to rock your gray, there are options for enhancing it to keep it looking shiny and lustrous.

Transitioning from your natural color to gray is the first (emotional!) hurdle. Most of us start seeing a few strands and depending on the pattern, we get more and more until we’re grayer than our natural color. During the transition, one trick is to cut your hair shorter, which will take away some of the bulk and keep the focus on your face. Another option is to lighten your natural (or base) color, which will help camouflage the gray until there’s enough of it to make a statement. You can also use a temporary color to cover the gray while you get used to the transition (see recent post about different temporary options). […]