You may have already been dreading May with Mother’s Day approaching….ugh.
All of us have a similar literal path to motherhood…we’re born with the parts, we start to bleed from it as a teenager (remember how terrifying it was!?!), we meet someone, you and he/they, sitting in the tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G, first comes love then comes marriage (sometimes!) then comes the baby carriage!
BARF. First of all, they forgot about the best and easiest part of it all….the actual baby making!
Anyway, I digress…If only our paths to parenthood were that easy. When we talk in terms of motherhood though, what that means is different for everyone. My mother’s “motherhood” is different than mine in several ways…culturally, generationally, religiously/spiritually. It is something that grows and evolves just as your child does. It is defined by so many other things such as sexuality, personal preferences in lifestyle, career and the passions we pursue. It is influenced by the inspiration of our own mothers, teachers, ancestors, personal heroes and our own personal experience. Despite what that means….all that matters is, how you define that for yourself!
So this month, we are going to validate our personal experiences on our path to parenthood. We are going to define what makes us their mama. We are going to let everyone know that what they think of us, our story and our motherhood are none of our business. We will project to the world loudly and proudly how we want to be seen, heard and understood. This month, we will be discussing:
Bereaved Mother's Day vs Traditional Mother's Day - Yes, there are two! Whichever one you feel is right to celebrate, you should. You can honor both, in fact...because you are a mother! This month, we will discuss both holidays and how our loved ones can support us!
The duality of loss - joy and sorrow - Even if it feels conflicting, it is possible to feel opposite emotions at one time. This month, we will discuss the duality of the disenfranchised grief of pregnancy and infant loss.
Music related to loss - There is a quote: "Art is pain. And so is life." - Many artists have created meaningful music relating to their personal loss experience or that of a loved one. We have a list of music that we hope will comfort and inspire you.
Celebrities are just like us - Yes! Despite their notoriety, wealth and access to healthcare, many celebs have walked similar journeys as we have. We will learn more about them and surprisingly several of them are from our local community.
Events at the nest this month
For access to our groups and events, sign up for our free membership! Links to virtual meetings and in-person group registrations are provided in our monthly newsletter and private Facebook groups only. This month's hybrid schedule includes:
Virtual - May 2 at 6 PM via Zoom - Pregnancy/Parenting after Loss Support with Kristen & Ashly
In-person - May 7 at 10 AM-3 PM at Float Haven Spa - Bereaved Mother's Day Spa Retreat (private)
In-person - May 7 at 4 PM at Float Haven Spa - Bereaved Mother's Day Memorial Butterfly Release
Virtual - May 11 at 6:30 PM via Zoom - Infertility & Loss Support with Erin Epstein
In-person - May 20 - Millville, NJ - Legacy event - Cruisin for Cade
In-person - May 22 6 PM at the Nest - Craft & Heal Support Group/legacy event sponsored by Xander's Nursery
In-person - May 23 6 PM at the Nest - Pregnancy/Parenting after Loss Support with Kristen & Ashly
In-person - May 25 6 PM at the Village, Collingswood, NJ - Pregnancy/Parenting after Loss Support with Kristen & Sarah Hastings
Looking for your community? Join the nest! - Want to more information on how Three Little Birds can help? Click here for more information and a link to join our nest. It is free! Residency restrictions apply.