Behind the scenes

They don’t see everything.

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They see the two pink lines.

The excitement of the news.

The ultrasound photos.

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They see the announcement videos.

The beautiful bump updates.

The gender reveals.

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They see the baby shower cupcakes.

The fruit comparisons.

The countdown week by week.

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They see the social media updates.

The new baby.

The newborn photo shoot.

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But what they don’t see are your negative pregnancy tests.

Your previous losses.

Your anxiety as you try again.

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What they don’t see is your head in the toilet.

Your feet swelling underneath you.

Your hormones ruining you.

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What they don’t see are the days bed-ridden.

The nights awake.

The weeks of wishing away the hard.

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What they don’t see are the tears.

The rage.

The incomprehensible guilt.

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What they don’t see is the discomfort.

The restlessness.

The worry about what’s coming next.

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What they don’t see is the pushing.

The pain.

The cutting and stitching.

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What they don’t see is the ongoing bleeding.

The sheer exhaustion.

The overwhelm with all the new.

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What they don’t see are the hours on demand.

The lack of sleep.

The broken mother.

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Behind the scenes there is such sacrifice, such perseverance, such resilience.

There is a mother pushing through the hard to bring the beauty, the love, the life.

There is a mother who doesn’t just stop when the bump photos do.

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They don’t see it all.

But you know it all.

You have lived it all.

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Mama,

Don’t forget your behind the scenes when everyone else does.

Getting through it is an amazing achievement,

And you should be so proud.