Empowered Motherhood’s clients and fans include moms-to-be and mothers across North America ranging from twenty-somethings to forty-somethings. All women are welcome whether they are pregnant or adopting, part of a traditional marriage, a same-sex partnership, single mothers, stepmothers or a mother in any other circumstance. All share in the joys and challenges that mothers face.
Here are their comments about their experience reading Baby on Board and Empowered Motherhood’s approach to becoming a mother without losing yourself.
“Literally since the day I got off the phone with you - it has propelled me into action BIG TIME. I am so focused in what my goals are, what I want to achieve, that there is no stopping me. Really. I don't feel like a lost puppy anymore!” Sue, mother of two
“I felt like I had my own personal coach and support team as I read Baby on Board. Someone to challenge my thinking and push me to look at what I want and take action BEFORE the baby arrives!” Debra, mother of one and soon to be two
“I need to get real about how imminent this change in my life is. The stakes have been raised! If I want more balance in my life because I want to be a more relaxed, go-with-the-flow, roll-with-the-punches kind of new mother, then I need to make some decisions now to get that balance! If I don’t, I need to see what I am really sacrificing- not just my peace of mind, but the whole way I want my life to be.” Olivia, 6 months pregnant
“I’ve always been career-oriented, really goal-oriented. I can’t remember a time in my life when I wasn’t planning for what I was going to do. With me it’s always been, ‘What’s next? What more can I do? What else can I achieve?’ I really enjoyed all of that for many, many years. Now just being part of my family and being a part of the community is starting to take on a more important level in my life.” Wendy, 5 months pregnant
“Taking the time to clearly define my values was critical for me. I see it as a way of connecting the old me to the new me.” Ursula, 6 months pregnant
“I’m very proud of how hard I’ve worked and how successful I have managed to be. There have been parts of my journey that were not so wonderful, but I’ve kept my eye on the prize, and moving in that direction, and it finally happened! Now I have to figure out what it all looks like with a baby.” Rachel, 3 months pregnant
“For months after my first son was born, I was going nearly insane reading books about how to care for a baby. This one said feed on demand; that one said set a schedule; this one said be flexible, that one said be vigilant. It was only when I figured out that these were all just theories – conflicting theories – that I was able to free myself up to figure out what was best for me. At that point I could read the advice more objectively, searching for what I agreed with and what I didn’t, instead of feeling lectured by “experts” who knew more than I did.” Laura, mother of two
“I am bombarded with other people’s beliefs about how having a baby will affect my life. People keep telling me, ‘Your life is going to change,” or ‘You’d better go on vacation now, you’ll never have time after the baby,’ and ‘You’ll never be alone with your husband again,’ as if this is the only way things could be. It’s a relief to stop and consider what I choose to think.” Tanya, 8 months pregnant
“I really wanted to bring my husband into this process, so I asked him questions from his perspective. Of course, he kept making jokes like answering ‘diapers’ when I asked him what scares him the mot about becoming a father. But, there was a lot of sweetness too. When I asked him what he most wanted to share with the baby, he said ‘Everything.’” Erica, 8 months pregnant
“My big realization was that I could use an intention now, while I am still pregnant. I have started to say ‘I am a remarkable human being with a miraculous body every time I get cranky about my back pain and exhaustion!’” Melissa, 6 months pregnant
“I’m so used to just trying to get everything done on my task list and often putting my husband and friends on the bottom of the list. I don’t want to do that with my baby. I don’t want to do that in my life anymore. Prioritizing tasks based on my values is a pretty radical and necessary leap for me.” Anita, 6 months pregnant
“So many people have been telling me what motherhood will be or mean to me, what I will experience, what I will feel, do and even think. Now, I get to decide who I will be as a mother, what I want to do. I get to actively choose and plan rather than sit back and accept what others tell me to do or be. This process has given me more control and permission to do what’s right for me. It’s made everything less scary.” Karen, 8 months pregnant
“Reading these chapters has been such a journey for me! The writing has been a companion to me through a new spurt of growth and consciousness. I look at celebration as a destination: my journey is constantly a focus for me, which is good. But I need rest stops too, to contemplate the view, to breathe and be aware of the distance traveled. And to carry that joy into further travel.” Paula, 9 months pregnant
"If I had read your book years ago, I might have decided to have kids. I just didn't have any belief that you could be a mother without giving up everything - everything I grew up with and saw as a role model was the opposite." Jan
“Thank you for writing this book! I've been having so many questions about what I would be like as a mother or if I have what it takes to be a mother and your book addresses all of my fears square on the head!! It helped me move from my ‘mommy tailspins’ to real actions that will bring my best to motherhood.” Vanessa, hoping-to-be a mother