Joy of motherhood

Motherhood is a choice, an enriching experience of a lifetime. This Mother’s Day, let us salute the most remarkable creations of God to mankind

A mother is the ultimate embodiment of selfless love and supreme sacrifice. It is a calling to create and nurture a new life. The greatest joy of a woman is when she becomes a mother. It is important to know there is nothing called a perfect mother but it is the mother’s instincts that one follows instinctively. The physical, psychological, and emotional changes a mother undergoes are unique and transforms her forever.

The road to motherhood is not easy. Being a mother requires a lot of strength and the process of going into labour and delivering a baby requires a woman to have faith and vanquish fear. Malini Menon, councellor, explains. “Most mothers are so tuned to their child’s needs; their lives revolve around their children so much that often, they tend to ignore self. But mothers develop a sense of physical and mental strength out of nowhere. They develop a sense of responsibility and maturity when dealing with their children. And one of the best things that a woman can wear is her confidence.”

The emotional connect

From the time an embryo is formed in the womb of a woman, she is on the road to motherhood and develops a strong emotional connection with the baby growing inside them. Love is a very powerful emotion and becoming a mother increases a woman's ability to love by many folds.

Motherhood is demanding, no doubt. It takes up a lot of your time and energy, leaving you drained by the end of the day. At the same time, it is deeply gratifying and enriching too. Kannur based Dr Shiney Roshan says, “A mother instinctively knows that she is a special creation because she alone has been given the power to bring forth another human life. The very thought strengthens her character, and builds confidence, faith and love.” 

Kochi based Aswathy Vipin, a first-time mother feels she has become more responsible and committed after the birth of her daughter. “My life revolves around her completely and I gave up my career for my child. Every day is a new learning and I cherish every moment spent with my child,” she says.  

Role of hormones 

A new mother’s body is flooded with pregnancy-related hormones, say doctors. These tend to add a lovely glow to the skin, which make her appear radiant and fresh. The quality of her hair also improves, and hair fall reduces due to these hormones, say experts. Cosmetologist Dr Jaishree Manchanda says, "A woman's blood flow changes during pregnancy. This increased blood flow happens in order to help nourish the growing baby, but by a happy accident, it can make a woman look gorgeous and radiant too. So, once a woman is pregnant, her skin glows with an unmistakable radiance."

Motherhood and beauty

Pregnancy and child rearing takes a toll on the mother’s physical appearance. Most mothers battle with weight gain issues and find it tough to lose their baby fat and skin pigmentation. At times, stretch marks can leave permanent changes in the skin. Mothers should never neglect herself and need to take care of themselves. Ensure to eat healthy and exercise well. 

Hair:

Have a healthy diet that is rich in antioxidants to strengthen the roots of your hair.

Acne:

The best natural ingredients to deal with this are aloe vera and eucalyptus.

Dark circles and puffy eyes:

Sleep for seven to eight hours, eat healthy and stay hydrated.

Skin:

Eat a lot of green leafy vegetables. Use cocoa butter, almond or olive oil on skin to avoid stretch marks.