• Home
  • Blog
    • Africa and Middle East
      • Africa
      • Middle East
    • Asia and Oceana
      • Asia
      • Australia
    • Americas
      • North America
      • South America
    • Europe
    • Culture
    • Education
    • Parenting
    • World Voice
      • Human Rights
      • Social Good
  • About
    • Contributors
    • Editing Team
    • Policies
  • Join
  • Contact
  • Mini-Shop!
    • Facebook
    • Google+
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

World Moms Network

Connecting mothers; empowering women around the globe.

March 5, 2015

PHILIPPINES: Growing Your Heart

IMG_5720I’m a new mom all over again.

On January 31st, my family welcomed a daughter, who was an answered prayer and an angel rolled into one cute and cuddly package. We had waited 4 years before deciding to get pregnant again, and so her coming was planned, stemming from a decision my husband and I made that, yes, we wanted to have another baby.

At the time when I learned I was pregnant, a slew of emotions came over me: joy, anticipation, excitement, and all the good fuzzy feelings that come with the thought of having a child you’ve been waiting for. But the strongest feeling that came over me wasn’t all fuzzy-wuzzy and free. I felt a type of uncertainty, honestly.

Could my heart really love another little human being as much as I loved my firstborn?

Well, this last month — the first month of my daughter’s life — I found out that when God decides to give you more kids, your heart grows as well. I feel so much love for both my children.

When I saw my daughter seconds after she came out of me, I felt instantly transported back in time to the birth of my son five years ago, when I felt a surge of energetic, powerful love for my child. I felt the same this time with our daughter, and yet totally different, too. When we went home from the hospital, realizing that there would forever be four of us in the family was also both delightful and daunting.

It’s not been easy. The other day I mused on Instagram about how happy yet extremely hard it is to grow the space in my mommy heart, how difficult it has been especially for my eldest child to adjust with the new person in our home, and how physically tired I feel from the past weeks of newborn care. It’s not that I feel torn between my children — not at all. However, I feel the growing pains, the sweetness and pain. Being a mom of two doesn’t split my heart in two. I know love my both my kids equally, but it is with a love that both enlarges my heart yet feels like it tears it, too.

Does that make sense? I don’t know. All I know is that I’m learning a new way of loving, and that my heart is expanding to accommodate two loves of my life right now. (Well, three, of course, including my husband!)

I’m at the start of a new leg of the journey now. I am excited yet uncertain, but I know for sure that I am full of love and expectancy. I don’t want to rush through any of it! I don’t want to miss out anything my children need me for, whether it be the little one who needs milk, cuddles and carrying, or the “bigger little one” who needs extra understanding, hugs and exclusive mommy time. These tender days of “mommy heart growth” will pass as quickly as my kids shoot up in height! I have got to slow down to savor the accelerated pace of their childhood.

Moms, how did you feel when you had your second child? Can you relate with me?

This is an original post by Martine De Luna for World Moms Blog. Martine is the resident “blissmaker” on her lifestyle inspiration blog, Make it Blissful.

The image used in this post is credited to the author.

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to the World Moms Blog RSS feed. Thanks for traveling with us around the globe!

Martine de Luna (Philippines)

Martine is a work-at-home Mom and passionate blogger. A former expat kid, she has a soft spot for international efforts, like WMB. While she's not blogging, she's busy making words awesome for her clients, who avail of her marketing writing, website writing, and blog consulting services. Martine now resides in busy, sunny Manila, the Philippines, with her husband, Ton, and toddler son, Vito Sebastian. You can find her blogging at DaintyMom.com.

More Posts


4 Comments
2015 Children Family Martine de Luna Philippines World Moms Blog World Motherhood Younger Children

« JORDAN: I Met a Man Who Lived in a Cave, He Gave Me His Mobile Number
NEW JERSEY, USA: It’s Time To Reflect »

Comments

  1. Jennifer Burden says

    March 5, 2015 at 11:11 pm

    Martine,

    This post brought me back! I remember feeling like I was losing touch with my older daughter. My youngest just turned 4, and now I can tell you that the feeling feels like it was so far away. I have time with both of them. They play together now a lot, too. I can’t explain it, but your heart is like a uterus when it comes to loving your children — it will expand as far as it needs to go!

    I am so excited for you on your new journey. World Mom love all around!!

    Jen 🙂

    Reply
  2. Susan says

    March 6, 2015 at 1:03 am

    Congrats once again Martine. Been seeing the posts of your little one on IG and she makes me miss my girl when she was a baby. No advice from this Mum of one but I’m sure your heart grows to love each and every one of your child, no matter how many you have.

    Reply
  3. Mirjam says

    March 6, 2015 at 4:02 am

    I remember struggling with these same feelings. As a result, I always say to friends expecting their second child: Don’t worry, your heart is big enough!
    And as your beautiful girl grows bigger, you will find your heart expanding more and more. Congratulations with your precious girl.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. PHILIPPINES: Life is short, life is long - World Moms BlogWorld Moms Blog says:
    May 18, 2016 at 11:15 pm

    […] It’s been a lifetime since I last contributed to the blog. My last post was after I had just given birth. After that, things totally took a turn for the busy! And now, my […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Anti-Spam Quiz:

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Awarded “Best Reporting on the UN” by the UNCA 2015

NOW OPEN… Our Mini-Shop!

WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

Keep up to date with the #WorldMoms...sign up for weekly updates in your inbox!

Our Partners

Join Us on Facebook

Our Sponsors!

Click a Date to Catch Up on Posts!

March 2015
S M T W T F S
« Feb   Apr »
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
293031  

Recent Posts

  • Social Distancing When We Are Socially Connected
  • Social Distancing is Kindness: #FlattenTheCurve
  • Discrimination Due To Menstruation
  • India: A New Journey as a Published Author of Children’s Books
  • WORLD VOICE: Eco-Conscious Beyond the Climate Strike

Archives

Grab a Button!

Our Mission Statement

  • Connecting mothers; empowering women around the globe.

Our Vision Statement

  • We envision a world of peace and equality, born through our common ground of motherhood.

Copyright © 2022 A Blissful Brand · Web Design by Fancy Girl Design Studio