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Making my new documentary film series More Business of Being Born, I had the privilege of interviewing some incredible women (Christy Turlington Burns, Alanis Morissette, Cindy Crawford and Gisele Bundchen to name a few) to capture all the intimate details about their children’s births. Admittedly, I am a bit of a birth junkie but really I think that the underlying thrill of birth stories is hearing a woman talk about that indescribable moment when she becomes a mother. Of course, so many women have children without giving birth themselves -- from adoption, to surrogacy, to same sex marriages -- there are many paths to becoming a mother.
For me personally, I could not wait to become a mom. I was twenty-eight years old when my son Milo was born and I was more than ready. From the moment I looked into his eyes, Milo became the center of my world. I was in love. When the time came to give Milo a sibling, I was unprepared for the way motherhood would become even more fulfilling (and challenging) than before. But when my younger son Owen was born, I felt complete.
Now that Milo has entered his teens, I joke that I feel like he’s “broken up with me.” But I am only half-kidding because there is really something so amazing about those early years when your kids think the sun rises and sets with you. Scientists say that the hormones secreted during labor, breastfeeding, or caring for a child actually rewire our brains. (Male brains too!) Part of our design as mammals is that we develop a “mommy brain” to protect and nurture our children, placing their needs before our own. The saying goes that becoming a parent is like living with your heart outside your body. I have found that to be incredibly true. I am a worrier so I can be an anxious mom sometimes, but I am endlessly amazed by my boys. My biggest joy in life is watching them discover their gifts and follow their passions.
Now I am excited to pair up with BlogHer for a contest where you tell us about your journey to motherhood. Please watch the video below and check out how you can participate in the rules below that!
What is the story you tell about becoming a mom? The contest will run from Feb. 6-16, 2012. To enter, please post on BlogHer.com sharing a moment about your own journey to motherhood: An adoption story, a birth story, whatever those events were that made you feel "I'm a mom." Once you have posted, please also tweet it to @BlogHerMoms and @RickiLake and hashtag #mymomstory, but you MUST post to BlogHer.com to enter.
You can submit one entry each day during the contest. BlogHer Moms will be featuring a top-ranking post each day of the contest on the homepage of BlogHer.com and in social media, but the BlogHer Editorial staff will choose the 10 finalists from all the qualified stories we see, so being featured is not a guarantee you'll be a finalist. And I will be picking one winner from the finalists. Please read the full official rules here before submitting your entry.
Winner receives:
- DVD of the original The Business of Being Born (view trailer)
- Boxed DVD set including all four episodes of More Business of Being Born
- Ultrasoft, organic cotton baby onesie featuring "Born Free" print (by Tracy Ginsberg), available in blue, natural, or pink (view colors)
- SIGNED hardcover copy of Your Best Birth by Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein
- The National Guide to a Healthy Birth
Ricki Lake
Ricki launched “Friends of Ricki”, the first social TV community of its kind, at a LIVE Tweetup and Ustream event last night. To find out more about “Friends of Ricki” visit the Facebook page or follow @FriendsofRicki.
