“when a baby is born, so is a mother”.

People say, when a baby is born, so is a mother. When I go to people’s houses for a maternity photo session, I always like to know how these mothers-to-be are feeling, what their expectations are and how they imagine motherhood. The vast majority of women I meet working as a maternity photographer are fully aware that what awaits them after birth is not a fairy tale. Of course, people can have very different experiences, but in general we can say that this sea change that turns our lives upside down, may not be as magical as our mothers tend to romanticise by telling us about the time they had their babies. So, if you don’t feel as fantastic as your mom allegedly did after giving birth to the miracle that is your baby, it doesn’t mean that you’re ungrateful, it means you’re human. Yes, when a baby is born, so is a mother. And what do we do with the woman who existed before?
After having children, women can experience this mother and woman coexisting and often in conflict. One of them wants to experience every moment in her children’s lives, while the other wants to resume her personal projects, go back to work, change careers, continue her studies. One wants to spend time with her family, the other wants new experiences, change the subject. Becoming a mother doesn’t mean having to leave that woman behind. Sure, she will have to adapt to a new reality, but she is still there and should not be forgotten. Having time for you, taking care of yourself, is just as important as taking care of your family, and you can only take care of others if you are well. 
I like to think that when a baby is born, a more complex woman is born, and becoming that new woman is the hardest and most rewarding job one can have.