Motherhood brings with it many common challenges and rewards, but it is a very different experience for each mum. To celebrate Mother's Day, we hear how being a mum has touched members of the iVillage community

Motherhood saved me

Motherhood is something that 'saved' me. When pregnant with Kyrtis, my relationship was breaking down and my boyfriend beat me up. I had nowhere to live and had to move counties to return home.

Making the decision to keep him made me the person I am today. I was a single parent with a family against single parenting and who tried to push abortion on me. I had to be strong and fight for what I wanted.

Having Kyrtis is the best decision I have ever made and now, as a mum of three, my life is so fulfilled. Being a mum gives me a purpose in life and a reason to get up in the morning. Motherhood is the only job I have ever enjoyed and ever felt has come naturally to me.

It is certainly the most rewarding thing I have ever done. I would lay my life down for my children and never thought I could be so passionate about something. They make me laugh on dull days and as hectic and chaotic and stressful as life can be sometimes, I wouldn't change it for the world.
cl-spurslady

Three boys

I always knew that I wanted to be a mum. I remember when I was younger saying to my mum: 'I'm going to have 100 babies.'

She used to laugh and say I'd change my mind once I'd had one. She was right! I had my first son when I was 18 and he was the best thing to ever happen to me. His father and I split up not long after I found out I was pregnant.

When my first son was four months old I met my husband and by the time my first son was two years old, his brother arrived. Having a two-year gap was hard, and there were times that I used to think: 'What was I thinking, I can't do this.'

But then the boys would smile at me and it would melt all the worries away. I now have three boys and it's so rewarding seeing them talk and play together and watching the eldest two interacting with their baby brother.
hamster_fem

The best job in the world

I remember the first time I felt like a proper mum, which was when Sophie was a few hours old. After I had been sewn up and went for a shower, my husband was left with Sophie in the room I had delivered in. When I got out of the shower I heard this baby crying and just suddenly realised: 'Oh my word, she belongs to me'.

I think that was when I instantly fell in love and vowed never to make her unhappy. Motherhood has made me enjoy really simple things in life (that sounds very cheesy, I know). I feel like my whole day is spent getting her to smile, laugh and be happy!

Nothing I have ever done at work has been more rewarding than hearing my little girl giggle, and nothing I had to do at work was ever as scary as the first trip to the supermarket with Sophie!! I always wanted to be a mum and am so glad that I am. It's the best job in the world.
kim31

Miracles do happen

I'd always wanted a family and when I got married we were quite sure we wanted two kids. We said that we would think about a family either when my Chronic Fatigue Syndrome improved, or before the age of 30.

I'd always said that I didn't really want to be older than 30 when we started a family.

In the meantime, my brother got married and he and his wife (in her late 30s) decided to have a family. We were delighted for them when their first daughter was born, and after that, we started trying.

Nothing happened for us. When my sister-in-law told me that they were expecting another daughter I was delighted for them but it was quite hard. I'd been having gynae problems and I found out that I have a bicornuate uterus which may have been causing the infertility.

That was hard. I'd always assumed that children would be part of my life (and I adore kids). Just as I was coming to terms with this and starting to think what I might do with my life without children we found I was pregnant.

I didn't have the easiest pregnancy and ended up with a planned c-section due to a breech baby. Sam was born the day before I turned 31, so despite everything, we did manage to start our family while I was still 30 as planned!

So what does motherhood mean to me? It means miracles do happen. It means one shouldn't give up hope of having kids. I look at Sam and just can't believe he's real, he's ours.

The last 11 months since Sam was born have flown by. It's been hard work, but the delight on his face when he manages to put one cup inside another (his latest trick) makes everything worthwhile. I never knew that I could feel as tired as I do some days, but I wouldn't change it for anything.
hlricketts

I wasn't maternal

I always knew that I wanted children, and always thought I would have them young. Things didn't work out that way. My husband and I discussed it on many occasions and kept saying it wasn't the right time.

We had been discussing it again when suddenly his sister announced she was expecting. We were shocked and a bit jealous. On hearing the news, I decided to come off the contraceptive pill.

We then went to London for Valentine's Day seeing to see a show and do all the tourist things. We conceived our first child on Valentine's Day 2003, but sadly we lost him at seven months. We then conceived our second child, Jamie, in December that year and he was born in August 2004.

We have never looked back. Our third son, Kyle, was then born in December 2006. Having children has enhanced our lives so much, and we tend to spend all our free time with them.

However, recently we have started to realise that we need some time on our own too, and have started letting them sleep over at Grandma's house so we can have some free time.

Motherhood has totally changed me as a person. I wasn't maternal in any way before I had children, whereas now, I do enjoy their company and can relate to them better.

I also do not have any time and the days, weeks and months just seem to fly by. Gone are the days when I would sit on the sofa watching Formula One for the whole day at weekends and not even venture out. Now my weekends are packed with parks, zoos, play centres and parties.

My family always say that they could never imagine me as a mummy, but I think that I have done an alright job.
cl-iv_jobee