Chelsea's Motherhood Story - Ottawa Documentary Photographer

I became a mother for the first time in November 2018 and it was the single greatest day of my life. We gave birth to a beautiful baby girl and our lives changed forever. We are now 7 months in and I’ve been asked “what advice would I give to a new mom?”

There is a lot I could say, but to keep it short and sweet, I’ll say this: 

Motherhood- parenthood- as anyone will tell you, is the most wonderful and exhausting journey. It is the most fulfilling and challenging thing you will ever do. That being said, try and enjoy every moment. There are days when it’s hard and you’ll want to cry and there are days when you’re overflowing with laughter and joy. Cry on the hard days and savour the good ones. 

Remember to take care fo yourself. Your baby needs you to be healthy and well and fed. You won’t nap when she naps, so sit and watch her. Take in her gentle breaths and soft skin and the calm, warmth of her body. Don’t worry if the laundry isn’t done, the house is a mess or dinner hasn’t been made- there will always be time for that, but these quiet moments are short-lived.

Ask for help. Raising a tiny human takes a village; you are not weak for needing a break or someone to hold her while you go and shower. 

Take all the pictures. Even when you’re tired, with no make-up on and greasy hair, take the picture. You’ll want to remember all these moments, so document them and do so unapollogetically. The first smile, the first laugh, the 2 am feedings and the blood-curdling screams. It goes by too fast and you’ll want to look back on these moments and hopefully laugh.  

At the end of the day, being a parent is hard. Your baby is new and learning, but so are you. Be patient with yourself, trust your gut, cuddle lots and then cuddle some more. It’s hard, but worth it and I wouldn’t change anything for the world. 

Follow along further with Chelsea’s journey as a new mom on her blog https://www.sweetpeamomma.com. She shares more personal experiences and cute photos of her sweetheart Eloise ❤️

I had the pleasure to capture Chelsea twice for the series and this set is from when little Eloise was just 5 months old. You can tell from the images just how quickly little ones change in just a couple of weeks. ❤️

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PLEASE LEAVE CHELSEA COMMENTS AND SHARE THE LOVE FOR THE COURAGE SHE’S TAKEN IN SHARING HER STORY.

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Irina Fortey is an Ottawa and Toronto Documentary Photographer.
Capturing your everyday in the most beautiful way, candidly and unscripted.
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Mayssam's Motherhood Story - Ottawa Documentary Photographer

I became a mom a few months before turning 38 years old, and as an accomplished career woman and feminist, it has caught me completely by surprise how much I love every second of it and have no desire to ever leave my baby again! Becoming a mother has changed me beyond expectations, and I feel like I have found a peace that not much else has given me - and that is saying something given how dedicated I was to my work helping women around the world. 

Pregnancy took both my partner and I by surprise, but it has changed our world in a way that neither one of us thought possible and couldn’t have understood before having Lucano Finn Di Bella Zaaroura. 

I loved every moment of my pregnancy - minus the heartburn (as you can see, he has a lot of hair and was born that way). I loved seeing my body change and grow, and feel what a woman’s body can do to create life and protect it. Giving birth made me feel like superwoman and at the same time, so insignificant in the face of this incredible experience. The challenges of breastfeeding and protecting this tiny creature humbled me and my partner, and this little monkey has taught us more about ourselves than anything before. 

Lucano has filled our world with an incomparable joy. He is naturally a playful, happy baby and has a way of mischievously teasing my husband and I, since he was a couple of months old, making us laugh at his antics. 

I am only doing this once, so now all I do is try to memorize and cherish these fleeting moments with him, as he gallops through the months and milestones - and still lets me cuddle him close and cover his face with kisses!

1) if you had to list one thing your little one does that melts your heart, what would it be? 

There are so many things he does, like throwing me mischievous looks as he tries to escape being clothed (he loves to roll around naked!) or how he touches my face when he goes to sleep or wakes up to feel me there next to him .... but if I had to list one (!!!): At 5 months old, Lucano tapped my hand one day and said “mamma” clearly. My heart stopped for what felt like a noticeable time and then just melted into a puddle. Now he says it when he is upset or wants to nurse and every time I want to just sit and cry like a baby at the pure joy it brings to hear him say “mamma”. 

2) on the flip side what is one thing you could do without?

I am sure eventually I will have something (or many) that I can do without but right but right now there’s really nothing ... or maybe it would be that he doesn’t screech like I’m torturing him if I try to put cream or sunblock on his face! 

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Please leave Mayssam comments and share the love for the courage she’s taken in sharing her story.

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Irina Fortey is an Ottawa and Toronto Documentary Photographer.
Capturing your everyday in the most beautiful way, candidly and unscripted.
VIEW PORTFOLIO

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Motherhood - Ottawa Documentary Photographer

Motherhood. It will lift you up, fill your heart with joyful love all the while throwing you a mix of challenges. It’s a beautiful mess of growth and I am blessed to see it blossom for so many wonderful women.

If you’ve followed for a while you would of seen the images from The Missing Frame Project capturing moms and babies in candid black and white photos. I’ve now invited moms who’ve participated to share their stories so that more women hear their voices and find comfort in knowing the uniqueness of each of our motherhood experiences. I am thrilled to begin publishing these stories in blog features over the Summer. I invite you to check back or if you find it easier bookmark my photo blog and enjoy a daily read.

Please leave comments and share the love for the courage they’ve taken sharing their story.

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Irina Fortey is an Ottawa and Toronto Documentary Photographer.
Capturing your everyday in the most beautiful way, candidly and unscripted.
VIEW PORTFOLIO

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