I started attending Birthline for the first time when I was pregnant for my first child at the age of seventeen. After giving birth, the struggles of being a first-time, single, teenage parent made it difficult to attend. Again in 2012, I started services with Birthline while I was expecting my second child. Again, life circumstances made it difficult to continue coming once my son was born. Here I am again; expecting my third child. Hopefully once he is born I can continue with my appointments at Birthline so I can benefit even more from additional lessons I have yet to take.
Birthline has benefited me in many ways. Not just me, but also my husband and children, for it has made me a more understanding and better person, parent, and wife.
Lessons such as “Smoking and Your Developing Baby” and “Pregnancy” has helped me understand the “behind the scenes” aspect of what is going on with my body and the changes the baby is going through before he is born. The “Toilet Training” lesson gave me tips on how to make the process easier for my two-year old. “Parenting the Special Needs Child” has given me hope and insight on how to handle situations as they arise with my seven-year old who was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome. All of these lessons and more have made me a more patient and understanding mother.
It doesn’t end there though. “Discovering what Type of Parent You Are” has made me take a closer look at how I am raising my children, but also, paired with the “Staying Married” lesson, it has also made me a better wife. My husband and I find it easier to stand together and work as a team, instead of two separate individuals.
The more lessons I take, the better I feel about myself, my marriage, and my parenting. It helps to know that I am not alone and that there are other people going through the same situations that I am.
Signed,
Sierra
5-21-15