MOTHER’S INTUITION

Our English Cocker Spaniel, Bedi, delivered seven healthy pups on Sunday, and I was lucky
enough to sit with her through it all. It was miraculous to see the way she
knew exactly what to do. No coaching, no motherhood books, no dog-mom-blogs to
prepare her for what to expect when she was expecting. I’d like to think she
actually understands everything I tell her, but there’s a chance she never even
realized she was pregnant. Yet, when the time came, she knew. She snapped right
into action. I was in awe of her. When things calmed down and it was only the
nine of us in the quiet, I was overwhelmed with emotion thinking of all I’d
gotten to learn from my faithful friend in the hours before.

So often as women- mothers, especially- we seek advice, permission, or instructions about
how to live our lives. We look everywhere but within for answers of how to
properly navigate every age and stage. We forget to trust ourselves. I’m
grateful to Bedi for reminding me that, no matter how much I may think I am
failing at motherhood, I was actually made for it. Our bodies and our hearts
were designed to know exactly what to do if we allow ourselves to trust in
them. Our intuition is our best resource.

Today we took the puppies to their first check-up. Like any new mom, Bedi was anxious when
they took her babies out of the room. She didn’t panic. She didn’t bark. She
planted her exhausted body by the door and waited until they came back to her.
At times, there are circumstances beyond our control and it goes against every
instinct to let our babies go. But separation is also a natural part of life.
As I watched her I knew there wasn’t much of a difference between her mama
heart and mine. We all feel better when we can see them, hold them, smell them.
To know they are safe is the ultimate feeling of peace. Still, we let them go.
We know it’s what they need to grow. In those moments, all a mother can do is
wait calmly, and hope they return to their safe space a bit stronger and braver
for having gone out into the world without her.

It will be fascinating to watch Bedi and her brood in the weeks to come. I hope observing her
maternal instincts will continue to inspire me to check in with mine. So far,
I’ve gathered that children need to be warm, fed, clean and loved. That I can
do…and, it seems as if nothing else really matters.