Ivana Poku Amy Schumer recently opened up about her experience as a mother in an Instagram selfie with her son Gene.
She said: “Being his mom is heaven on earth and also means a constant feeling of guilt and vulnerability I will never get used to. Your heart feels like it’s outside your body and you’re too old to drink the feelings away like you used to. When you were in love and scared. Send help!!!’
She has 3147 comments on the photo, the most of which are kind and understanding. For instance, Tan France said: “Yep. exactly how it is and feels. It’s beautiful and terrifying.”
Allison Ruth said: “Oof do I get this. The greatest feeling of love I’ve ever experienced and also my biggest insecurity if I am doing a good enough job.”
To open up on something like this, it requires a tremendous amount of inner strength. To admit that you don’t always like parenthood, that you struggle and feel bad. It’s deeply ingrained in us that we shouldn’t be feeling this way. A small, repressed part of us always believes that we should savour every moment of motherhood.
On many senses, opening up about her challenges with motherhood was a brave move.
To begin with, admitting that you are struggling out loud takes courage – even if you are an ordinary person who opted to confide in a close friend. But speaking up when you’re in the spotlight with millions of people watching you must take a whole new level of bravery. Because your confession has far-reaching consequences, ranging from your family to your mental health to your work.
It’s also no secret that celebrities are constantly judged. They are judged on their appearances, bodies, make-up, hairstyles, diets, and automobiles. One of every mother’s greatest worries is being judged. In Amy’s instance, the ruling might result in millions of strangers making derogatory comments on her account, as well as journalists harming her if they choose to.
People and the media (or, even worse, a combination of both!) have the ability to twist people’s statements in severe ways, so as a public person, you must always bear this in mind anytime you speak publicly.
It doesn’t matter how sincere or well-intentioned your comments are if they don’t come across in the proper way or the way you intended.
Still, she did it.
Secondly, despite Amy’s upbeat and outgoing nature, I would not have expected her to be candid about such matters. I believe she went above and beyond when she indicated she was struggling.
This is why I find her actions even more admirable.
I am a HUGE advocate of openly discussing our feelings regarding motherhood. It is, in my opinion, the best and only method to prevent mothers from experiencing feelings of guilt, self-doubt, and sadness.
Luckily, there are an increasing number of celebrities and well-known people who are open about motherhood.
But I get butterflies every time I hear a tale like Amy’s because I know it’s one step closer to the silent facts about parenthood being public awareness.
Thank you, Amy! x
