Teach Mom Learn

We all know moms are the closest things to superheroes that exist in real life.  This is especially true for new moms.  They keep tiny humans alive every day, making them feel loved. 

They feed their babies, change them, care for their pets, clean their homes, run errands, work, and keep track of schedules.  Plus, they either got through a childbirth, a c-section, or an arduous adoption process, so they have unrivaled strength and willpower.

Ever since I had Rae, I’ve noticed new superpowers popping up all the time.  At first, I thought it was just me overanalyzing, but then I talked to my other mom friends and they have the same ones. In fact, they seem to be pretty universal.

We’re definitely not at Peter-Parker-getting-bit-by-a-radioactive-spider level, but we are definitely superheroes in our own right!  Here are the top 10 mom superpowers:

1. Super smell

Oh how I wish this one ended in pregnancy, but Rae is nearly 17 months old and it’s still here.  I talked to a mom friend whose youngest is 4 years old, and she still has it too.  I think it’s here to stay.

Moms can smell a dirty diaper from 20 feet away.  They can pick up the stench of a forgotten sandwich in a backpack, and find dirty socks using only their noses. 

While this is not the most wanted superpower, it’s definitely a useful one!

2. Lightning reflexes

This is one I’m actually grateful for.  Babies’ jerky little moments can result in some unexpected turns and flips.  Toddlers constantly trip over nonexistent bumps. 

Once they get tall enough, they will suddenly be able to reach all the surfaces you thought were safe.  And suddenly, your whole house becomes a disaster waiting to happen.

Thank goodness for those mom reflexes! You can catch lamps and toddlers mid-fall, anticipate an unexpected baby roll, and see trips and falls before they even happen.  Maybe this superpower has some psychic undertones!

3. The ability to function on less sleep than 10 6^th graders at a sleepover

A lack of sleep is an inescapable reality for new moms.  It’s also an occasional occurrence for all moms.  It’s like after pregnancy, random nights of insomnia come up every few months. 

Between a lack of sleep and a constant stream of responsibilities, exhaustion is just part of being a parent.

Moms know you never get a day off, no matter how tired you are. Somehow, new and experienced moms are able to rally on less sleep than they’ve ever had (even counting the barhopping days of their early 20s and college parties).

It seems impossible to get through an entire day of taking care of your little loves on less than 3 hours of sleep, and yet moms do it every single day.  Because they know they don’t have a choice.  And for that, they deserve all the coffee in the world.

4. Unrivaled strength

New moms, just weeks out from childbirth or c-section, are unbelievably strong.  They lift strollers with one arm and carry bulky baby carriers and enormous diaper bags without toppling.

Toddler moms can carry a squirming toddler with one arm and push a stroller up a grassy hill with the other (ask me how I know!). 

Moms of multiple kids somehow keep all of their children within an arms reach while lugging their supplies and a double stroller.

Being a mom shows you how strong you truly are, mentally and physically.  It’s superhuman what we manage to accomplish (and carry) in a day!

5. Getting ready in a flash

Remember the days of leisurely showers, using 12 different products on your face, and perfectly matching your outfits? Those days are long-gone. They’ve been replaced by getting yourself and your children ready at the same time, packing lunches, and being fully ready for the day, usually before 7AM.

For new moms, getting ready means showering while your baby is in their swing, peaceful for 2 minutes and throwing on some Chapstick and mascara if it’s a special occasion. They can get ready for an entire day in less than 10 minutes, which is pretty amazing considering how sleep deprived they are!

6. Master of multitasking

No one multitasks like a mom. They can pack lunches, make breakfast, brew coffee, and inhale a granola bar over the sink at the same time.

Moms can catch temper tantrums before they start and initiate the perfect distraction while driving a car or shopping in the grocery store.

Moms work, maintain a house, and take care of kids, all at the same time. From wake up to bedtime, they don’t stop. There is nothing they can’t accomplish, even while in the middle of doing 3 other things at the same time!

7. Fiercest Protector

No one messes with your babies. The protective instincts moms have are so strong that, when it comes to their children, they are fearless.

Moms will not let anyone harm their children, physically or mentally. They don’t hesitate to do whatever they can to keep their children safe.

Even moms who are hesitant to speak up in their own lives find their voice for their children’s sake. Moms know they don’t have a choice because they’re setting the example for their kids.

Raising strong children means showing them how to be assertive, capable, tenacious people. Moms are experts at that. Maybe that’s why Etsy literally has 64,383 results when you search “Mama Bear” -who wouldn’t want to brag about that superpower?

8. Flawless Intuition

Mother’s intuition may be joked about sometimes, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t real. Moms know their children better than anyone. Often, they know them better than the kids know themselves.

Moms can recognize their babies multitude of cries. They can understand a toddler’s babbles and body language and know exactly what they’re asking for.

They know the difference between a scared cry, a sad cry, and an angry cry and know what to do to fix each one. Moms don’t even think about it, they just instinctively know what to do to make their little one feel better.

Moms can also tell when their children aren’t feeling well. They can tell the second something is even just slightly off. My own mother used to feel our foreheads and guess our temperature to the 10th of a degree (not exaggerating!).

A mom’s intuition isn’t just limited to her own children -she gets strong gut feelings about everyone in her child’s life. Moms know which friends to trust and which to keep a close eye on. And they know which boyfriends and girlfriends are the real thing, long before their children do.

Trust your instincts, moms! You’ll be surprised how often you’re right!

9. Super Hearing

I don’t know about you, but my husband can sleep through anything. I’m not kidding, he once slept through a fire alarm (and me screaming at him to get up) at our old apartment. It was a false alarm, luckily!

When we had Rae, I hoped this would change, but it didn’t. He sleeps through every cry. Even when she’s up and about in the mornings, yelling her greetings and throwing her stuffed animals at him, he snores away.

Not all dads are like this. I have a few friends whose husbands sleep lighter than they do, and others whose husbands suddenly wake up every time their baby tosses and turns.

Moms, on the other hand, seem to have super hearing. We wake up the second our baby tosses in their sleep, we hear every cry and every snuffle.

During the days, we hear everything our babies are doing. We instinctively know when they’re too quiet too. There’s a difference between normal quiet and trouble quiet, and moms can hear it!

10. Limitless Memory

Moms know the lyrics to every song their child loves. They unintentionally memorize the words to their child’s favorite books. They keep track of everything meaningful to their kids and never forget something that matters to them, no matter how small it seems.

Somehow, with everything going on, moms remember bake sale days, permission slips, school forms, and doctor’s appointments. They never forget to pick their kids up at school and keep track of a schedule that can only be compared to Tetris.

Moms do the impossible every single day. When obstacles come up, it’s never a question of if they will be overcome, but how because for moms, there is no choice. And that deserves to be celebrated every single day.

Now that you’re taking ownership of your mom superpowers, be sure to check out these 12 Ways to Conquer Your Mom Guilt!

What are your superpowers? What new talents have you noticed since becoming a mom? Please share in the comments below!