Becoming a mother is a life-changing experience. There are many ways to welcome a child into your world – whether you fall pregnant as part of your plan, have the assistance of a surrogate, or adopt a child – once you do, your life shifts.
As with many life shifts, the need to commemorate it comes to mind, and one way is a tattoo that represents what being a mother means to you.
1. Heartbeat
If you became a mother through pregnancy, you probably remember the moment you heard your baby’s heartbeat for the first time through the ultrasound machines during a doctor’s appointment.
The moment the surprisingly strong sound reaches your ears, perhaps the doctor’s room fell away as you were transfixed with the first sound of your child.
This is a truly special moment in the journey to becoming a mother. It’s no wonder that many people choose to get a permanent reminder of this sound.
“This design (also known as an EKG or electrocardiogram) is sparked by the idea that love is born in the heart and grows with each heartbeat. The line of the heartbeat jumps up and down with each beat, creating the peaks and valleys that have been made to symbolize dedication and affection,”
Tattoo SEO
Related Post: Celebrate Your Passion with a Heart Tattoo
2. Birthdate
While the lead up to welcoming your baby into the world if full of incredible moments such as hearing the heartbeat for the first time for pregnant people, or meeting the baby that will become your child for adoptive parents, there is little that can compare with the day they actually enter your life.
Author of A Midwives Story, Sheryl Feldman, likens the process of giving birth to a powerful, natural force,
“There is power that comes to women when they give birth. They don’t ask for it, it simply invades them. Accumulates like clouds on the horizon and passes through, carrying the child with it.”
Scott Simon on Adoption and Beyond
“There are times when the adoption process is exhausting and painful and makes you want to scream. But…so does childbirth.”
No matter how your child enters your life, an amazing way to commemorate the moment is with a date tattoo. During the challenging moments that parenthood does bring, looking down and seeing the date can transport you once again to that special moment.
3. Geographical Coordinates
It’s not only what day your child was born that’s important, but also where.
Angelina Jolie has her own collection of tattoos that celebrates motherhood – she has six children. To commemorate her children, she has the geographical locations of where she met each of her children tattooed on her bicep.
4. Star Signs and Constellations
Another famous actress and businesswoman who honored her role as mother with tattoos is Jessica Alba.
The Hollywood star has three tattoos representing her three kids. She chose the stars as inspiration for her ink, with constellations representing the zodiac signs of Gemini, Capricorn and Leo in a fine-line, minimal design.
Related Post: Star Tattoos: Symbolism and Styles
5. Mom and Child
Time goes by so quickly, especially for mothers. One day your child is on the swing sets with you, and the next they’re running around with their own friends.
A tattoo commemorating a special activity the two of you do together is an amazing way to have a permanent reminder of the time spent with your child when they’re young.
Perhaps the two of you loved going on the swings, or reading books.
Choose an image that honors your time having fun together.
Related Post: 8 Tattoos as Symbols of Love
6. Your Child’s Favorite Thing
Whether your little one’s favorite thing is chasing butterflies in the garden, or a teddy bear that they’ve had since they were born, chances are that thing is going to remind you of your child and amazing memories long after they’re put away their toys and stopped chasing butterflies.
Memorializing this time in your youngster’s life with ink is a wonderful option for a motherhood tattoo, and can bring about great memories when they’re all grown up.
7. Handprint
All too soon after welcoming your new baby into your world, their little hands grow and they move from being a newborn to a toddler, then to a child who is fully capable of letting the world know what he or she wants.
To memorialize how small they once were – with tiny hands clutching onto your finger – a print of your baby’s hand is an adorable reminder of the first few months of motherhood. The time spent with a newborn is often some of the most precious moments of a mother’s life.
8. Pet Name
Maybe your child has become your little bumblebee, bunny, or panda bear. As you raise your child, you find pet names of endearment for them.
If you have an animal pet name for your child, this could make an adorable tattoo. A tiny bee, or cute little bunny will remind you that, no matter what age your child is, they will always be your little one.
Related Post: Dog/Pet Tattoos: Meaning and Symbolism
9. A Favored Book
If you’re looking for some tattoo inspiration, head over your child’s bookshelf. Is there a book that they beg to hear you read, even though they’ve heard it a hundred times before?
An inking of a scene or character from the story is an amazing way to honor the time you spend with your child, reading to them, but also teaching them some of life’s most important lessons that are found in the pages of children’s books.
As Oprah said,
“I believe the choice to become a mother is the choice to become one of the greatest spiritual teachers there is.”
10. Mandala
A mandala is a popular choice for a tattoo. As Indi Mode explains, a mandala is a spiritual symbol that comes from Hinduism and Buddhism, and represents the universe.
“The mandala also represents spiritual journey within the individual viewer.”
Motherly notes that a mandala themed around motherhood is meaningful tattoo option to reflect your child and the journey of motherhood. After all, becoming a mother and raising a child is certainly one of the most profound journeys one can undertake.
For more about mandala tattoos, click here.
Becoming a mother changes your life forever, and getting a tattoo is permanent, too. So, take the time to do your research to make sure you choose a design you’ll love forever. Click here for 10 things to consider before getting inked.
Choosing a tattoo that represents the incredible moments of motherhood that you want to keep a hold of when your baby is no longer a baby is a powerful way to celebrate your journey as a mother.