Bethany Hamilton is no stranger to the challenges and joys of parenthood.
The professional surfer and her husband, Adam Dirks, have two sons, Tobias and Wesley. Since becoming a mom in 2015, she’s been open about the journey from pregnancy to diaper changes to kiddie surfing.
In honor of her birthday, here are 17 quotes about motherhood from Hamilton.
On Becoming A Mom Sooner Than Expected
“Becoming a mom is something I always knew was going to be an amazing part of my life, or at least I hoped that, but it just came so much sooner than I had anticipated. It was a hard time in my life, just embracing motherhood. I think a lot of women struggle with it, so I thought it was really important to share the truth of that. I had a lot of fears entering into motherhood. I didn’t know what life would look like after. And I think a lot of women deal with that. I hope that it can encourage a lot of women because it is such a special gift and I’m so glad it’s my life now.”
On Pregnancy
“I was one of the lucky women who breezed through my pregnancy, never got morning sickness and felt amazing. The only thing I slightly struggled with was my hunger and for the first time in my life found myself in the fridge having midnight snacks.”
On Explaining Her Accident To Her Son
“I’m so excited to tell my son about my accident, as he will see how I’m not your typical mom. As soon as he’s old enough, I’m going to explain how I ended up with one arm, but then tell him life got even better because of what happened to me. I want to show him a shark might have bitten off my arm, but that doesn’t stop you in life. It just makes you even more determined and stronger.”
On Early Challenges
“Being a mom is fantastic, but the first three months were brutal. Tobias had colic and any mom that has dealt with that will know just how hard that is to deal with, so much so it’s hard to enjoy the time together. You just have to keep thinking it won’t last forever and you will one day get through it.”
On Changing A Diaper With One Arm
“Of course the sleep deprivation was hard, but learning to change his diapers with one arm has become harder the more active he gets. I have to use my feet and the more he moves, the harder it is, so I have to try my best to distract him. First I arrange the diaper with my one arm. Then I use my feet to lift his legs before reaching and fastening the diaper with my one hand. It’s even harder as we use reusable diapers, which have a button that you have to fasten. It’s definitely not easy and some days I get so frustrated, but I always get there in the end. Thankfully we live in Hawaii, so he is basically going to be running around with no clothes on all the time. So at least I don’t have to worry about dressing him in warm clothes.”
On Balancing Motherhood And Surfing
“It’s been an incredible journey to try to balance the two ― really putting motherhood first but still be able to push my surfing. I started working on my fitness when my youngest, Wesley, who is 4 months old, turned 2 months old. I worked with a trainer to just kind of ease my body back into it. ... After this pregnancy, I felt like easing back into it and really focusing on all the little muscles, versus just charging straight into it. I think culturally it’s just really popular to get your fitness back really fast or to force your body back into shape, and I think some women feel that pressure. I’m like, no, soak up the time with your little newborn baby and let that be the most important thing of the day and ease back into it.”
On Shifts In Perspective
“I’ve always been competitive with myself and I’ve always tried to be the best I can be, but getting married and having a son has completely changed things.”
On The First Time She Held Her Son
“When I first held him in my arms, it was just immediate love and you just know you would die for him. It was instant love and so magical to hold a child that has grown inside me, knowing I had brought another life into the world.”
On Breastfeeding
“Nursing was also tricky to start with, learning how to maneuver him into the right place with one hand, but I figured that out too and now I just feel so thankful that I am able to feed my son.”
On Wanting To Inspire Her Son
“Losing my arm made me gain so much and I’m excited to show Tobias photos of me back on the surfboard to prove it. I hope my journey encourages him to follow his own dreams.”
On Encouraging Her Kids To Surf
“I never ever think about the dangers of sharks when I think of putting my son in the water. It’s just not something that ever crosses my mind. You cannot live your life like that, or you would be afraid to do anything. I dream about us surfing together.”
On How Motherhood Changes Things
“I’m loving being a mom and watching him grow. The first time he smiled gave me so much joy it was insane and there is never a dull moment in my life now. There is not a single second to be bored.”
On Postpartum Surfing
“I went for an hour the first day, then the next time I went for four hours, but by the third time I felt like my body was going to collapse and I knew I had to take my time. I needed to listen to my body and not rush things, but being so impatient that was hard. Now I am back surfing whenever I get the chance and love it even more knowing my husband and son are on the shore watching me.”
On Parenting Fears
“A lot of physical one-arm fears I had before becoming a mom ended up being nonissues. I just had to be clever and determined! I really believe parenting is so much more verbal than physical ― though I love snuggles with my little guy.”
On Her Sons’ Relationship With Water
“My 4-year-old surfs. He started catching his own waves and he loves the ocean, so it’s fun. [Wesley] usually screams the whole way, but he’s stoked to be in the water.”
On Talking To Kids About Adversity
“My husband and I have been talking about this, actually. We look forward to having many intentional and age-appropriate talks about life challenges, whether it be something we are going through as a family or others we know or hear about. I look forward to this part in parenting. With a 2-and-a-half-year-old, we are starting with short, simple conversations, and I love it.”
On What She’s Learned From Parenthood
“I love it even more than I knew I would. It has taught me to be more and more thankful for my own parents. They are awesome in so many ways. It has taught me how I care for others and that I really want to be my personal best as a wife and mom because every choice I make impacts my family. I’ve become a bit more responsible and better at my time management.”
