Auntyhood, the unexpected expansion of motherhood
Auntyhood opened my heart in unexpected ways. From the moment my niece was conceived to the day she ran into my arms, I learned that motherhood expands beyond our own children. Through nieces, nephews, and community, we discover new forms of love, presence, and connection.
Though I am the firstborn in my family, I was the last to experience what it truly means to be an aunty. By the time my niece came along, I was already a mother, and I often wondered whether I could ever be the kind of aunty my siblings had been to my daughters present, playful, attentive, and full of love.
But from the very first day I heard she had been conceived, something in me shifted. I felt a quiet, special connection forming with this little one I had never met. And on the day of her gender reveal when my “team girl” hopes came true my heart expanded in ways I didn’t expect.
When I finally visited her recently, everything simply made sense. The way she ran to me, climbed into my arms, and made herself at home on my lap it was as if we had known each other far longer than her young life allows. She reminded me that aunty-love is its own beautiful calling, shaped not by perfection but by presence.
And what does this mean for other mothers?
It shows that motherhood is bigger than the children we personally bring into the world. Our hearts grow through the young people we love nieces, nephews, godchildren, the children of our friends and communities. These relationships teach us to nurture in new ways and remind us that care can flow through many unexpected connections.
At Mamanarratives.org, we honour these wider circles of motherhood, because every story of connection helps another woman feel seen, strengthened, and less alone.
Happy 2nd birthday, my sweet girl. You’ve made me a proud aunty forever.