Aizel Caldino

For most moms-to-be, those two pink lines on a pregnancy test trigger a mix of jumping-for-joy smiles and tears, but for some, it’s fear that kicks in. “My first taste of motherhood has not been blissful,” Aizel recalled. It was a moment of breathlessness, a heavy weight on her shoulders, as panic and fear gripped her while still a third-year college student on the cusp of graduation.

“Telling my parents was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do at that time. The disappointment and sadness in their eyes cut me to the core, and I felt like I had let them down in the worst possible way. I looked for a job before telling them so that they would not have to worry on the financial side. I was a full-time student and full-time employee at the same time, so I wasn’t able to fully prepare myself emotionally,” she said.

In moments when the scars of the past feel tender and raw, Aizel recalled that she found her strength in bouncing back and the amazing support of her friends who had her back. Being Aziel’s mom proved to be her saving grace in the end. Aizel has come to realize that looking after her two-year-old is a journey worth embracing.

“My favorite thing about my son is that he gives me comfort. He always makes me laugh. He’s clingy. He always tries to communicate as if he’s already a grown-up. Someone said that she ‘prayed for a man who would always love her and so she was given a son.’ I felt that. My son saved me so many times without even knowing it. It may not have been blissful in the beginning, but life knew what I needed before I even did,” she shared.