Guts work in mysterious ways. We curse them when violently ill, praise them in moments of bravery, aim to work out more to minimize their outside appearance, and understand their importance to our well-being. Made up of many parts that work together for the betterment of our bodies, guts are the essentially the doorway to our bodies and the protectors of our immune system. The physical parts of the gut can be examined, researched, tested, removed, transplanted, and learned from. Those in the medical field can suggest ways to build a healthier gut, such as tweaks to a diet and changes to a lifestyle. Ongoing research and studies emerge daily on how we need to listen to our bodies for signs and signals of discomfort and contentment. It is just as important to know the factors of comfort as well as pain so we can take the proper steps toward an action plan that suits our gut and overall health.
Although the purpose and functionality of the gastrointestinal tract is crucial for our comprehensive well-being, another gut that we need to support, nurture, listen, and learn from is not found in a medical textbook or spoken of within the walls of medical schools. It cannot be taken out in an operating room or placed under a microscope for further investigation. If this type of gut were to appear in the format of an anatomical drawing, I believe it would look something like a flowchart with arrows around the perimeter and a person smack dab in the center.
I also believe that that person on the flowchart would be a mother, and I also predict there would be numerous amounts of hearts and other designs that could and should accompany the illustrations. The context embedded under those arrows and hearts deals with the very essence and innards of a mom: her gut. Sometimes referred to as a “mother’s intuition,” and often used in various ways, a mother’s gut feeling on a particular subject, choice, or situation, can be as sharp a feeling as a punch in the actual gut, or more of a vision or tug emotionally that pushes her to rush home from work due to worry or ask for a second medical opinion when something about the first just doesn’t seem right. Intuition expert Simone Wright, author of First Intelligence: Using the Science and Spirit of Intuition, points out that everyone possesses intuition:
“Mother’s intuition is the natural, inborn intelligence that guides and supports her to deeply know, without external influence, what is truly right, and correct for her child’s best interest and well-being… But in this world of intellect, data, and rational/material thought, it is trained, and taught out of us from a very early age.”
As a mother of two young children, I am no stranger to the many job titles it takes to run a house and keep a seven- and four-year-old running alongside me as well. From the minute their little feet hit the ground in the morning to the moment those same toes are tucked safely into their respective beds, I am in a constant state of awareness. Although this occasionally comes with the standard “now what day is it again?” (often after a school holiday or early dismissal day), I like to think that all the balls I have in the air are somewhat managed. That said, I know when to put on my referee hat and when to stay put on the sidelines. Much like a new mother who learns the meanings of her baby’s cries, I have learned to tell the difference between a whine, a forced wail, an exhausted cry, and my least favorite sound: the injured scream. Many of these examples cause us to act and react in various ways based on the severity of the situation, yet they still have the capability to rattle the nerves of the most steadfast mother. Our mother’s gut aids us in assessing such situations. The feelings cannot be explained nor analyzed, but felt with only the utmost intensity that ultimately stops us in our tracks. That pang of nervousness that causes you to dart from the shower and into the living room (why is it when we finally take a shower?!)? A mama’s gut. A particular yank that urges you to call the school because something just doesn’t feel right? A mama’s gut. And that indescribable yearning to dig deeper into a medical condition and seek answers beyond your normal realm? That’s right—it’s your mom gut checking in.
Whatever the case may be, the strength of a mother’s gut feeling cannot be measured by a scale, inspected by a gastroenterologist, or revised by eliminating dairy and/or gluten. Although invisible to the eye and sometimes nonexistent to a skeptical husband, mothers are cognizant to its appearance and believers of its power. While steps are necessary to take care of the physical gut we are born with, we must also nourish the gut that was granted to us the day we became mothers. The connection a mother has with her children is remarkable. We see and read about the blessings, beauties, and reality of motherhood as described through various viewpoints, but it is really only in the quiet and stillness of our own time and hearts that we can connect with the extraordinary assignment of being a mother. It is only when we recognize the capacity of our mother’s intuition that we can appreciate the exceptional blessing of being a mom.
