Motherhood Untold: Pride in Motherhood, Part 1
Updated by FIT4MOM
At FIT4MOM, love is at the heart of everything we do. We believe in celebrating the strength, diversity, and resilience of all families—because motherhood isn’t one-size-fits-all. It’s beautifully complex, deeply personal, and always powerful. This Pride Month, we’re honored to highlight the voices of LGBTQIA+ families and share their stories of becoming parents, building community, and raising the next generation with love and intention.
Cecilia generously opened up about her path to motherhood—a story shaped by love, loss, perseverance, and hope.
A Life Lived Authentically
Cecilia describes her coming out experience not as a big reveal, but more of an unexpected moment. One day, her mother asked her directly if she was gay. “At that time, I wasn’t even sure,” she says. “But I did have a crush on a girl, so I said yes.” Navigating those early conversations with family came with uncertainty, but over time, Cecilia has built a life rooted in honesty, authenticity, and love.
And that love grew when she met her wife, Ashley. Though they crossed paths in high school, it wasn’t until a friend’s party years later that their connection truly sparked. Now, after nearly 16 years together, they’ve built a life grounded in laughter, friendship, and shared dreams—including the dream of becoming moms.
The Dream of Motherhood
Cecilia has always known she wanted to be a mom. She jokes that she started practicing early—by caring for pets. From the beginning of their relationship, she told Ashley that she dreamed of building a family together, inspired by the kind, steady person Ashley is.
But like many LGBTQIA+ couples, their path to parenthood wasn’t simple. When they first looked into fertility treatments, they were met with overwhelming costs and insurance hurdles. “Our insurance denied coverage unless we had already ‘tried’ so many times,” Cecilia explains. For heterosexual couples, that usually means 12 months of trying naturally. For same-sex couples? It often means paying out of pocket for 12 rounds of intrauterine insemination (IUI) before coverage even begins.
Still, they moved forward—with courage and creativity. They first hoped to use a known donor, someone they trusted deeply, but when that fell through at the last minute, they pivoted with grace. “We were upset, but we still love him. He’ll always be ‘Uncle’ to our baby.”
Trying, Failing, and Trying Again
Their first attempt was at home, using a Mosie Kit—a more affordable route that felt right at the time. But it didn’t take. “We were both bummed and trying to figure out if we should try again at home or go the medical route.”
Eventually, they chose to work with a fertility specialist, Dr. Wendy Shelly, who provided them with care that was both realistic and optimistic. For Cecilia, the support she received was deeply affirming. “I was worried about my weight being a factor, but Dr. Shelly never made me feel ashamed. She made me feel safe.”
After ultrasounds, hormone treatments, and the kind of emotional rollercoaster that comes with waiting, Cecilia had the insemination—and then began the longest two-week wait of their lives.
They passed the time at the beach, anxious and hopeful. And then, finally, the call came: they were pregnant.
Becoming Moms in a Pandemic
Because of COVID-19, Ashley wasn’t able to be in the room for every step of the process. “I felt a little disconnected,” she admits. “Especially since the baby isn’t biologically mine. I wanted to be more involved.” But despite the physical distance, their emotional connection and shared joy never wavered.
As they began sharing the news with loved ones, reactions varied. Some were quiet, some were overwhelmed with joy, and others—like Ashley’s sister—burst into tears in the middle of a store. Like every family, theirs is a mix of celebration and complexity, but one thing is certain: this baby is deeply loved.
Looking Ahead with Love and Intention
As two moms raising a child who will be both Black and Mexican, Cecilia and Ashley are preparing for the realities their child may face. “We want to have the hard conversations early,” they say. “The world can be cruel, and we won’t always be there. But we’ll do everything we can to equip our child with strength, love, and confidence.”
When it comes to the journey of LGBTQIA+ parenthood, Cecilia wishes more people understood how hard and expensive the process can be. “It’s not as easy to adopt as people think. And fertility treatment has its own set of barriers. But every journey is different—and we were very blessed.”
At FIT4MOM, we’re proud to hold space for every kind of motherhood. Cecilia and Ashley’s story is one of perseverance, patience, and deep, unwavering love. It reminds us that families come in all forms—and every one of them is worthy, valuable, and celebrated here.
This Pride Month and always, we stand with our LGBTQIA+ community. Because love makes a family—and every family deserves to feel seen, supported, and strong.
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