Mom’s Choice Awards is excited to announce another post in our interview series where we chat with the inventors, designers, publishers, and others behind some of our favorite family-friendly products.

Hello, Mom’s Choice readers! Welcome to another interview in our series and we thank you for joining us. For this interview, we were able to speak with Corey Anne Abreau, author of the Mom’s Choice Award-winning book, Before I Was Born. Before I Was Born is a children’s book for new siblings that explains how their baby brother or sister grows during pregnancy through sweet illustrations and melodic rhymes. Every mom and child can relate to this beautiful story and it is so helpful in understanding all the stages a mother goes through during their pregnancy. Keep reading to find out more about Before I Was Born and the author who wrote it, Corey Anne Abreau!

MCA: Hi Corey! Thank you for joining us today and congrats on your Mom’s Choice Award! Before I Was Born is truly a lovely story that is a huge help to parents as well as big brothers or sisters needing to adjust to a growing family. I would first like to start the interview by finding out a little bit about yourself!

The Inspiration for “Before I Was Born” Cover Art.

Corey: I am a mother to 2 boys, a 3-year-old and a 19-year-old. We are originally from Rhode Island but now live in MA. I spent 7 years working in the insurance industry, then ran my own small cleaning business for 10 years.

I now work as a Recruiter for a Healthcare Staffing Firm. In my spare time, I enjoy blogging and writing children’s books. I am working on my 3rd book now and plan to write a series as my youngest grows up. I also like to include my teenager in each book as well. Even with the age difference between them, they have a really special bond.

MCA: That’s very exciting to hear that you’re planning on writing a series, we already can’t wait to read it! What was your path to becoming a writer like?

Corey: My second pregnancy inspired me to write my first book. I honestly was unsure of my writing at first and then I read my story to family/friends and they loved it. That gave me the push to send out my manuscript and see if I could do something with it – and here we are! :-)

My path actually was a pretty difficult one. I was newly married at the time and we wanted to grow our family but it was a bit of a struggle. We had to go through IVF and it was a lot to go through. So, when I finally became pregnant it just made writing this book extra special for me. Going through a really difficult time and coming out on the other side with a beautiful baby and a children’s book was pretty amazing. It just goes to show “sometimes you have to get through the storm in order to see the rainbow”

I feel very blessed to be where I am now and so grateful for the support from my family and friends as well as my publishing company, Beaver’s Pond Press, and my illustrator Sam Williams. I could not have done it without their help.

MCA: I’m very sorry to hear of your struggles with getting pregnant, I can only imagine how difficult that must have been. I’m glad to hear your journey with IVF had a happy ending! Can you tell us more about how your experience with your second pregnancy led you to write Before I Was Born?

Corey: The difficulty I had to become pregnant with my second child made writing this book very special for me. When I finally became pregnant I felt so excited and each and every month I wanted to write about my personal experience and the love I had already had for my growing baby.

There is a part of the book that is my favorite because I would always talk to my belly and say we have not met yet but I love you so much! “Mommy says she loves me and we haven’t even met” – Month 7

MCA: That is such a sweet line! What are some of the key lessons readers can look forward to in Before I Was Born?

Corey: This book can be really great for a pregnant mom who already has children – it explains what is going on inside mommy’s belly during the 9 months of pregnancy. It’s a way for children to understand what mommy is going through and their growing sister/brother.

MCA: I know you talked a little bit about your personal experience with infertility and IVF. Why is it important for you to share your story and to shine a light on these issues?

Corey: I felt the need to shine a light on infertility and IVF because so many women go through this same situation and I know how it feels, I understand the hurt, the pain, the loss, the physical and emotional part of it all – it is a lot for a woman to go through and by sharing my story maybe it could help someone else. I hope to help women dealing with infertility see there is hope and something really great can come out of a difficult time.

MCA: I’m sure a lot of women can very much relate to your experience and are grateful for all that you’ve shared. What has the response been like from your readers to Before I Was Born?

Corey With Her Husband and Son.

Corey: I have received a lot of wonderful responses from people. Before I Was Born is a great baby shower shift as well as a new sibling gift so I love when people share photos of their children reading my book. It just makes me so happy to see they are enjoying it. Reading with your children is so important, not only is it bonding time with them it can also be educational as well.

MCA: If you could ensure readers of your book walk away with one main lesson, what would it be?

Corey: A way for children to understand pregnancy and what mommy and baby are going through during those long 9 months.

I also feel it is so important for women suffering from infertility to know that “Sometimes you have to get through the storm in order to see the rainbow.” – Unknown

I absolutely love quotes and feel this one fits so perfectly here. All we can do is just keep moving forward and do our best to try and stay positive.

MCA: Well thank you for being so open and honest with us with sharing your experiences! We are very much appreciative of it and look forward to what the future holds for you!

You can learn more about Corey Anne Abreau and her award-winning book Before I Was Born by visiting her MCA Shop pages.