When I envisioned pregnancy, it was all about my cute baby bump, all of the sweet little clothes that we’d purchase fill the baby’s closet, the smell of Johnson & Johnson lotion, and the joy of bringing home our first baby that had a mixture of Kris’ and my best features.
This is also known as Pregnancy La-La Land. I still go there often. I mean, when we registered for baby gear last week, I walked the aisles of Target in a dream-like trance.
That is, until I started seeing spots and my vision got super fuzzy and my OB/Gyn’s office had just conveniently closed and all Google wanted to tell me was that I was in the beginning stages of Pre-eclampsia. A Snickers bar and a little rest in the Target food court didn’t fix it. And a phone call to my mother, and then one to Laurie Beth, convinced me to head home, drink a bunch of water, and take a nap.
Of course, I woke up 3 hours later after a mini-migraine and was completely fine, but these are just the things that no one tells you about pregnancy.
I guess I thought I’d do pregnancy like some sort of Earth Mother… you know, like all glowy and floaty and beautifully pregnant.
But then 6 weeks hits and you literally feel hit (by a baseball bat or some other bludgeoning object) and you’re like, “Eh, this is not what I signed up for.” There is a MYRIAD of other super fun symptoms. Like the ones that most advertising usually targets old people with (prune juice anyone?), and you’re like “HELLO! Why is this not talked about in normal lady conversation?” We need to be warned!
Or maybe it’s for our own good.
I’m a control freak. I like lists and I like agendas. I like to know on Tuesday what our plans are for Friday. So you can imagine that I’ve done a lot of reading and research on pregnancy, labor & delivery, post-partum recovery, and the first few months of baby’s life. Honestly, I’ve scared myself with some of the discoveries I’ve made. I’m trying to have a great “g0-with-the-flow” attitude with this pregnancy, and for the most part, I’m doing a great job. But when it comes to the labor & delivery of this child, I have little control. I know what kind of a birth plan I’d prefer, but that doesn’t mean that it will go according to my plan.
I guess I’m just saying, Google wisely and sparingly. Educate yourself but don’t freak out when you discover some of the more concrete details about pregnancy, labor & delivery, and recovery. Because it’s easy to freak out about stuff like that. (I’m typing this mostly to remind myself.)
And seriously, when I feel her move throughout the day and night – which has to be one of the most amazing things I’ve ever experienced – it’s all worth it.
