I’m
officially full-term in my pregnancy and we’re just waiting for the “go-ahead”
on when to jump in our car to head to the hospital. As this second pregnancy
comes to an end, I can’t help but acknowledge the new things that I’ve learned
this time around. Not only do I feel much more prepared for the sleepless
nights ahead, but I also feel more prepared for any future pregnancies that
I’ll have. This is only my second child, so I’m sure that those with more
children have even more helpful suggestions on how to survive pregnancy, but
I’ll share what I’ve learned.
First and
foremost, I’ve learned that you have to let others negative comments roll off
your back. It’s kind of funny to think that pregnancy is the only time in life
where it’s socially acceptable to tell strangers what you think of their
bodies. I cannot count the amount of times that I’ve been told “you’re huge”,
“you must be popping any day now”, or “are you sure there is only one in there.”
I know these comments will come and I mentally prepare with some seriously
great comebacks, but when they do come, I’m always caught off guard. Luckily,
there are usually twice as many people who say “you’re glowing” and I like to
assume that they’re not referring to the sweat glistening on my forehead (the
next baby will definitely be born in the winter).
I’ve learned
to not only accept help, but to ask for it. My first pregnancy I assumed I
could do it all myself and I quickly learned that I couldn’t. Rather than
asking for help, I just felt overwhelmed and like I had failed. This time when
people ask what they can do to help, I tell them. I’ve had generous family and
friends help me clean my house, make freezer meals, and even paint my toe
nails. I’ve already had people offer to bring meals when the baby is born and
I’ve happily accepted their future offer. I’ve decided that if someone is
willing to help me, then I’ll definitely let them.
I’ve also learned
that whether it’s your first or last pregnancy, you need to take time to spoil
and pamper yourself. I don’t know about all the other pregnant ladies in the
world, but I am an emotional wreck when I don’t have flattering clothes. For
me, it is frustrating getting dressed when my shirts are too short and my jeans
keep me from breathing. I’ve made a point to not only get some clothes that
fit, but also take extra time to spoil myself with pedicures and alone time.
I’ve found that giving myself a little extra love makes it easier to focus on
the cute baby in my belly as opposed to my ever-growing double chin.
Lastly, I’ve
learned that taking time to focus on the things that I can do while pregnant
make it easier to forget about the things that I can’t do. My favorite part of
every (non-pregnant) day is running, but unfortunately I haven’t been able to
run much during this pregnancy because of swelling in my knees. Not being able
to do something I love so much takes a toll on me emotionally since it’s my
usual stress outlet. I’ve decided to dedicate a large amount of time this pregnancy
on learning new things and to hopefully find something I love as much as
running. In the last nine months I’ve joined a book club, tried new fitness
classes, learned about hypnobirthing, started writing more, and learned how to
make freezer meals. I’m still incredibly excited for the day that I’ll be able
to go outside and run without pain, but it’s been fun diving into these new
activities and learning something new.
Pregnancy is
long, but so incredibly rewarding. I’m happy that I was able to learn some new
things during these last nine months and I’m excited to learn how to raise more
than one child in the coming months.
Published in the Tremonton Leader in August 2017
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