The REAL, SWOLLEN, UN-EXERCISED TRUTH ABOUT THE PREGNANCY JOURNEY with Eliza b.
Who is Eliza B.? She is one of our newest Editors at NEXTonSCENE. In this article she shares her journey about her unexpected pregnancy. Although finding out I was pregnant turned out to be great news, it was completely unexpected! My husband and I had just shaken off the wedding jitters and had barely even unpacked the clothes in our new house when I got those two blue lines. So as I said, it was completely unexpected!! And I’m here to give you the REAL, SWOLLEN, UNEXERCISED truth of it! SO NOW WHAT? While most people start thinking of who to tell the big news first, one of the most important steps of my pregnancy journey has been finding and taking advantage of the support system I never knew I needed. It’s different for everyone. For some, it’s their parents or other couples. For me, it was mostly my sisters. But the most surprising to me, was my neighbors! Moving an hour away from your home of 30 years, and not knowing anyone in your area can be scary- pregnant or not! But I quickly learned that I had the best support system I needed right on my own block! From baby swings to cribs, to daily check-ins and advice, they have been the biggest help to me! I am beyond lucky to these caring and genuine ladies in my life!
As important as the positive support in your life is, I do want to mention the other side of this that a lot of people tend to ignore. The reality is, not everyone in our lives are a positive influence. Whether it’s a family member or a long time friend, it is important- especially during pregnancy- to set boundaries and protect your mental health. The first step to motherhood is making sure you and your baby are your first priority. Sadly, sometimes that means distancing yourself from certain people, even just temporarily, to ensure your pregnancy is as stress free as possible. You have enough to worry about!
Possibly one of the hardest times in history to find out your pregnant is during Covid! We are all already feeling isolated and unsure of surroundings. Finding out that it’s not just your health you have to worry about may be very scary! I feel that it is important to stay calm and not become frantic and overwhelmed by fear. Find healthy and safe ways to fill your time, especially with the pandemic still lingering. Finding a doctor was one of the most daunting and stressful parts for me. I was over an hour away from my lifetime gynecologist, and I had to find someone who took my new health insurance and fast. I’ve had some less than satisfactory experiences with doctors in the past, and it was honestly really scary for me to take on this hugely important task. I used a website called "zocdoc" that showed me who accepted my insurance, a photo of them and their availability. I could just scroll through the list at my own pace in the comfort of my home. It made the process so much easier! I ended up connecting with a great doctor- he even gives out special cookies at the end of each visit! What a way to win a pregnant woman’s heart!!
There are also many potential “problems” that can be easy to get worked up over, especially when hearing these medical terms for the first time. During my journey, it felt like every time I went to the doctor they told me something was wrong “but not to worry”. A lot of the time I got a sonogram, they mentioned my ‘baby was breech’sounds scary right?! A breeched baby just means that he’s facing down or backwards. This is nothing to get worked up over. The baby is still constantly moving around inside of you, mine moved before the end of my ultra sound a lot of the time! A breech is not a big deal at all until the end of pregnancy! Another issue I had was “having too much cord near the baby’s face”. So they scheduled me for a high risk ultrasound. A few days later and by that time there was no cord near the baby’s face. They said he was probably just playing with it!! My point is, when talking about babies, we all worry, including doctors! There’s tons of extra precautions taken during this time! But try to remember to stay calm, and in the words of Grey’s Anatomy “let’s not worry until we have to”. Create A Realistic Birth Plan That Works FOR YOU: Whether you're having a vaginal or c-section birth, it is important to have some sort of plan in place for yourself. This is where getting yourself a birth doula can be helpful. Figuring out ideal goals for your birth. Sometimes everything never goes as planned, so being flexible is key. Having guidelines and a prepped birth bag in case of an emergency is important. As someone that’s not big on group classes or professional help, it was a bit of an overwhelming process to come to terms with my pregnancy. I was a drinker and cigarette smoker and enjoyed living my life on my terms. That all came to a crashing halt when I got those two blue lines, and to be totally honest it wasn’t something I was entirely ready for. I definitely want to emphasize this because I want any moms/ moms-to-be who are reading this, that may be struggling, to know that YOU ARE NOT ALONE!
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