THINGS I’VE LEARNED ABOUT PREGNANCY

Pregnancy has been one of the most exciting, magical, and sacred things I’ve been a part of.

I have truly enjoyed the past nine months of carrying and growing this child in me, and while I AM SO READY TO HAVE THIS BABY OUT IN MY ARMS, I still marvel at the miracle of having this little one inside of me. It is truly one of the most sacred things to experience in this life. A little person…half me, half my husband…knit together inside of my body…growing, kicking, squirming. I think that feeling that little child moving inside of me is one of the most magical feelings in the entire world (although while trying to go to sleep at ten o’clock every night it may feel less magical, hehe).

It’s funny to me to think back to my life and perception of pregnancy prior to being pregnant…because just like any other experience in life, you will never know what it is like until you actually experience it. I’ve heard the stories and the quirks and challenges of pregnancy from my friends and aunts and all…but they were just stories. Until nine months ago, those stories felt so far away from my life…and then suddenly, they became real. I’ve had an easy pregnancy according to what some ladies experience, and honestly I can’t imagine the grace and strength it requires for those pregnancies that are full of nausea and food aversions and such for the entire nine months…all I can say it, bless you dear woman.

Here are some things that I’ve learned about pregnancy based on my experience:

– You will pee more than you thought possible. Somedays you go every five minutes…and as you near the end of pregnancy, your baby will push down on your bladder and make time between bathroom visits even shorter. Just go with it (hehe).

– Some days you will feel like you can eat your entire kitchen and your stomach feels empty no matter how much you put in it. But eat, because it’s your body telling you that it needs food for your growing little one. Also, if you crave burgers every day for a week, just do it.

– Sometimes you will cry about the strangest things, like a touching television commercial.

– You will start saying words like “precious” and “sweet”  and “awwww” way more than you did before.

– Shopping for baby things become more exciting than shopping for things for yourself.

– Some days you will feel like a gigantic whale, but some days you will actually feel more beautiful and stunning than you’ve ever felt before.

– You will feel such an intense and overwhelming love for a little person you’ve never even met.

– There is a natural mothering instinct inside of you that comes to life that you never knew was there and you will do anything you need to do to protect and nurture the life inside of you.

– Some nights you just.can’t.sleep, for no apparent reason. The best thing to do is get up and do something else for an hour or two until you are good and sleepy. Hormones.

– There will be moments when you question if you have what it takes to be a mom…but remember that God gave you this child and He believes in your ability to love and care for him. You can do it.

– Some days you will have boundless energy and some days you will have absolutely no energy. Work when you can and rest when you need.

– No pregnancy is the same and the only thing you can totally count on to happen to you during your own is that birth will happen sometime (although at this point i’m beginning to question, winkey). Other than that, there is no standard of normal. But it is still such fun to talk and connect with other moms that have children or are currently pregnant too and learn from their experiences.

– You will notice other pregnant moms every where and will feel an urge to run up and belly bump them.

– If you stay pregnant past your due date, each day will feel like a year and you are almost absolutely convinced that you will be the one to finally break the trusty truth that “no one stays pregnant forever.” If you need to break down and cry for a little while because of your frustrated and anxious heart, just do so. It helps. And just keep reminding yourself that truly, no one stays pregnant forever!

What about you: what are some things you learned about pregnancy from your experiences?

I’d love to hear your thoughts!