5 Things I'd Tell My Pregnant Self

So the stick turned blue, huh? Whether you were planning this little miracle or you're a bit surprised, "Oh. My. Goodness." were probably some of your first words. That is, if you were even able to speak at all! I remember approaching my husband, positive pee-stick & instructions in hand, asking him to interpret for me because I'm pretty sure my brain had just turned off.

So congratulations! God has granted you one of the greatest privileges known to womankind. You're soon to be overwhelmed from helpful & not-so-helpful advice from loved ones and complete strangers. Let's hope this falls into the helpful category!

1. Do what's best for you. Do what you have to do to get through the day. My first trimester was a Netflix & saltine cracker blur. Just because someone else walked 3 miles a day while pregnant doesn't mean you have to, too. By all means please don't use the next 38+ weeks setting any couch potato records (unless you're on doctor-ordered bed rest) . Find the balance between healthy and restful that works best for you and your growing family.

2. Buy as many pregnancy/birth/newborn books you want, but read them with a grain of salt. Not everything you read will apply to your unique pregnancy and it might just scare you unnecessarily.
Let your body guide the way, not a book. Again, balance is the key. Find the middle ground between completely ignorant & over-informed and anxious. Remember, real learning will come from hands-on experience.

3. Be prepared, but flexible. Discuss your birthplan with spouse, support team, and medical staff but be ready to be flexible. Stand up for your rights as a patient as long as what you want isn't jeopardizing you or your baby. You may not get the birth experience you dreamed of (just ask us), but get over it. If your baby is healthy, that's all that matters.

4. You & your spouse may have different reactions. Are you the over-excited one & your spouse seems underwhelmed? Or maybe it's the other way around. My husband wasn't too impressed by feeling our little girl kick for the first time while I felt like I was never going to come off that high. But when she was born we both shared so much joy that seeing my husband so happy made all the "underwhelming" moments worth it.
Talk about it! You're both probably feeling lots of emotions. But maybe the only way they can truly be expressed is through conversation.

5. You may not enjoy it all, but try to appreciate it. Open any pregnancy book to chapter one and you're bound to get a laundry list of pregnancy symptoms that aren't very fun: morning sickness, round ligament pain, & heartburn (just to name a few). Try to appreciate even these moments of discomfort. Some women never get the chance to feel the way you do. And while you're complaining to your friend for the umpteenth time about how uncomfortable you are, remember that she might be praying to be on the morning sickness boat.

What do you wish you could have told your pregnant self? We want to know!

God Bless,