Doncha Just Love Charts?
I must admit, I’m a bit of a chart-aholic- especially if there are colorful graphics involved.
I’ve finally tallied up all our fears during pregnancy and am ready to present the results. I was waiting to get a good number of posts before ending this study; therefore I haven’t blogged in a while. I know, I know… excuses, excuses. Enough already… on with it!
Here are the results, based on categories of fears:
10. Will I ever get a decent night’s sleep again?
9. Will I be able to breast feed?
8. Will I have Post Partum depression?
7. Will my relationship with my husband/partner change?
6. Will I be able to handle a career and motherhood?
5. Will I be a bad mother?
4. How will my social life be affected by having a baby?
3. How much pain will I have during labor and delivery?
2. Will the baby have any serious health issues or be stillborn?
1. Will I get my body back after pregnancy?
I found it interesting and self-affirming that our number one fear was about the toll pregnancy may take on our bodies. After all, it does stretch, shift and sag considerably during those 40 long weeks. I still find it amazing that we are able to grow a little person inside ourselves.
I sometimes look at my oldest (now 6) and contemplate how would it be if she were inside me now. Could my body survive? Probably not. But, she once was inside me and grew to be almost 10lbs. before I popped her out. It did take a toll on my body. I do have stretch marks, wider hips, flatter feet, bigger and darker nipples, a looser vagina, a smattering of broken blood vessels and varicose veins, and skin sacks for boobs.
As I lay on the couch, spooning my once-upon-a-time baby, stroking her hair, and taking in the size of her now, I contemplate all my body went through to produce this beautiful, growing child with her father’s curls and mocha chocolate skin in the summertime. She doesn’t look too much like me. I scooch my legs up closer behind her and notice my purple varicose veins against her slim and smooth calves. Will pregnancy take a toll on her body someday, like it did mine? Will she come to me with her worries and concerns? If she does- I know what my answer will be to all of these fears: Pregnancy has changed things in my life more than I ever could have predicted, but it was absolutely worth it!
posted by Stacy at 4:58 PM
2 Comments:
Boy can I relate. And why in the world do your nipples get darker and larger? Never knew that would happen until it did.
Everytime I catch a glimpse of my post-partum, I'll worry about losing the weight after I stop nursing stretchmarky flapjacky body, I go to my purse and pull out a card that says "Whatever I went through, whether it was a lucky 'first shot' or IVF and anything in between, whether I pushed out my baby naturally or had to have a little help, my body has changed. And every bulge, every bruise, every shiny stretch, every extra fat cell and every inch that my hips have spread, are all changes that happened because I had the capacity and the will to create LIFE. Hug your pooch and poke your tummy, you've had a baby and you are beautiful!"
A little long, but it's true. One fo these days I should post on my own blog about it:}
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