D-Day
It's been a little while since I've blogged and it will likely be another while before I blog again, so I wanted to take my chance to give one last blog about my pregnancy. Yesterday was D-Day (due date) and as it passed, I felt very proud that I wasn't as disappointed as I would have expected. It's very typical for woman (especially ones like me) to have a specific date in mind and when nothing happens, to become extremely upset and disappointed. One thing that I've learned throughout this whole pregnancy is to not expect things to happen the way "they're supposed to". Although I've had a very typical pregnancy, even a typical one is different from everyone else'. Thankfully I've been very blessed to have had a smooth pregnancy. Baby Tucker is HUGE and healthy and doing quite well. :)
I don't tend to get on a soap box about too many things, but after everything I've been through these nine months, I wanted to get one subject out in the open. I'm sure this is not new to anyone who has ever had a baby before and I've even been offered advice on this particular subject by others as well, but even though I had forewarning, I can honestly say I'm still surprised how bad it is. EVERYONE HAS AN OPINION ON YOUR PREGNANCY. Not only do they have an opinion, but they are not shy about sharing it with you. No matter the subject, how private it sounds, how rude it may be...there is an overwhelming amount of information flying out of people's mouths. Let me just say, I'm not one to really appreciate free flowing opinions if I haven't asked for them in the first place, but with the hormones and the uncomfortably of pregnancy, I'm even more annoyed these days. "You look huge!" "You're going to need a C-section" "You'll have this baby early" "You should/shouldn't have an epidural" The list goes on. My annoyance being voiced, I can't help but wonder why it is this way? I'm especially curious about the horror stories dilemma. Why is it that instead of empowering and building each other up in a time where there is a lot of discomfort, worry, and stress, terrible stories are exchanged? I can't count how many stories I've heard about induction, c-section, natural vs. medicated birth, etc. All of these unfortunately, had a negative connotation. If the person telling the story preferred natural birth, I was told something terrible about medicated birth. If the story was about someone being induced, the focal point was that waiting for it to happen naturally would take forever and be harder on your body. The point is, society focuses on negativity WAY too much. This has made it difficult to want to share anything about my pregnancy with anyone. In the beginning, I was a sponge for all the knowledge I could get. I'd listen to everything everyone had to say and come up with my own lists of things to remember or do. As time went on, I started to get overwhelmed by the the surplus of information and started second guessing myself. I'd make a decision and then change my mind five more times finally ending up frustrated and back at the beginning. I think my final breaking point was in a breastfeeding class a few weeks ago. The speaker gave non-biased information and asked questions in the same manner. But one thing that stood out to me was her statement on opinions and stories. She said that our country tends to follow this negative opinion trend and have turned motherhood and pregnancy into something that women fear or are uncomfortable about. Around the world, pregnant women are revered and uplifted. These women are also breastfeeding without being constantly pushed to supplement and encouraged to feed for at least two years. They aren't ashamed to feed their babies in the most normal, natural way and don't have long arguments and debates about propriety. Working mothers are given at least twice as long of a maternity leave and are required to REST and stop working at least a week before delivery. Why is it that we are so weird about pregnancy here?
It boggles my mind that no matter what I decide to do about anything to do with my pregnancy or motherhood, I am constantly being debated. I had sushi for dinner; "should you really be eating that....?" I took two weeks off work before my due date; resulted in at least 10 phone calls with HR, short term disability, and various others debating whether or not I NEEDED to be off work. I want an epidural; "did you know that you could be paralyzed from it? Your legs will go numb? Your baby's heartbeat will slow? You will have a longer labor?" Does anyone actually enjoy that? No? Then why do we do it?! The worst part about it all, is that it doesn't stop there. People will continuously tell me what I should or shouldn't do after my baby is born and I'll have to keep dealing with the dilemma.
Whatever the case may be and no matter how much I'd like it to be different, there's not much I can do about it. I'll get off my somewhat hormonal soap box now. What I CAN do, is remember this feeling and these thoughts for when others around me are pregnant and going through the same things I am feeling right now. And hopefully, if anyone decides to read this, you can also think of these things too. Pregnancy and the transition to parenthood is probably the most momentous, terrifying, and exciting things to happen in anyone's life. We should all be supportive, uplifting and happy for each other while we learn how to navigate through this amazing experience in life.
In other news, I'm one day overdue, swollen, achy, sleepless and grumpy. But despite all those not so great things, I am extremely excited to finally get to see my baby in the near future. I simply cannot wait to see and hold the little handsome miracle that Tony and I created! I only hope and pray for the delivery to go well and that both him and myself will come out doing just fine. I thank everyone for the continuous good thoughts, prayers, and encouragement I have received throughout this entire pregnancy. You all have been greatly appreciated by both Tony and myself. <3 For those of you who aren't up to date, I will be going in for an induction tomorrow VERY early (3am). Hopefully, we'll have a little baby Tucker by this time tomorrow!! (or soon after...)
Ready, Set, Go!
I don't tend to get on a soap box about too many things, but after everything I've been through these nine months, I wanted to get one subject out in the open. I'm sure this is not new to anyone who has ever had a baby before and I've even been offered advice on this particular subject by others as well, but even though I had forewarning, I can honestly say I'm still surprised how bad it is. EVERYONE HAS AN OPINION ON YOUR PREGNANCY. Not only do they have an opinion, but they are not shy about sharing it with you. No matter the subject, how private it sounds, how rude it may be...there is an overwhelming amount of information flying out of people's mouths. Let me just say, I'm not one to really appreciate free flowing opinions if I haven't asked for them in the first place, but with the hormones and the uncomfortably of pregnancy, I'm even more annoyed these days. "You look huge!" "You're going to need a C-section" "You'll have this baby early" "You should/shouldn't have an epidural" The list goes on. My annoyance being voiced, I can't help but wonder why it is this way? I'm especially curious about the horror stories dilemma. Why is it that instead of empowering and building each other up in a time where there is a lot of discomfort, worry, and stress, terrible stories are exchanged? I can't count how many stories I've heard about induction, c-section, natural vs. medicated birth, etc. All of these unfortunately, had a negative connotation. If the person telling the story preferred natural birth, I was told something terrible about medicated birth. If the story was about someone being induced, the focal point was that waiting for it to happen naturally would take forever and be harder on your body. The point is, society focuses on negativity WAY too much. This has made it difficult to want to share anything about my pregnancy with anyone. In the beginning, I was a sponge for all the knowledge I could get. I'd listen to everything everyone had to say and come up with my own lists of things to remember or do. As time went on, I started to get overwhelmed by the the surplus of information and started second guessing myself. I'd make a decision and then change my mind five more times finally ending up frustrated and back at the beginning. I think my final breaking point was in a breastfeeding class a few weeks ago. The speaker gave non-biased information and asked questions in the same manner. But one thing that stood out to me was her statement on opinions and stories. She said that our country tends to follow this negative opinion trend and have turned motherhood and pregnancy into something that women fear or are uncomfortable about. Around the world, pregnant women are revered and uplifted. These women are also breastfeeding without being constantly pushed to supplement and encouraged to feed for at least two years. They aren't ashamed to feed their babies in the most normal, natural way and don't have long arguments and debates about propriety. Working mothers are given at least twice as long of a maternity leave and are required to REST and stop working at least a week before delivery. Why is it that we are so weird about pregnancy here?
It boggles my mind that no matter what I decide to do about anything to do with my pregnancy or motherhood, I am constantly being debated. I had sushi for dinner; "should you really be eating that....?" I took two weeks off work before my due date; resulted in at least 10 phone calls with HR, short term disability, and various others debating whether or not I NEEDED to be off work. I want an epidural; "did you know that you could be paralyzed from it? Your legs will go numb? Your baby's heartbeat will slow? You will have a longer labor?" Does anyone actually enjoy that? No? Then why do we do it?! The worst part about it all, is that it doesn't stop there. People will continuously tell me what I should or shouldn't do after my baby is born and I'll have to keep dealing with the dilemma.
Whatever the case may be and no matter how much I'd like it to be different, there's not much I can do about it. I'll get off my somewhat hormonal soap box now. What I CAN do, is remember this feeling and these thoughts for when others around me are pregnant and going through the same things I am feeling right now. And hopefully, if anyone decides to read this, you can also think of these things too. Pregnancy and the transition to parenthood is probably the most momentous, terrifying, and exciting things to happen in anyone's life. We should all be supportive, uplifting and happy for each other while we learn how to navigate through this amazing experience in life.
In other news, I'm one day overdue, swollen, achy, sleepless and grumpy. But despite all those not so great things, I am extremely excited to finally get to see my baby in the near future. I simply cannot wait to see and hold the little handsome miracle that Tony and I created! I only hope and pray for the delivery to go well and that both him and myself will come out doing just fine. I thank everyone for the continuous good thoughts, prayers, and encouragement I have received throughout this entire pregnancy. You all have been greatly appreciated by both Tony and myself. <3 For those of you who aren't up to date, I will be going in for an induction tomorrow VERY early (3am). Hopefully, we'll have a little baby Tucker by this time tomorrow!! (or soon after...)
Ready, Set, Go!
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