Pregnancy is all about the ups and the downs. It’s about morning sickness and back aches and excitement and anticipation. It’s about childbirth classes and the pain of birth. No one can argue that pregnancy and childbirth is the most amazing, humbling and exciting time in a woman’s life.
You want out of your pregnancy what every woman wants. You want to make it through not too worse for the wear, and with a healthy, happy baby. While there are no guarantees, there are some things you can do to help make sure things go smooth:
- Make sure both you and your baby get the things you need during pregnancy. That means specific nutrients, such as Folic Acid and Iron. It also means getting some moderate to mild exercise, which will help relieve some of the aches and pains of pregnancy and will help prepare your body for childbirth. Following your doctor’s advice about your health during pregnancy is key if you want to make it through on top.
- Make enough time for yourself. Just because the complex emotions you have during pregnancy are “normal” doesn’t mean they’re not real or that they’re not important. Your job – your only job – during pregnancy is to make sure that your baby arrives happy and healthy. Everything else in your life takes a back seat to this. If you need to pull away from work or activities, do so. Focus on you and what you need, because here in a few months your life is going to be dramatically focused outward.
- Get educated. While you’re pregnant, learn about labor and delivery. Don’t get too hung up on all of that, though, because it’s going to happen whether you’ve read about it or not. Make sure you think beyond pregnancy. Think about what kind of parent you want to be. Read about newborn care. Talk with your partner about the kinds of parenting decisions you’ll be making together. Learn about all of the upcoming developmental milestones you should expect from your new baby. Don’t ignore the labor and delivery learning, but don’t get bogged down by it, either.
