May is Pregnancy Awareness month and while I am aware that every month is some special focus, from Autism to Zebra preservation, this one seems relevant to discuss here.
Founder Anna Getty, mother of two and author, has established Pregnancy Awareness month in order to help expectant mothers learn more about nutrition and their bodies. Learn more at the official website.
Los Angeles readers, there is a fabulous Pregnancy Awareness Month event for pregnant and new moms on Sunday, May 1 in Santa Monica.
For those of you who became parents via pregnancy, what is the most important thing you think mothers-to-be need to know? (Anything goes!)
(I am 36 weeks pregnant in the above photo.)
Try to sleep in the same pattern you would like your baby to sleep when he/she is born. I have learnt the hard way.
Be Prepared, pack your hospital bag at about 20 weeks I delivered mine at 37 and 33 weeks and both times (the day of) I had mentioned to my husband that we should really pack my bag but we didn’t so there I was with nothing but what I was wearing.
Julie, you said it! You can’t be ready too early! People told me I was worrying about being ready to early. Guess what? My baby came 6 weeks early and I wasn’t ready! And get all the sleep you can now, because you won’t be getting much for a while after. 🙂
Decide ahead of time what you prefer as far as your new baby’s visitors. Having them come to the hospital is nice because you don’t have to worry about cleaning house and entertaining! But it can also be good to have the first couple days reserved just for you and your new family. Pick your preference, and let people know beforehand.
It will not last forever.
Also- Watch “The Business of Being Born”.
I agree with @M — I was so focused on the pregnancy that birth became a finish line. Part of me was genuinely surprised that there was a resulting baby that we got to bring home with us.
It is just a phase. The only way out is through.
The nurses in Labor and Delivery and Postpartum are super smart. Ask them all the questions you can think of abt your own care after going home and abt the baby. They have seen so much and can give you good, down to earth advice. And you don’t have to worry abt asking embarrassing questions because they have most likely seen you at your worst.
I spent a lot of time worrying about how the baby was getting out of me and I was terrified. It seemed that every Mom I met had a horror story to tell…but it wasn’t like that for me so I tell everyone that labor can be great, it’s not an implied torture to go through. You can do it!
If you are going to get pregnant, you might as well be aware of it too! Great idea girls! Where are all the lactation jokes?