Pregnancy has the potential to be a very emotional and stressful time. There are so many things to learn, to prepare, to accomplish and to arrange. You must deal with your changing body, your changing wardrobe, your changing job situation and your changing family. Your stomach is growing, your appetite is growing, your wash load is growing and your wallet is shrinking. There has never been a more important time to surround yourself with positive support.
Where I found support when I was pregnant:
My mom(s): My mom and my mother-in-law were both so supportive during my pregnancy. They took care of me when I was feeling sick. They got excited with me. They came with me to my prenatal appointments when I wanted a buddy and my husband couldn’t leave work. They surprised me with cute gifts for both me and my baby. They threw me baby showers and helped me prepare for my baby’s arrival. It was wonderful to listen to their stories about having a newborn and going through labor. To this day, just hearing that they have gone through “this” before is a tremendous support.
My pregnant friends: It is a huge blessing to have friends who are pregnant at the same time. You can talk about pregnancy all you want, guilt free! You can go shopping for baby gear together. You can compare symptoms and share advice. You can also share maternity clothes.
Online support groups: You can find all kinds of like-minded pregnant women, as well as pregnancy experts, through blogs, forums and other websites (like Families). It’s a great alternative if you don’t have any pregnant friends in “real life.” Some of my friendships that began through blogging about pregnancy have evolved into ongoing, sometimes face-to-face (when we can make the drive) friendships. It’s neat how the internet can truly close the gap between cities and states.
My husband: He may have not fully understood what I was going through, but he was able to draw from past experiences that involved pain and fatigue, combined with excitement (sports have lifelong application) to help me develop coping skills for labor. His training really helped me get through labor. The same mind-over-body techniques that he used to get though a wrestling match when his entire body hurt and he was physically exhausted worked wonders for my unmedicated labor! It also helped when he whispered into my ear, “you’re doing a great job. I’m impressed!” (I was always a baby when it came to pain, but when it came to having a baby, my head was really in the game!)