I am
expecting my first child and I must admit that the feeling of creating, bearing
and nurturing a life inside me is truly magical!
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| Pregnancy is a celebration!! |
From
conceiving a baby to delivery, pregnancy is a roller coaster ride which creates
infinite memories to be forever cherished. Right from pregnancy announcement,
maternity photo-shoots, baby shower, unconditional pampering and care, each
month celebrations to prepping up and shopping for the awaited child, pregnancy
is a fusion of experiences. Touchwood, I have truly loved these eight months to
the core and am pretty excited for the final countdown. As much as I would love
to share all the moments of happiness with you, this post is more about my
experience and is intended to help the expecting ladies to make the most of
their pregnancy.To enjoy
the privilege of child birthing, a woman’s body goes through lot of changes. Here
are few of my experiences and how to deal with the same -
- Mood
swings: I was pampered to the core and repeatedly reminded to just be
happy, but sometimes I would feel miserable and cry over nothing | What to
do? - Seek emotional support from family & friends and conveniently blame
it on the pregnancy hormones. Watch videos and read books that make you
happy from within as your state of mind reflects on your baby
- Body
changes : Starting my third trimester, I experienced swelling all over my body -
my eyes shrunk behind my full cheeks, my rings and bangles didn't fit anymore,
my shoe size increased by 2 notches and my hands even started to shiver due to swelling.
Recurring backaches, constant fatigue and darkening skin made me a little
conscious as I saw pictures of other glowing pregnant women | What to
do? – Reduce your salt intake to reduce the swelling and believe that these temporary
tiny changes in your body to create a full-fledged human being are totally
insignificant
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Will I be good enough as
my mothers?? |
Anxiety -
Even at the age of 33 years, I felt skeptical of taking up the responsibility
of a delicate being. My mind was constantly flooded with questions as to will I
be able to live up to the selfless and providing mother benchmark | What to
do? – Stay assured that these concerns are completely natural for the first
time mommies, talk it out with other moms and you will know that you would also
learn and evolve with the baby.
On and
off nine months of the behavioral and physical changes, the fear and dilemma,
and other symptoms like breathlessness, fatigue, morning sickness, vomits,
acidity, etc. may seem scary but believe me; all this is subjective and
temporary. Moreover, the ultimate joy of seeing your little baby in the
ultrasound scans and feeling the baby's movements and kicks (which usually
start by 7th month) will make everything just worth it.
Every
pregnancy is different, but some DOs and DONTs always standby-
- Download
apps like “Babycenter” and “Pregnancy” to know weekly facts about the foetus
and find answers to your questions and apprehensions
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We are loving this Surprise!
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Don’t
create expectations on the gender of your child as there is no precise way to tell the gender of the baby except by way of medical
examination. Observations about heart beat rate, belly size, etc. are all myths- Make a
connection with your baby by talking to the little one... Sing children songs, rub your
hand on the belly, watch movies that make you smile and laugh.... At first it might seem
weird but believe me, the feeling when he/she responds will be inexplicable!!
- Find your
right balance - Walk and exercise on one hand so that your body and the baby
stay healthy but also take adequate rest as overexertion in pregnancy is a big
No-no
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Pamper Yourself!!
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Soak in and enjoy all the care, indulge in self-love, take care of your hair, skin and overall body as it deserves so for bearing a child- Normal /
Caesarean delivery - C-section at first may seem simpler but normal delivery is
definitely healthier for both the mom and the baby, hence research on the same
and do pregnancy yoga if not explicitly prohibited by your doctor
- Spend quality
time with your partner because once the baby comes along, he/she will deserve
and demand your undivided attention
- Let go
off the unimportant things and understand that you are the only source of all
the baby emotions, so say Bye-Bye to anxiety and Hi to happiness!!
- Don’t compare your pregnancy with other people’s pregnancies...Every pregnant woman experiences different sets of joys and challenges, so don’t go by the rule book (there isn’t any) and do what your body tells you!!
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Love for food!
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Eat Right - Eat regularly and eat healthy, observe what suits your body, understand that you are the only source of baby’s food and you would not want to deprive him/her of the nutrition. Every now and then, you may surrender to your food cravings but ensure a check on your weight and pregnancy induced sugar, thyroid and blood pressure.- Instead
of out-rightly refusing to listen to beliefs of elders, try to understand the
science behind it….. our postures, chanting prayers, sleep patterns, etc. all
play a big role in our as well as the baby’s body in the long run
- Finish
your due big projects as the soon to-be-born baby will be your exclusive
project at least for a while
- Don’t
overthink but do share all your symptoms/concerns with your doctor. Follow your
primary gynaecologist but also simultaneously consult for a second opinion
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Take regular supplements!
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Stay sincere on your calcium, iron and vitamin supplements- In the
last trimester, close on the hospital booking, decision about stem cell and
jaapa maid. On the onset of 9th month, shop for all the essentials
you will need post pregnancy and keep your hospital bag handy
Key Note
- Millions may be born every day but your pregnancy is special!!! Capture it
and relish it !! Cherish and Thank your partner!
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The love of my life,
Father of my child! |
We as
women are celebrated and pampered throughout the nine months but the men don't
get any more than Congratulations! In my experience, the husband is our
invincible support in the entire pregnancy journey for he does the massage when
our body aches, listens to us and pacifies our mood swings, fulfils our
(un)reasonable demands, satiates our food cravings, accompanies us to the
doctor and stays awake with us as we restlessly toss on the bed every night,
practically does everything besides carrying the baby and he definitely deserves
more.
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The countdown begins!
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Stepping
into my 9th month of pregnancy I might soon indulge insanely with my little
bundle of joy, so thought of sharing all my recently gained knowledge with you
all....Will definitely share how to make these nine months special in my next
post….. Do stay tuned! Stay Happy, Stay relaxed !!
Shruti
Sethi
The
Mommy-to-be
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