As I enter into my 16th week of pregnancy today(!), I’ve seemed to have tapped into somewhat of the emotional side of pregnancy. Up until this point, I thought I was doing pretty good on the emotions- no major mood swings, no crocodile tears. But there were a few different occasions this week where the waterworks just came out of nowhere. Literally. The tears would start, and while some of the time I knew what was causing them, there were other times where I just had no good rhyme or reason. Sometimes, it was actually comical.
At this point in time, I currently subscribe to about, ohh I don’t know, maybe five different websites that all send me weekly (if not daily) pregnancy emails. Sometimes I skip over them, but other times there are some that immediately catch my attention. This week, I received one from BabyCenter, which listed out 20 things NOT to stress about during pregnancy…
While I’ve always considered myself a fairly relaxed person, I have my days where I just start stressing over one thing or another. I read one thing saying you can’t do X, Y, or Z, and then I read another saying it’s okay.
How we all ever turned out normal boggles my mind…
I try hard not to over-analyze situations, attempt to keep a level head, and take things as they come, but sometimes I feel like it’s easier said than done. That being said, when I came across this email, it was one that couldn’t have come at a more perfect time. So for my other moms-to-be out there, who might be feeling similarly, perhaps you’ll enjoy it, too.
*****
“Don’t stress if you can’t get everything done that you had planned each day. The baby won’t know if the housework isn’t done!”
“It’s okay to tell co-workers that you’re not interested in their advice. Every pregnancy is different.”
“Remember, every problem has a solution, and confiding in someone who’s close to you or who you think can offer help or support is a step forward. Don’t be afraid to talk to your partner, OB, or midwife.”
“Don’t stress about how you look. You’re performing a miracle — growing a person inside of you — and that’s a fantastic accomplishment.”
“If you trust your OB, let her do her job and follow her recommendations; if you don’t, find a new doctor who you do trust. You should never be afraid to call your provider with big and small problems.”
“Don’t stress about tough times with your partner. A baby tests any couple’s relationship.”
“Don’t stress about things like food or weight. Just be sensible. There’s no need to give yourself an anxiety attack over the pint of ice cream you just finished. Take it as your special reward for everything you’ve accomplished so far in your pregnancy, and move on.”
“If you’re doing everything in your power to make healthy choices, don’t worry so much. Women have been having babies since well before we knew what to do and what not to do.”
“Don’t stress too much about things in the environment you think might harm your baby, like standing too close to the microwave or pumping gas. Remember, the vast majority of babies are born healthy.”
“Don’t worry about labor. It is what it is. Just educate yourself on your options, and be ready to make informed decisions. Beyond that, just take a deep breath and go for it. It’s not as bad as you think it’ll be.”
“Don’t stress about how the baby is fending in the womb. It’s a roll cage, but your baby is probably comfortable in there.”
“Every little twinge doesn’t mean something is wrong.”
“No matter what decisions you make, someone will always disagree. Try not to let the negative comments upset you, and if you’re really worried about something, talk with your doctor or a nonjudgmental friend.”
“There’s no such thing as a stupid question, especially for first-time mothers. Being pregnant and birthing a child are unique experiences, and a woman will never know what it’s all about until she’s actually done it herself.”
“It’s okay if you don’t have everything ready for your baby. Newborns don’t need a whole lot in the beginning.”
“When I accepted heartburn, back pain, lack of sleep, and moodiness as a normal part of pregnancy, they didn’t seem to bother me as much anymore.”
“If you’re worried about being a good mom, you probably have nothing to worry about. My husband keeps telling me that bad mothers don’t worry about whether or not they’ll be good moms.”
“I had never really been around children, and I made mistakes, but as long as you love your baby and are careful with the important stuff, you can’t harm him or her with small mistakes. You’ll soon get comfortable with the routine.”
“Don’t stress too much over all the “rules” pregnant women now have. A bath warmer than lukewarm won’t lead to disaster. If you accidentally eat a soft cheese you’re not sure is safe, there’s no use worrying after the fact. Our mothers had fewer restrictions than we do, and we turned out fine.”
Nelly says
LOVE the ice cream thing….MOVE ON! Thats what I tell myself with alot of things…get over it and MOVE ON! Love this :)
Lauren says
“Don’t stress about how you look. You’re performing a miracle — growing a person inside of you — and that’s a fantastic accomplishment.”
This one is for you today! Also, don’t get overwhelmed by so many different opinions, like the one quote states… There is NO perfect decision and woman had healthy/happy babies without the likes of Google or any other form of media telling them what is “right” to do. You’re going to develop a motherly instinct and it’s YOUR instinct you should trust. :-)
Den says
TNX
Ashley @ My Food N Fitness Diaries says
Haha I love this and can relate all too well! Theres been a few times where ill just start laughing while I’m crying because I cant even figure out why I am crying!!
Michelle@Peachy Palate says
Great round up of quotes! All pregnant women need to read this post! :)
Sara says
I started crying reading the 20 quotes! Yep that pretty much sums up the laughing/crying everyone has been talking about.
Ellie@Fit for the Soul says
awww thanks for posting this Courtney! What a great and encouraging article! I had a feeling that I was doing well by not stressing that I “oops, ate the feta and gorgonzola in the salad” lol :D
Lisa says
While I can’t exactly relate to this right now, I really love all the things they talked about! It’s often stuff we shouldn’t worry about anyways! I deal with a lot of anxieties, so this helps a lot!
Erin @ The Grass Skirt says
I think it is really important to try not to stress out overall. Babies totally feed off of it. I was pretty relaxed while pregnant, and everyone says that’s why my baby is so chill. I don’t know if that’s true or not, but it does make some sense. :)
Shayla says
LOVE THIS!!!!! I remember getting this from BabyCenter too and absolutely loving…I still love to read it now and then as a great reminder to not stress about all that stuff :) xoxo
Nicole says
I am so happy you posted this! I have 3 weeks to go and I had a mini-meltdown last weekend, where the reality of thibgs hit me like a ton of bricks… Mostly whether or not I’d be a good mom. I got this same email from baby center and loved the quote about how bad moms are the ones who DON’T worry about whether they’ll be good moms. It really put things into perspective for me!
Kelly @ Femme Fitale says
I’m at 38 weeks, Nicole, so feeling the same as everything you’ve just expressed (meltdowns included haha)! Good luck in the upcoming weeks ;)
lindsay @ fuel my family says
its easier to stress less with future pregnancies too…with my first i didnt eat a single soft cheese, come to find out you are totally allowed to eat 99% of soft cheeses in the US because they are pasteurized! And the best one i think is the one about if you worry about being a good mom, you already are since you are worrying to begin with! All you can do is try your best!
Jenn says
I love the ice cream one. My sweet tooth has been taking over big time and I have been “indulging” OFTEN. It’s nice to know that this is something to not beat myself up over.
Bek @ Crave says
I’ll keep this in mind for years to come ;)
Katy @ HaveYouHurd says
This is great and a real necessity for all pregnant ladies to read!
Tom says
thanks
Tom says
when I was pregnant, I was very often stressed and stuck with stress, later I generally started to have increased anxiety and my self-esteem fell and I realized that I needed therapy https://us.calmerry.com/self-esteem-therapy/ to put my self-esteem in order
Tif says
When I first started my writing career, I faced some serious challenges. I tried using essay examples as a starting point for my analysis to identify where I went wrong. However, I soon realized that it was much more beneficial to seek expert assistance from a professional writing service such as nursing research paper writing service https://www.nursingpaper.com/ . Since then, I have had no more issues with my writing.
Tif says
When I first started my writing career, I faced some serious challenges. I tried using essay examples as a starting point for my analysis to identify where I went wrong. However, I soon realized that it was much more beneficial to seek expert assistance from a professional writing service such as nursing research paper writing service https://www.nursingpaper.com/ . Since then, I have had no more issues with my writing.