I just found out I was pregnant and made my first doc appointment. I am very very excited but nervous at the same time. I dread going to doctor appointments as it is and I guess that is because a lot of my family members have gone for a routine appointment and then find out they have cancer or some other scary disease. I don't want to be a worry wart or a nervous wreck...Any words of wisdom?
You should be more worried about being sleep deprived for the next three years after the baby is born. Congrats!!!!
Start off by putting your trust in something far greater and higher than Doctors...Put your Trust in God...the ONE who is creating this baby inside you. I have 3 boys and a girl...20,18,16 and 7...Wonderful miracles! My 3rd son had open heart surgery at 10 weeks old...but God got us through. We can not predict the future or outcome...step out in faith...that's all we have....and it is a wonderful way to live knowing we are not alone in the journey of motherhood.
“For YOU created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful I know that full well.” Psalm 139: 13-14
Blessings,
M.
www.amothershope.webs.com
Go to a CPM, certified professional midwife. You will get 100% better care, you spend an hour at each prenatal with one on one care and personlized to your needs. You will be better informed and educated as well.
Knowledge is power, so educate yourself! The more you know, the more confident you'll feel that: Women have done this for millenia, and so can I. Pick your doctor/midwife and hospital/birth center carefully. And I personally recommend taking a Bradley method childbirth class. You CAN do this!
Don't go to a doctor unless yo are sick! Use a midwife! Midwives believe birth is a natural process the woman goes through, not an illness you need to be "delivered" from. Many midwives also do the prenatal care in the privacy and comfort of your own home.
Pregnancy is a natural, normal part of womanhood. Most pregnancy goes well without problems. If you do have problems then you already have a relationship with the doctor and office staff so it will be easier. If they find something more devastating then it can be a blessing in disguise to be able to get treatment earlier or find something before it is to late.
Babies are a spectacular little miracle that grow inside of you....and even though you don't know it right now it is going to go by very fast.
Treasure every moment...every listen to the heartbeat, every ultrusound, and it may sound wierd but take pictures of your belly. When your babies turn 11 and 8 like mine did this week you will try to remember what it was like and won't.
I wish you the best of luck and remember to treasure every moment....don't worry about your due date until it is here.
jen
E., Congratulations. Don't worry until you have to. If your family members didn't go to the Doctor then they wouldn't know they were sick, couldn't get treatment, and would be in worse shape. Breath, exercise, eat as well as you can, and Relax. This is a great time to figure out who you want to be and practice, practice, practice to be and become the kind of Mom you want to be. It will be hard and frustrating at time, But (here it comes) It's more than worth it. We all make mistakes, learn and move on (always). You're going to do great.
I hope you shopped around and found a nurse midwife or at least a woman doc. Good luck, just one of those must dos.
Hi E.,
Take good care of yourself, relax and cherish every moment of your pregnancy! I did alot of worrying also with both of my pregnancies. The first one because that's just what we moms do...worry. The second one because she didn't move very much at all!
Try not to worry. I'm sure everything will be fine for you and your tiny bundle growing inside of you. You might want to keep a journal so that your child will have it to read when he/she gets older. Time flies so enjoy it all!
As far as the doctor is concerned, you will have to go alot. They are there to ensure that you have a healthy, normal pregnancy. They do check for any and everything for your sake and the sake of your unborn child. I'm sure you will be fine! We often worry for no reason...then have wasted alot of time worrying when there was never any reason to worry at all! Just try to savor and enjoy it all! It passes far too quickly.
And pray about your fears and concerns. Give those worrys to the Lord and I assure you he will take care of your worrys for you!
Congratualtions and best wishes!
T.
p.s. Keep us posted on how things are going for you. I am excited for you!
If you are under a lot of stress it can impact your baby. Just knowing that helped me to work hard to manage stress. Also, if you can try to enjoy the pregnancy and even though we know things can go wrong, do not dwell on that. If a problem arises, be prepared to deal with it, but avoiding stress will go a long way in ensuring your baby is healthy.
Congratulations, Elizabeth!!! That is awesome! I think it's pretty normal to feel that way. I could do a whole lot when I was pregnant when I put it in the context of protecting or nurturing my baby. Give up caffiene? Check. No alcohol? Check. No dirt bike riding. Check. ; ) Go see the doctor a lot more than I'm used to.. check. Besides, since your baby is in the process of developing, the doc can do a lot to help you and your baby's health as you go along, if he/she/they finds you need some help. A little help can make a big difference in both of your health, so go and let them keep up with your pregnancy! After the first visit, most of the visits will likely just be measuring your belly, answering questions, etc. The internals are done at the beginning, and very near the end. It's really not as invasive as you would think. And the ultrasound is so cool, because you get to see your baby for the first time! You will be fine.
Congrats, again!
Hi E.,
Congratulations on your pregnancy. I think it's normal for you to feel nervous about your appointments but I wanted to point out that there are other choices...not just ob and hospital. I've chosen midwives for all my pregnancies and have found the quality of care I've received from them far exceeded my expectations and any care I had received from an OB.
Another suggestion to helping you calm your fears is to educate yourself about everything pregnancy & birth related. Knowledge is power and by preparing yourself and having an understanding of what is going on with your body, it's just not as scary anymore. Being able to make informed decisions about your body, baby and birth is empowering too!
As you get closer to your due date, I recommend finding a doula in your area. A doula offers education & support to women during pregnancy, labor & birth.
You may find the documentary, The Business Of Being Born, helpful. Enjoy your journey to motherhood!
Peace,
J.
this is a wonderful time! and the best thing is to just keep telling yourself that! be happy you will get to hear heart beats see a little face on the ultra sound. its wonderful! be happy!
All the other posts I've read have been good advice. I'd just like to add that you should empower yourself with knowledge, and go with your gut when your doctor/midwife starts giving you options or recommendations. You CAN tell your doctor "no" and find a different one if you don't like what they're telling you or how you're being treated! Congratulations, and best wishes!
FOR ME THE BEST BOOK I HAVE EVER HAD WAS"WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOUR EXPECTING". they also have the first year and so on. don't worry about you visits. this will be a wonder filled and wonderful time in your life. you may even feel better then you have ever felt. best of luck from a mom of seven. love being pregnant. but i am getting too old to do this any more. 48. kids 29,28,27 24,21,11,8. couldn't have a better life. R.
Life has good and bad. That's just how it is, and if you spend your time fretting over what 'might happen', you'll miss the fun and the benefits of what's good. Prenatal care is a wonderful privilege that we're afforded in this country where many others currently don't have that luxury (nor did our ancestors). If there's nothing to find wrong, health care professionals will help you do everything you can do to ensure the health of you and your offspring. That's what they're there for! Of course you always have option of telling them not to inform you of any problems or complications, but why would you do that? If they do find something, it means that the 'something' was already there and you can deal with it as it comes.
Happy parenting!
It can be scary when you don't know what is normal or what to expect but it is also a very surreal time. I still can't believe it all really happened, it's like I dreamed it somehow. Who is this beautiful child and where did she come from :-)
There are lots of good books like "What to expect when you're expecting", people will tell you all kinds of stories (good and bad), you can watch all the shows on TLC but your experience will be unique to you and you should savor every moment.
Get the pregnancy calendar, get the pregnancy journal, take lots of pictures of yourself, let people carry stuff, and just wallow in the wonderful thing that is happening to you.
It goes so slowly at first and then the big day is here before you know it. Get a pedicure one a month, do a body cast when you get big, and try and remember all the incredible details about this time. If you never felt strong and empowered before, just you wait! Mom's rule!
