What Pregnant Women Worry About
You may have noticed now that you’re pregnant, the pregnancy and baby seem to dominate your thoughts. You probably find yourself daydreaming through meetings, trying to imagine what your baby will look like or how it will feel to hold him for the first time. As your bump grows, the kicks and nudges are a constant reminder that life is about to change, and you may find yourself constantly somewhere between nervous and excited, or both.
With all of the reading you’re doing, you’re probably finding at least three new things to worry about each day. In many ways, worrying is unavoidable during pregnancy. After all, you’re carrying some very precious cargo!
Worrying about and during your pregnancy is completely normal. Keep talking with your partner to let him in so he knows that you’re worried and help ease your fears and concerns. Chances are, he’s worried, just like you!
Here are just some of the things you’ve probably found yourself fretting over while you’re pregnant:
#1: That You’re Not Really Pregnant
Until you have seen that ultrasound scan with your own two eyes, you can be excused for worrying that the entire pregnancy may be nothing more than a figment of your imagination. It’s hard to trust something that you have to wee on to make it work, and so you will probably spend the first trimester at least slightly terrified that you misread the test, and then began a phantom pregnancy with morning sickness but no baby.
#2: That The Scan Will Bring Bad News
Scans are a double edged sword. While you are beside yourself with excitement at the prospect of seeing your baby, you may also find yourself feeling worried that something will show up on the scan. Everybody wants their baby to be healthy and happy, and most pregnant women worry that their baby may face problems or have health issues even before the birth.
#3: That You Will Miss Working
No matter how long you’re planning to take off on maternity leave, you can be forgiven for worrying that you will miss your job. After all, you’ve worked all these years to get where you are today, and the thought of not working is probably a scary one. You may be worried that you’ll miss the job, but also that you’ll forget how to do it after a long break and will return to the workforce a little fuzzier and less capable than you are today.
Or on the other hand, maybe you’re more worried that you wont want to go back!
#4: That You Have Become A Baby Bore
Baby, baby, baby. It’s all you can think about, so it’s probably all you’re talking about too. You might feel worried that you’re hogging the conversation, yapping on about morning sickness, birth choices and the limitless wonders of YOUR baby. You might find yourself worried that all of your friends secretly meet up without you so they can talk about normal things like t.v. and what’s happening in the big wide world out there.
#5: That Your Partner No Longer Desires You
As your body changes during pregnancy, you may have noticed your confidence taking a bit of a bashing. As your bump begins to grow and stretch marks descend on your belly, you may worry that your partner no longer finds you sexy. You probably don’t feel much like yourself at the moment and may worry that your partner sees you as a different person – a mother, perhaps, instead of the gorgeous woman he fell in love with.
#6: That You Won’t Know When You’re In Labour
All through your pregnancy you are preparing for a marathon. But it’s a weird marathon and no-one will tell you what it’s like. It’s pretty much the best kept secret, and though you keep thinking it might be about to start, you are reassured by friends and medical professionals alike that ‘You’ll know when it’s labour’. But what if you don’t? What if you give birth on the bus to work, or in the supermarket, because you didn’t know it was labour, and you thought it was just another twinge?!
Oh, and here is BellyBelly’s article on 7 signs of early labour.
#7: The Birth
What is birth like? But what does it feel like? How much worse than period pains are contractions? How long will it last? Will it hurt? These are all great questions. Good luck finding answers for them. The best you can hope for are vague non-committal statements about birth in general, but there will be nothing specific to your impending birth. For that, you’ll have to wait and see.
#8: That You Will Suck At Motherhood
It’s too late to back out now, that bun is well and truly cooking in the oven. And yet, on some days you find yourself filled with fear that you may not be cut out for motherhood. What if you don’t have enough patience to be the perfect mother? What if you forget your baby and accidentally leave him abandoned on a park bench one day? What if you can’t stop swearing and your toddler ends up with a potty mouth?
#9: That You Won’t Love The Baby
When you hear people talk about the love they have for their children, the way that it smacks you right in the chest the first time you see them, you wonder if you will be able to feel a love like that. What if you don’t feel it? What if you look down at your baby and you feel nothing? What if you are indifferent and cold? What if you do not have that loving maternal instinct that all mothers seem to have?
#10: That You Worry Too Much
If you’ve said yes to all the above, then most likely, you do!
If there’s a chance that your worry is more than just pregnancy nerves, be it anxiety or depression, sharing with your worries with your care provider is a good first step to getting help. Your baby will thank you for being courageous and getting support when you need it. Always.
What Else Did You Worry About?
Can you add anything to this list? Or do you feel that this list is pretty accurate for you? Share your experiences and feelings in the comments section below!
