Being pregnant for the first time can easily be compared to being on a roller coaster, blindfolded. Not only do you find constant changes to your body, your emotions and your thought processes every day but you really have no idea what's coming next and when it does come (whatever "it" may be) you are left in the dark wondering, "is this normal"? You cannot anticipate what stomach dropping (no pun intended) careening turn will come next and then...the free fall. A barrage of conflicting, sometimes confusing (sometimes even hurtful-although well intentioned) messages from loved ones, big, scary words thrown out by doctors with little or sometimes no explanation, the feeling of worry that washes over you every time there is a random ache, pain or change in your body, worry not only for yourself but for your developing baby whom you are trying so hard to protect yet have no way of communicating with. The ride can be thrilling but it can also be downright terrifying.
And herein lies the reason that, I believe, every newly pregnant woman should treat herself to a copy of the pregnancy bible, "What to Expect When You're Expecting". This book has really been a lifesaver for me. It goes through, week by week of your pregnancy and advises on what to eat, weight gain, what will be covered at each doctors visit, where to find local resources, symptoms (what's normal, what's not and how to address), aches pains, sleep patterns, fetal development, childbirth techniques, etc...
The list goes on and on which is why the book was written rather than someone like me trying to cover every informational aspect of pregnancy since the beginning of time in a Google Blog. But I can say, speaking from experience, that I have found this book immensely helpful. Everything I have experienced thus far has been addressed in some way in this book and the sections that describe what the doctor will discuss at each visit have been spot on, helping to eliminate some of that "lost in the dark" feeling and the anxiety that comes with it. Another positive about the book is that many of the questions are sent in by pregnant readers and the responses to these questions, while informative are often humorous in a gentle, non-offensive way.
There is much comfort in reading the submissions of other women and realizing that I am not the first to have gone through this whole "pregnancy" thing and that pretty much everything I have experienced so far, no matter how scary it feels to me, has been a normal part of being a pregnant, worried, first time mommy. So, if you are pregnant, do yourself a favor, check out your local bookstore or jump on Amazon.com and get yourself a copy of this book. The price you pay for the book is worth the peace of mind it brings. Who wants to ride a roller coaster while pregnant anyway? Especially blindfolded. Yikes!
Here's to getting "off" the ride!
-New Mommy in Town
And herein lies the reason that, I believe, every newly pregnant woman should treat herself to a copy of the pregnancy bible, "What to Expect When You're Expecting". This book has really been a lifesaver for me. It goes through, week by week of your pregnancy and advises on what to eat, weight gain, what will be covered at each doctors visit, where to find local resources, symptoms (what's normal, what's not and how to address), aches pains, sleep patterns, fetal development, childbirth techniques, etc...
The list goes on and on which is why the book was written rather than someone like me trying to cover every informational aspect of pregnancy since the beginning of time in a Google Blog. But I can say, speaking from experience, that I have found this book immensely helpful. Everything I have experienced thus far has been addressed in some way in this book and the sections that describe what the doctor will discuss at each visit have been spot on, helping to eliminate some of that "lost in the dark" feeling and the anxiety that comes with it. Another positive about the book is that many of the questions are sent in by pregnant readers and the responses to these questions, while informative are often humorous in a gentle, non-offensive way.
There is much comfort in reading the submissions of other women and realizing that I am not the first to have gone through this whole "pregnancy" thing and that pretty much everything I have experienced so far, no matter how scary it feels to me, has been a normal part of being a pregnant, worried, first time mommy. So, if you are pregnant, do yourself a favor, check out your local bookstore or jump on Amazon.com and get yourself a copy of this book. The price you pay for the book is worth the peace of mind it brings. Who wants to ride a roller coaster while pregnant anyway? Especially blindfolded. Yikes!
Here's to getting "off" the ride!
-New Mommy in Town
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