Great Expectations: Liz @ 16 Weeks

Throughout pregnancy, women are bombarded with horror stories, tragic tales of loss, and panic-inducing accounts of unexpected outcomes. Being exposed to these negative images causes women to fear the process of birth, which ultimately can impact their birth experience, possibly leading to greater discomfort, difficult labor, and unnecessary interventions. In my line of work, I am privileged to be a part of the amazing, beautiful, and awe-inspiring elements of pregnancy and birth. However, sometimes these not-so-perfect things creep in as well, and I'd be lying if I said that it doesn't affect me too.So, what is a mama to do? I am definitely trying to keep negative birth images free from my life as much as possible. That means no dramatic, worse-case scenario birth TV shows, since apparently normal birth doesn't make for good programming. It means seeking out positive birth stories, whether it be in person, books, magazines, or on the web. READ: Keep in mind that positive doesn't have to mean easy, short, unmedicated, vaginal, orgasmic, etc. It means taking time every day to focus on this baby and connect with him or her, whether it be a few minutes before bed at night, during yoga class, or in the shower, as is often the only quiet "me-time" during the day. As I begin to really feel pregnant, it means truly embracing the changes--the aches and twinges of my growing belly, the road map of veins that has taken over my legs, the breasts that are on the verge of letters that I've never reached before in a cup size--rather than dwelling on the discomfort. I feel that by doing these things, I can overshadow any negativity that sneaks in, and ultimately I am preparing myself for a fabulous birth, no matter what.

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