I AM PREGNANT, WHAT TO DO?

News about pregnancy may have different impacts to people especially to the pregnant woman herself. Mixed emotions overflow at one time and you find yourself asking too many questions. Are you pregnant? Or know someone who’s pregnant? This article might help you to embrace pregnancy in its full beauty.

Welcoming Change

Pregnancy brings both physical and psychological changes to a woman and her other half. It pretty much involves the partner or husband as pregnancy happened because two individuals formed the baby inside. If you have a supportive partner or family, good for you because the journey is not going to be easy. However, if you will be voyaging alone in this expedition do not be afraid, instead be informed. And mommy, you are never alone, you have supports especially in the virtual world. We are in this point of time where internet and social media plays a growing importance in helping pregnant mothers go through the whole process. We can make it!

The physiologic changes of pregnancy occur gradually and eventually affect all the other organ systems of a woman’s body. Do not be afraid of the changes, for it’s normal. Remember, you are growing another human being inside. Changes are necessary to allow the body to be able to provide the physiologic needs of the growing fetus as well as your own needs as there will be increased metabolism during pregnancy.

The psychologic changes occur in response to the physical alterations and perceived responsibility associated in welcoming a new human being who will be completely dependent to you. Even with the magnitude of these changes, it’s a normal process of human life.

Common Psycho-social Changes That Occur with Pregnancy

(This is based on Adele Pillitteri’s book entitled Maternal and Child Health Nursing: Care of the Childbearing and Childrearing Family.)

First Trimester

Task: Accepting the pregnancy

At this stage, you and your partner spend time recovering from shock of learning you are pregnant. What? We are pregnant? Earlier on this stage you have so many ‘whys’ and ‘hows’ even to the question with the most obvious answer. You concentrate on what it feels like to be pregnant. A common reaction is ambivalence or feeling both pleased and not pleased about the pregnancy. Mommy, you must accept that you are pregnant especially on the first trimester.

Second Trimester

Task: Accepting the baby

During the second trimester, the psychologic task is to accept that you are having a baby. It’s different from accepting pregnancy. You may be moved through emotions such as narcissism and introversion as you concentrate on what it will feel like to be a parent. Role-playing and increased dreaming are common. A phenomenal (because it’s what I felt during my first pregnancy, I could not even contain my emotions) turning point in pregnancy is quickening.  Quickening is when you first feel that the fetus inside you is indeed alive because it moves! Until you experience this proof of your child’s existence, you might think of the life inside you as an integral part of yourself rather than a separate entity.

Third Trimester

Task: Preparing for the baby and end of pregnancy

At this stage, you and your partner become impatient with pregnancy as you ready yourselves for birth. “Nest building” activities are done such as planning the infant’s sleeping arrangements, buying clothes (sometimes as early as first trimester though), choosing the baby’s name, if you will breastfeed, or who will change diapers, et cetera.

As for me, pregnancy is a wonderful journey. I got pregnant at 26 and my first born is a girl named Akisha. I learned that I was pregnant only when it turned 9 weeks. I got married on July and missed my period on September. We planned to conceive after a year of marriage, but God has a different plan. Indeed, I enjoyed the perks of being pregnant. My husband was so supportive to me, our parents and relatives were so excited about it, my friends congratulated me, and my immediate manager that time was so supportive that he considered my condition and gave me lesser tasks.

If you think I had a smooth pregnancy, not at all. At 3 months, I had spotting and threatened abortion. At 6 months, I had lumbar radiculopathy (Lumbar radiculopathy refers to the condition involving the lumbar spinal nerve root. This can manifest as pain, numbness, or weakness of the buttock and leg) related to pregnancy. I was not advice to do long drives anymore and a month before my expected date of delivery I was on bed rest already.

Amidst the challenges, I will be forever grateful for the gift of life and the opportunity to become a mother.