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Towards the end of my third trimester, I began to count the days down, by striking days off the calendar. With every single day marked off, the big day drew close, and I began to quiver with unfounded anticipations and fears. All the concrete confidence that had seen me through those earlier months of pregnancy melted away. Very unlike me, but much like most mothers. The initial excitement, the ‘I will face it all’ attitude and the sportiness had suddenly fizzled out. If there was anything apart from the bodily changes of pregnancy that keeps you awake at nights, ‘twas these fears that made me a complete nocturnal for quite some time until after the delivery:
1. Feeling fewer Movements
As the baby had started growing, the baby kicks began to subside. I hadn’t realized that until one day when I reckoned that my baby must be kicking me– so much so that the person sitting next to me could see the movements with no medical aid. But this hadn’t happened in a while. What was next? I sped off to the doctor and learned that a growing baby doesn’t have enough space in there to kick you. OK, so maybe they make up for it once they pop out. But on the way back I was remorseful on not applying some common sense. It didn’t need a Bible of Medical text, did it?
2. Perspiration vs. Breaking The Waters
It’s normal to perspire more. But if you haven’t been pregnant before, any excess dampness between the thighs could set an alarm of waters breaking. That is just how aware you will be of the breaking water experience. If you have heard from some, it could trickle little by little. But that doesn’t mean a lack of gushiness still means you have broken your waters. Remember what pregnant women could go through between their thighs – and it’s called sweat.
3. Looking At Self In The Mirror
Preening has become a thing of the past. You don’t find yourself attractive. And you cling on to the fears that perhaps you will have to remain in the current frame forever. Will I look the same post delivery? For Heaven’s sake don’t count that massive belly. Think of yourself after as a woman minus the bump after pregnancy. But won’t these blemishes go? Who told you they won’t! Won’t I begin to lose hair? More likely yes. But It’s pretty much in your hands to nourish yourself post delivery and take recourse to iron supplements should there be a need. It’s a different thing that some women lose weight faster than the others. So don’t compare yourself with those bothersome weight loss cases.
4. What If I Set Into Labor Unpredictably
This fear will prevent you from going to work. Obviously, you don’t want to mess up at your workplace, while you have already been going there with the waddles and maneuvering through the cubicles and aisles with that bump. Not to forget that you also don’t want to be the one who delivered in the backseat of a car, or at the washroom of a gas station, or delivered midair. The last one really falling back heavily on you if you had to choose your young one’s nationality or if your progeny had to decide what nationality it is. But at the end of it all, you don’t want to take chances. So staying put home is not a bad idea, after all.
You end of pregnancy fears could be valid if not totally dumb. But steer clear of any superstitions or lack of faith that could worsen your fears.
