You know how the moment you get pregnant, people start giving you advice? You get advice on everything from "indigestion means your baby will have a head full of hair" to "sleep now, because once the baby is here you wont" and "don't lift anything over your head or the you will choke the baby with the umbilical cord." Many of the wives tales and myths surrounding pregnancies are obviously just that-tales and myths. That doesn't seem to deter well-meaning friends and relatives from recounting these tales and myths over and over to you, and insisting that a pencil or needle and thread can predict the gender of your child.
The past few weeks I have found myself reminiscing about my pregnancy and recounting many moments that I remember fondly, and I start to realize that there are many things that are said that are completely true. For example, "you will miss being pregnant", "time will fly by", "a baby will bring the mommy and daddy closer together", "you have never known love until you have a child", "trust your instincts", and my favorite "you won't remember the pain." I do miss being pregnant. I miss having my baby safely in my womb where no one could harm him, I miss having that extra bond between us. Time is moving by at the speed of light and I feel like I cannot even catch my breath some days or I will miss out on something. Bryant has brought Josh and I closer together in a way that we never would have known without our son. I loved many people before I became a mother, but the love I have for my son could move mountains, and calm seas if only I could harness it and use it as a form of energy. My instincts as a mother surpasses most anything that a doctor could tell me. And finally, my memory of the birth of my son somehow ignores all of the pain that was involved (and that is saying a lot considering I delivered him one hundred percent naturally.)
Now, when I come across a friend or loved one who is expecting their own precious angel, I find myself offering the same words of wisdom that were passed on to me not even a year ago. I must admit that when loved ones originally shared their experiences and advice with me I doubted much of the reliability of their words. I now know that every sentence uttered to me was completely true, and every word was spoken with love. And you will now find me sitting right beside the pregnant lady in the room telling her everything I can remember about my own experiences, offering her as much advice as she will tolerate me giving, and recounting my own stories with a knowing twinkle in my eye that as a mother will always be there when I speak of my child/children.
Once you are a mommy, you are a lifetime member of the greatest club in the whole world.
Here are a few of my maternity photos:
Do you have any wives tales or advice to offer expectant mommies and daddies?
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