My Heart, Your Home: Things to love about being pregnant   

Tuesday 15 January 2013

Things to love about being pregnant




Over the past few weeks I have been having quite a hard time of being pregnant and that has become the running theme in my pregnancy posts. So today, I decided to sit down and take a moment to appreciate the beauty of pregnancy and try to let the hard parts fall to the side. Because the truth of it all is, that pregnancy really is a miracle, it is beautiful and joyous and all of those things that you hear people say. The hard part, when it is you that is pregnant, is remembering that pregnancy is beautiful on you too. 

To me, there is nothing more beautiful than seeing a heavily pregnant woman walking the beach, street, shopping aisle, with that beautiful skin, the gorgeous hair and the little knowing smirk that they wear. The smirk that says, I am about to experience the best experience and there is nothing that can get in the way of that. When you become that your woman yourself, it is hard to see the beauty in that big round belly, it is hard to see the glow on your face that keeps breaking out, the gorgeous hair that is becoming more and more thick. But you do know you have the smirk. You know that people are looking at you. Deep down, when you push the pregnancy hormones and insecurities aside, you know. You have what most woman want. You are carrying life and that is precious and beautiful and magical. I have been trying to remind myself to forget that I am waddling, forget that I feel fat and just embrace this beautiful belly, it wont be here for much longer.

When you fall pregnant, you truly sacrifice your body. You are giving yourself completely to this child that you are yet to meet. I am ok with this. In fact, I love watching my body change to accommodate Jelly, to make sure that baby is safe and comfortable. My tummy slowly stretching, my hips slowly becoming wider and my bottom actually becomes a bottom. My boobs go up and down and I every morning I have to try and guess what size bra I will need to wear. There are so many aches and pains involved in all of this change, but when you forget about those, watching the changes every day is incredible.

I love that I don't have to care for the scales. I get on them every day and I see the number increasing. To a number that is normally unimaginable. But I smile. Because I know that this means my baby is growing and is healthy. I smile because I know that this is the only time in my life that I will be ok with weighing this much. I smile because as my numbers are going up, Anthony is fighting for his numbers to go down. I get to sit back, relax, eat and enjoy those numbers. For just a little while. 

Guilt free eating. Before Evelyn was born I actually had never had a moment of feeling guilty about something I ate. It wasn't something that occurred to me. If my weight increased I would run faster, not stop eating. But once Evelyn was born, I worked extremely hard to get my body back to a size that I was happy with. In doing so, my approach changed. I changed the way I ate and the way I exercised. All of a sudden, when I ate a carbs or something rich, I felt guilty and that has stayed with me. Until now. Now, I don't care for the guilt. I eat all the foods. The good ones, the bad ones, the overindulgent ones. Because I can. 

Hormones have got to be the absolute hardest part of pregnancy. The emotions. The rages. The irritation and agitation. They drive me around the bend and I can see Anthony's inner self running up the walls and slamming his head against the table at me. But, in amongst all of those outrageous emotions are some good ones. The ones that make you appreciate moments in all of their glory. The emotions that make you take a step back and truly see the beauty before you. There have been many moments where I have stepped back and watched Evelyn and I have cried. Because in that very moment I have been able to see what a beautiful life I am giving her, what a beautiful girl she is becoming. I love those emotions. I love my hormones for giving me those moments.

Pregnancy is a long and slow process and it is very easy to become overwhelmed and impatient. I know that I am both of those things. But pregnancy gives us life. It is beautiful, it is a miracle and it is so important to me to take a moment and be grateful for this. I am being given the chance to create life, my own life. 

How can I not love being pregnant?



 

25 comments:

  1. I should have tried to do an exercise like this when I was pregnant. I was miserable each time and just wanted it to be over with. Thankful that my body could do this, yes. Enjoying the process, not at all. I still feel a huge sense of relief when I think about the fact I'll never be pregnant again. It's OK to say it's hard. But for your own sanity, this post was a really nice focus on a more positive perspective.

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    1. I totally understand Azara, that is the very reason why I wanted to take some time out to look at the positives because mostly, I feel miserable too... it is so very hard on our bodies!
      Thanks for stopping by xx

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  2. Oops, forgot to say I'm visiting from IBOT!

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  3. Ive got some medical issues happening at the moment, so it isn't easy to enjoy this pregnancy while I hang in limbo-land, but trying to see the positive is a great idea!

    visiting from IBOT

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    1. Oh I am sorry to hear that Cate! I hope that everything is ok xx

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  4. I love that last paragraph Jess. Beautiful xx

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  5. I gained 20 kilos with my first child.. that threw me into a major shock - as I went from a size 6 to a size 14. but you know I look at the photos and think.. wow I grew a beautiful baby.. and now have two lovely children who I wouldn't trade my stretchmarks, cellulite or lack of sleep for. Its a wonderful thing and everyone experiences their pregnancy differently..

    #teamIBOT was here

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    1. Isnt it amazing how much weight we can gain! I gained 18kgs with Evelyn. Only 9 so far with this one. Fingers crossed it isnt as much as the first time round. As much as I enjoy it now, I know how I will feel after!

      Thanks for stopping by xx

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  6. I loved being pregnant with my first child. The second time I still loved but not nearly as much and by the third time I tired to love it but it was not nearly as fun as the first time round. It must be all the looking after everyone else that does it I think. Fairy wishes and butterfly kisses lovely hope the rest of the pregnancy flies by for you

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    1. I think you are right... there just isnt as much time to enjoy the next pregnancies! And it is exhausting! Looking after a child while creating a child. Much harder to enjoy when you cant have those daily naps xx

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  7. Gorgeous post Jess, such beautiful words, as always! I just LOVE that first photo! My number 3 is 10 months old and I'm already dreaming of pregnancy again. It's a hard job but we are so blessed to be able to do it, the most amazing job in the world xx

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    1. Isnt it amazing how quickly we forget? I know once Jelly is here, I will be pining for my third child!
      They are worth every ache and pain xx

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  8. I love watching pregnant women at the beach too. I think they look beautiful and so do you.

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    1. Thank you Alex! A pregnant woman on the beach is my favourite site!
      xx

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  9. I loved being pregnant! You look beautiful in all the ways you described other pregnant women x

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    1. I wish I loved it more than I do.
      Thank you Carly xx

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  10. Very gorgeous photo!!
    Emily

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  11. you make me want to be pregnant again which is impossible!!!! xxx

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  12. Beautiful post.
    I loved being pregnant...I was definitely one of those smirking women!
    I was lucky that I had an easy, straightforward pregnancy and I just loved the feeling that my body was doing something as amazing as housing and nurturing another being!

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    1. The smirk... I love the smirk!
      I love knowing what my body is doing, I just dont like the symptoms that come with it haha
      xx

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  13. Can I just say, you look fantastic! Even if you don't feel it, you are all those wonderful things that a pregnant woman is xx

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