Voices of Motherhood
We know there are many paths to motherhood, parenting, family. Families we make, families we create, families we adore, and families we want to (and/or do) escape.
One lacking perspective in the conversation revolves around pregnancy...podcasts, to be exact. I love podcasts and applaud them as my gateway back to reading for fun following baby #1. For a while I couldn't stay up long enough for my novels, but I could listen in the car - audiobooks are cool, but long and commitment is hard at that stage of life. Podcasts are commuter friendly, free, and numerous - particularly for parenting and my general interests.
Sometimes I am in the mood for thriller/mystery, history, DIY/home, lifestyle, gentle parenting, and on & on. Lately, I have blitzed through pregnancy-related shows. Some are better than others - but all seem to have this annoying theme when it comes to "birth plans" and c-sections. They want to harp on the disappointment, the mom guilt, the missed experience of the magic of birth...but they gloss over medical necessity if addressed at all. Thankfully a few hosts do say the part about a healthy mom/baby being the ultimate goal and happy ending, but I want to jump on those mics and share a positive story about the emergency c-section that saved my baby and guarded my life in the process. And how I am at peace with my upcoming repeat c-section, planned again for our safety. I am beyond grateful for modern medicine, access to healthcare, and a truly gifted medical team. Even when things went horribly wrong without a silver lining, like the loss of my second pregnancy and long, complicated recovery, I am still aware that in another country/century I may not be here to tell the tale.
During my first pregnancy I thought a lot about natural birth and cloth diapering, but at 30 weeks, decisions were rapidly made for me and I met my baby much sooner than planned. The disposable Pampers Swaddlers are great. My sweet little shrimp baby is tall and strong.
This time I am immensely grateful for going to term, experiencing the new aches and sensations, knowing my baby's lungs are getting their chance to fully develop. I am very curious about simultaneous surgical recovery with an infant by my side. I am crazy hopeful for a smooth breastfeeding journey. And I am hoping to figure out how to protect and parent two glorious little humans at once. My backseat finally has that second carseat, three cheers for the mom-mobile! And my heart is so, so full. My excitement is outweighing my anxiety, and we have only days to go until our life grows in a big way.