Just nod and smile!

Dealing with pregnancy for the first time in your life is very unique experience. There is nothing quite like it. The mystery, and intrigue is beguiling. Questions begin to swirl in your head from the onset. What does an ultrasound feel like? What will a baby kicking feel like? What will labor feel like?  It can all be overwhelming.

 This was certainly the case with me.

To make it worse, I am the type of person that has to know things in advance. I must plan, schedule, and determine to the best of my ability ahead of time. It is important to be prepared, so that the best plan can be executed and surprises can be minimized.  It may sound slightly neurotic, but it helps give me a sense of control. So, naturally, silly ol' me, tried to plan out how everything would go with my birth.  I must have watched at least six documentaries on child-birth. I took every single class that Kaiser offers for pregnancy and child birth. Ordered some books online from Amazon. I joined birth clubs online (I really like Babycenter). I wrote out my birth plan. Basically, I did everything in my power to make this a successful journey. 

so...

Imagine my surprise when my water broke two weeks early, my baby ruptured her sack, my dreams of a natural birth were thrown out the window, and my mom wasn't present for the birth!  Things didn't go the way I planned it. Initially, I was mad. But, then I realized I couldn't be mad at circumstances.  Just accept that there might be some changes along the way. C'est la vie.

Here is what I learned:

Sometimes, you just can't plan these things out. Well, to clarify, you can iron out the details as long as there is wiggle room. I say this because you can't pin down pregnancy. Not when, where, or even the time. So, when pregnancy stresses you out- Just nod and smile! We acknowledge it's an unpaved road, but we smile because we know what the destination is. 

Disclaimer:

I have only yet journeyed through one full-length pregnancy thus far so I won't say its the case for every pregnancy. I am on round 2, and am already doing things differently. I am not planning ahead, just taking it day by day. I am not too far along, but I will keep you updated if my theory continues to prevail.