Eight months into my pregnancy and I haven’t found the words to explain this journey
…until now.
It’s no secret that pregnancy is a remarkable journey for a human to endure. Our bodies are capable of such wonderful changes in order to make this journey possible. But what I’ve found to be beautiful in pregnancy has been my ever-changing internal landscape. My thoughts, beliefs, fears, desires, limits and boundaries have all been tested these past eight months.
Of course, I know I’ll be processing these changes for years to come. But for now, I can say pregnancy has been the greatest catalyst for growth and expansion I could possibly imagine. The woman I am today is somehow both foreign and familiar. Above all, she is firmly rooted in the woman she is, in her power, and in embracing radical self-trust. She also believes in the power of storytelling and community.
While there are so many things I wish I had known prior to pregnancy, I’m also grateful I have been able to feel through it so that I can share it with you now! Whether you’re entering motherhood, already deep into it, or just curious what pregnancy can be like, here are a few of my found truths and the beauty behind them.
Emotions aren’t always just “hormones”
Truth: Although I did cry at things I normally wouldn’t have, I don’t believe that I cried for no reason. Even the tears shed over messed up orders at Burger King or a silly miscommunication with my partner revealed tender spots where past versions of myself felt disappointed or upset. Every time I cried, I never chalked it up to hormones. It always felt so much deeper than that so much bigger.
Beauty: Doing my best to allow myself to feel through it also gave all those past versions of myself room to exist in their entirety. It also let them know that they aren’t needed in this next part of my journey. Those pregnancy tears felt more like giving my outdated beliefs, desires, and attachments one last chance to throw a temper tantrum before finally being released.
Pregnancy tests your limits
Truth: The second you discover you’re pregnant, you’ve just begun your greatest evolution yet. Immediately, I found myself challenging my beliefs and values as well as my new physical boundaries. From movement to mentality, this experience has forced me to re-evaluate all I thought to be true. A lot of things that used to work for me simply no longer do.
Beauty: By finding tools and techniques for life that help you along, you can create a way of living so much more aligned with your truest self. Flowing in a way that feels more natural to you than ever before helps us tap into that intuitive center we’re beginning to nurture and mother from. Testing my limits has allowed me to birth a life that feels nourishing and fulfilling alongside my growing baby.
It is both sunshine and rainstorms
Truth: Pregnancy is the greatest lesson in duality a woman can experience. Even if you feel entirely prepared for motherhood, moments of doubt will always creep in. You can be so grateful for how hard your body is working and frustrated with all of its changes. You can be both terrified and excited to hold your baby. Even on my brightest days, worries I’ve never had before have popped up.
Beauty: Allowing myself to experience both the good and tricky moments fully has helped me feel to new depths. I find myself able to swim in both hurt and joy with much less resistance. I’ve learned to reclaim the power I once quickly gave away to every single feeling I had. I understand now that feelings flow and are always visitors to be experienced, felt and sent onward with love.
Not everyone will know how to show up for you
Truth: I find myself needing support and help in ways I haven’t before. Honestly, some of the time I’m not even sure what that support looks like until someone happens to give it to me. This has led to feelings of isolation and loneliness more nights than I care to admit. I found that most people were excited in the beginning and end of the pregnancy, yet seemed to forget about it all during the long months in between. A hard truth of pregnancy is that your entire world is changing on a cellular level every single day while everyone else continues on with their daily lives.
Beauty: Friendships will absolutely change and you will absolutely feel lonely at times. And that’s okay! Pregnancy is something you can’t fully understand until you’ve experienced it. Even then, the journey is different for every woman. I can’t fault friends for not knowing that a random text isn’t much help or that there are days I just want someone to help me process all of these rapid changes. The beauty comes in seeing who does check in on you. The old and new friends that take time to offer support make me feel loved in a way I’ve never felt. Shifting my focus to the loved ones that have been willing to walk through this journey with me as best they could has helped me shape the community my baby will be born into.
You have to trust yourself like never before
Truth: These months will teach you the beauty of duality, patience, self acceptance, and surrender. But above all pregnancy is going to teach you how to trust yourself in a way that you never have before. There’s a new sense of autonomy that comes with pregnancy. Leaning into self-trust has been the most helpful decision I’ve made during these past 8 months. There are suddenly so many questions and decisions to make. Everyone will ask you over and over again how and why you chose the birth plan you did, if it’s “really safe to eat that ___”, and pour their insights (and sometimes fears) into you.
Beauty: I’m not quite sure if it comes from knowing I have to advocate for myself or knowing I have to advocate for my baby, but either way I have learned to stand firmly in my truth like never before. While some of the conversations may lead to growth and come from love, there is nothing anyone can tell you that should hold more weight than your own intuition and self-trust. That is what has helped me filter through all of the outside noises (and believe me, there are a lot) and decide what is in tune with me, my baby and my body throughout this process.
The ultimate truth of pregnancy is that there is no one set truth for all pregnant people. It varies so drastically depending on who you are and who you’re aiming to become through the process. So above all, journey gently. Understand just how much change you’re undergoing at every minute of every day. There’s no right or wrong way to do pregnancy. As long as you’re standing in your power and trusting yourself, the growth will come with ease.
Books That Share The Beauty of Pregnancy:
Like a Mother: A Feminist Journey Through the Science and Culture of Pregnancy by Angela Garbes
A candid, feminist, and personal deep dive into the science and culture of pregnancy and motherhood
Nurture: A Modern Guide to Pregnancy, Birth, Early Motherhood–And Trusting Yourself and Your Body by Erica Chidi
An all-inclusive pregnancy and birthing guidebook that gives soon-to-be mothers and their partners the information they need to make decisions, feel confident, and enjoy the beauty of creating new life.
Loved the content from Truth and Raw Beauty of Pregnancy? Let’s celebrate moms everywhere! Check out Mother Day Gift for the Poetry Lover and Poems to Share with the Motherly Figure in Your Life.
