June 12, 2012

Snapshot: 21

one month before the birth of our son, boston public gardens / october 2010

Getting to spend some time with my cousin and her newborn has me thinking a lot about those early wild weeks. For me one of the strangest feelings was suddenly not being pregnant anymore. I think most people are very ready to be done with the discomfort, but we delivered a month early so it was a bit of a shock to see that round belly deflate ahead of schedule. I remember asking a nurse if postpartum depression was mourning that you were no longer pregnant. She laughed and said in her twenty years of nursing in labor and delivery, that was the first time anyone had ever asked that question- so I guess that's a no!

8 comments:

  1. Lovely photo and thoughts...I have never experienced such absolute relief in the way that I did after giving birth to both my children. All that anxiety about the birth, the pain and the discomfort just gone and it was time for the next challenge :)

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    1. Thanks Jane - that's very well put and I think your releif is probably the more common emotion :)

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  2. I actually missed being pregnant after giving birth both times. I'm a weird one like that, but after you give birth, you have to *share* the baby. While you're pregnant it's just mama and baby wrapped up as one :) I love this picture, btw!

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  3. I remember that strange feeling! It was definitely most pronounced with my first birth, though I remember feeling "hollow" for about a week after giving birth to each of my babies. Though I don't remember really missing being pregnant! Sounds like maybe you are ready again? ;)

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    1. Haha... definately thought about what it would be like to have another when I was with the new baby. Seems like it's tough! But I guess it's different when it's your own (and you have no choice!).

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  4. What a sweet picture!! So sweet it had me for a second thinking I might want another little rascal. :)

    I felt similarly when Gus was born. I was at 42 weeks but he entered the world very quickly after an extremely short time of actually being in labor. I felt like I was Alice and someone had given me a magic shrinking belly tonic. It was a funny thing to process.

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  5. Shadow pregnancy! I love it.

    I remember feeling very weird that an entire person came out of me. That there was no person, then there was a stranger living in my body, and then BAM! Tiny person in the world. What?!

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  6. You know.... I'm only 12 weeks out from having been huge and pregnant and looking back at photos of me with that big, round belly, it is already difficult for me to imagine how that felt. Is that weird?

    I was one of those women who did not love being pregnant. Don't get me wrong.. it is a miracle and I am so happy that my body can do that and I wouldn't change having my daughter for anything... but seeing my feet, not wearing elastic pants, and being able to run (not waddle) is so much better!

    :-)

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