Monday, January 09, 2012

Realizing a Burden is Missing

I never intended this blog to be all about infertility or all about pregnancy, but obviously reproductive issues have kind of taken a lot of our time and brain power over the past four years.

The birth of our baby girl is getting close; I'll be at the 32 week mark in just a couple days. We spent all day Saturday in a childbirth class, and probably the most helpful for me was the time we spent after class talking to our instructor in more detail about natural childbirth. It kind of confirmed the way I'm leaning when it comes to a birth plan.

Like a lot of women, I think I'll miss being pregnant to an extent. I'll miss feeling our daughter move around, carrying her with me everywhere, and not having to worry about if she's eating or sleeping enough or if she's sick. On the other hand, this pregnancy has been so very long. I will not miss the constant attempts to cease worrying about a miscarriage or a stillbirth or a premature delivery.

Last week I realized the one thing I will probably miss most when I am no longer pregnant: the sweet relief of not even thinking about my uterine lining, ovulation, menstrual cycles or endometriosis. Anyone who has infertility issues will understand. It's not even something I was consciously aware of being free from until just recently. Now I'm aware of the way that burden has been lifted over the last seven months. It's one more thing for which I am so thankful - even if it's just a 9-month reprieve.

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