Jessica Rassette
Latest posts by Jessica Rassette (see all)
- 10 Things to Love About Being Pregnant - February 14, 2013
At 26 I feel like I’ve spent most of my 20’s being pregnant. Currently, I’m nearing the 29th week of our third pregnancy. At this point I have to ask myself why? I’m not a glutton for punishment; I’m actually kind of a wimp, so why do I keep doing this to myself? The answer is simple; because the only thing I love more than babies is being pregnant.
I’m not good at being pregnant. I complain about all of my ailments probably more than anyone. But there is some magical spark hidden beneath all of that heartburn and weight gain that keeps me coming back for more, and these are ten of my favorites…
1. The kicks. They’re amazing. All day long I have these limbs skimming across my bulbous belly and it’s so amazing I want to pull strangers out of their cars at stoplights and demand of them “are you seeing this?!?” The movements are small, jabbing, reminders that for nine months I am never alone, and forever after being pregnant parts of my heart will never be alone because I will always be loving a child.
2. Being waited on. I’m not too proud to say it, either. I don’t open my own doors or carry anything heavier than a glass of water without someone scrambling to help. Strangers hold doors and share smiles. It’s like I’m in a special club where I’m not completely incapable, I’m just incredibly entitled to being helped in the most gracious way.
3. Deedles. I’m not sure where we came up with the term but I get deedles every night. As soon as the boys have had their last round of giggles in their room and nighttime has finally set in I weepily say to my husband “deedle me,” and he takes his thick, rough fingers and gently tickles my back until I fall asleep. I could pay for a professional pre-natal message but it would never be as amazing as deedles.
4. I’m an artist. I live to create. To take something that wasn’t and produce something that is. Is pregnancy really anything other than that?
5. Food. I love eating. I love food. I love how I can eat the same amazing food craving five days in a row and it absolutely fills every fissure of my soul with pure, pure, pure satisfaction.
6. A free pass to complain. Honestly, I try not to use it often. This is my third go-around, I don’t want to push my luck. But after a long day of being exhausted and achy and emotional if I need a good racked-with-emotion cry over my buffalo chicken sandwich at Dairy Queen, I’m going to do it, no shame.
7. Feeling pretty. I’m not talking about how I look. Trust me, I know how I look. But it’s how I feel. I don’t feel attractive, or hot, or glamorous, but a huge chunk of life sticking out from my abdomen really does make me feel pretty. A huge chunk of life will do that I guess.
8. The anticipation. I also hate the anticipation. But I love it because it is a challenge. I love forcing myself to slow down and savor each moment. I love being in the moment, and reminding myself just how quick and important this moment is. I will never get these moments back, and as frustrating as some of them are, they are amazing.
9. The extra dose of moxie. Normally I can be reserved, maybe a little unsure, but when I’m pregnant? Bring it. Bring. It. For these nine months I can conquer the freaking world, if I feel like it, or just take a nap. But either way I will feel moxie-licious doing it. So bring it.
10. Watching your kids become siblings. My two boys are churning up this beautiful relationship between them and slowly opening themselves up to one more brother. It’s beautiful. I love my oldest begging questions like “When will the baby come out?” or “Will the baby’s first words be that he loves me?” And I die when my youngest lifts up my shirt to feed baby brother milk from his sippy through my belly button. I am watching love happen, watching it grow and flow and expand through every bit of us as a family. It’s pure delight, pure beauty.
Being pregnant is profoundly challenging, it’s demanding on so many exhausting levels. But when I think of these ten things, there isn’t anything I would possibly rather be right now than pregnant.
{ 24 comments… read them below or add one }
I want to add: the badassery (sp?). When I was pregnant, I refused to take crap from anyone. Someone pissed me off, they got an earful. Oh hello ex-boyfriend who won’t leave me alone, and I was nice to you even when you didn’t deserve it, not no more! I loved being able to tell people no and stick up for myself.
So for my first pregnancy, being waited on never happened! I carried groceries by myself until I gave birth at 35 weeks, doors were hardly ever opened for me,even with my arms full of packages, maybe its the neighborhood I lived in.
#4 for sure. I wanted to yell out to everyone, look what i made!!
I never got to experience preganancy, but I did get a few of the perks mentioned above a time or two. As a mom of two amazing kids I adopted I am happy for a king size bed, cuddle time, and sprout Tv sometimes… My kids came as siblings, and the one thing I know they will never lose is their love for eachother. It is amazing!
I hated being pregnant but I loved being waited on for sure. =)
neo recently posted..49ers’ move angers many longtime fans
Also the excuse to talk to myself – constantly. Sure, maybe I’m having an external monologue about what to buy at the grocery store, but I can tell everyone I’m just talking to the baby.
Waited on? You’re kidding right? I’ve been in so many waiting areas in restaurants just standing there and NO ONE even offers me a seat. I am with Cassie because I’ve been carrying my groceries in one had and had my daughter in my other arm with no help. As for food…i wish i could indulge. I have gestational diabetes and even though it wasn’t as bad as I had it with my first child, I can’t eat what I want and I have to maintain my weight.
Oh. Dear. Heavens! My only child is 7 and this seriously made me consider throwing *down* in the bedroom with my husband so I could do it all over again!
So sweet. Great post.
Despite gestational diabetes in both and testing group B strep positive in the second, I adored being pregnant too. Loved my belly, loved the kicks and felt great!
just JENNIFER recently posted..Link the Love!
Except for the constant fear of miscarriage, I adored being pregnant. I loved the feeling of the baby inside me, the hiccups, everything. Fortunately, I managed to avoid morning sickness and all nasty side effects except for mild heartburn at the end and stretch marks which I knew were coming no matter what.
Awww, at 34 weeks pregnant with my third (first with my current hubby and first boy for me, hubby has a son), I forget the goods and focus of the fat, heartburn, swollen feet…this made my heart feel good to think about. It’s all true <3
Love this! It almost nailed how I feel…but you’re about to start something. I had decided that I don’t want anymore (at least for now) but thinking about all of the things I love about being pregnant makes me want to re-evaluate.
I’m 28 weeks pregnant with my 3rd and I agree with so many of these! I’ll also add that I really enjoy how NICE people are to you when you’re pregnant. People smile at me more, hold the door for me more, and are just overall much more polite.
This is my last pregnancy and as much as I complain – I’m definitely going to miss it.
Michelle recently posted..Three Things Thursday
This is great to see all the positives. I didn’t have a difficult pregnancy at all, but I didn’t particularly like being pregnant. It’s easy to dwell on leg cramps, insomnia, and constipation, but it’s nice to be reminded of the wonderful parts too.
Jessica Smock recently posted..What I Learned By Failing as An Attachment Parent
I love that you’re doing this, Jill, bringing so much of the bloggers to the forefront that I’d never see–because of the dizzying numbers out there.
A perfectly wonderful post. Though my pregnancies were not pretty (pre eclampsia, pre term labor, pre term delivery, bed rest, gestational diabetes) I still have never felt a more special time in my life. I loved this post.
Thanks, ScaryMommy. Love this series. Forget google reader, I’ll just do all my reading here.
You mean there are other moms in Nebraska like me? Progressive even? Perhaps feminist? Crunchy? I thought I was alone here.
This fills me with joy.
Currently 9 weeks pregnant with #4.
Progressive, feminist, and a crunchy-wanna be :)
Congrats on your 4th and yay Nebraska!!
LoL. sounds nice. I remember a guy waiting for me to open a door for HIM when I was 38weeks pregnant and carrying my own groceries. I was furious.
Momma Brain recently posted..Sometimes You Get Mother Blessing and Really Good Guacamole
I spent my mid-thirties through mid-forties being pregnant. I actually enjoyed it and for many of the reasons you list – except no #2 for me. One thing I really dug was the feeling of power – the power to grow a whole other person inside of my body. So fucking cool. Wishing you the best with your third :)
MILF Runner recently posted..Pushing Speedwork
I absolutely hated being pregnant. Being sick as a dog and ass-dragging exhausted for 9 months at a time is not my idea of a good time… and for most of my daughter’s lives, I’ve claimed that they were totally worth every second of it. Now, as we approach the teen years at warp speed, I may have to rethink that claim….
Lynette recently posted..The myth of manliness
I loved everything about being pregnant! So much so, that 20 minutes after our son was born I looked at my husband and asked how soon we could have another!
Jess recently posted..Priming the Porch Railings
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Its my first n its really interesting for me,can’t explain the joy I feel knowing each moment that someone is growing inside of me,just so amazing!! And the special care and attention,you are almost alwa
ys right about everything when you’re pregnant.its feels real great
Thank you for writing this article!! I have been researching and pinning constantly since I found out I was pregnant earlier this month. There is so much information online and most of it shares about the negative side effects (which really doesn’t make me feel any better considering I’m already fearful of a miscarriage or birth defects). I really needed a positive perspective and I enjoyed the bits of humor added in.
Thanks again!
MegNJesse – 7w, 5d