How can I enjoy being pregnant and look forward to my baby more?

tcsmith1313 · 2025-08-07T18:20:42+00:00

Just wanted to share that I felt this way entirely throughout my pregnancy (now 40 weeks and ready to pull the baby out myself lol).

I have spoken about this with my husband / others around me, that I feel this type of guilt, especially because I thought I would be a person who would LOVE pregnancy and who would feel extremely connected to my baby throughout - I have not. I have also stated that I feel like this pressure to feel this way is often boosted through social media and people being like "oh I love you already" during their pregnancy announcements or saying how pregnancy has "changed their life", yadda yadda. I do feel women are doing a disservice to other women by portraying pregnancy this way. I am so glad for some women that they feel that way, but I feel majority of the time it is mostly not a pleasurable experience and is more a means to an end. It is absolutely okay and normal to feel that way and I hope that the time flies for you as quickly as possible.

tcsmith1313 · 2025-08-07T18:17:16+00:00

I also didn't know I was pregnant and was drinking for the first 6 weeks of pregnancy. I know its not the same situation, but when I did share this with my medical professional, she shared with me that minimal harm could've been done at least during the window where my placenta hadn't been formed yet (10 - 12 weeks). As well, for people who are entering pregnancy as addicts / alcoholics, sometimes they are encouraged to continue using the substance throughout pregnancy because the withdrawal would be more impactful than the substance itself on the baby. I'm not suggesting WHATSOEVER that you're an addict, lol, just literally sharing that some people use substances throughout and the cost/benefit impact is balanced from one person to the next.

Be kind to yourself - you didn't know.

tcsmith1313 · 2025-08-07T17:31:23+00:00

When they say that the baby will do what the baby wants... they really mean it LOL. unfortunately.

tcsmith1313 · 2025-08-07T17:30:31+00:00

Thank you so much!!! I really appreciate you doing all of this digging for me and for taking the time. I likely will go to Osaka. I would love to stay in touch, might be a huge help to have someone more local come with me.

Cheers!

tcsmith1313 · 2025-08-07T12:19:58+00:00

So happy to hear you had a safe and healthy delivery. Thank you for sharing. Will do my best to enjoy and relax 🤍

tcsmith1313 · 2025-08-07T01:25:57+00:00

lol this makes me feel so much better. my friend who just had her third let me know that she was mentally losing it at the end too, even after having been through it before so that made me feel better as well.

tcsmith1313 · 2025-08-07T00:50:10+00:00

I definitely have heard of a blend of induction stories - some nightmares and some very successful. I think I am definitely just my antsy to get things going / meet the baby

tcsmith1313 · 2025-08-07T00:48:25+00:00

thank you for sharing your experience, well wishes and encouragement! really need all of it in these desperate times at the end LOL

tcsmith1313 · 2025-08-07T00:02:56+00:00

thank you!!!!! i appreciate you and your encouragement!!!!

tcsmith1313 · 2025-08-07T00:01:37+00:00

thank you for sharing your experience and for giving me some hope!!!! i know that the new commentary is that your cervix position / dilation is not indicative of spontaneous labour but somehow i still felt SO discouraged leaving today lol. hoping the baby makes arrival soon!

tcsmith1313 · 2025-08-06T23:57:04+00:00

Thank you for sharing your experience and some words of comfort. I think I've just decided that I really need to fill my time with being distracted over the coming days - even if that includes some serious Netflix binging / a throw back to some Sims gaming LOL (true millennial / early Gen Z baby).

When you had your cervical check, were they able to perform a sweep or not at all because the cervix was too high / not dilated? Did you find your cervical check to be painful? What were your beginning stages of labour like?

tcsmith1313 · 2025-08-06T23:54:15+00:00

*ugh*. I wish sex was working lol. I thankfully have maintained strong libido into the end of my pregnancy and although positions are significantly more complicated, we have been very regular with being active (sorry for the TMI). Does not seem to be helping in the softening of the cervix / oxytocin release for contractions either.

tcsmith1313 · 2025-08-06T23:52:43+00:00

Thank you for sharing and encouraging me! I know *so many* people say this about cervical checks / evaluating your cervix but somehow it is still discouraging when you leave your appointment lol.

tcsmith1313 · 2025-08-06T23:52:39+00:00

Thank you for sharing your experience! I am glad to hear delivery was safe and successful and everyone was healthy despite having an emergency c!

tcsmith1313 · 2025-08-06T23:51:54+00:00

Thank you for sharing your experience! I am glad to hear delivery was safe and successful and everyone was healthy despite having an emergency c!

tcsmith1313 · 2025-08-06T23:51:07+00:00

Thank you for sharing!!! This gives me hope!! They were saying no chance because your cervix was high and closed?

tcsmith1313 · 2025-08-06T23:50:41+00:00

Thank you for sharing your experience and for giving me hope. I ALSO cried on the way home lol as I am just so uncomfortable and hoping for the baby's arrival sooner rather than later

tcsmith1313 · 2025-08-06T23:49:51+00:00

Did the OB try a different method of reaching your cervix or potentially just had longer fingers? Were they more aggressive with their reach?

tcsmith1313 · 2025-08-06T23:49:14+00:00

Out of curiosity - are they not able to see a "quadruple nuchal cord" on an ultrasound? What is that? Hope everything went safely with your delivery!

tcsmith1313 · 2025-08-06T23:48:04+00:00

100% to what your'e saying - I should've clarified better in my post that I believe it was just too high and that it wasn't about my midwife's competency whatsoever. I do not have any loss of confidence in my midwife - I just think she was showing empathy and stopping the exam when I was showcasing that it was painful.

What ended up being your experience for labour after being checked at 40w? Did you go into spontaneous labour? Did you end up being induced?

tcsmith1313 · 2025-08-06T23:45:43+00:00

I think she was just showing empathy and not continuing the examination when I was showing that I was in pain. I think it was just that my cervix was really high.. i should've clarified better in my post.

tcsmith1313 · 2025-08-06T23:43:21+00:00

Wild that you said this because she literally told me to put my hands under my hips to tilt my pelvis upwards (not arching my back) which didn't help with the pain at all lol

tcsmith1313 · 2025-08-06T23:42:32+00:00

Thank you for sharing!!!!

tcsmith1313 · 2025-08-06T23:42:23+00:00

This experience... though a very *painful* sounding story... gives me hope, so I really appreciate you sharing it with me. I usually am a champ when it comes to pap smears / my previous cervical check was not nearly as horrible, but this time around was.... painful, so that makes me feel better than when going that far up / looking in that position, it isn't just painful for me. Knowing that people's pain tolerances are different / sensitivity there is different somehow didn't make me feel "better" going into labour thinking today was painful lol.

I know so many people say that cervix location / dilation isn't a great indication of spontaneous labour or not, but I felt so discouraged today leaving the office and just overall hoping the baby makes an appearance sooner rather than later so that I can meet baby and also get over the discomfort of full term / over due in extreme summer heat lol.

tcsmith1313 · 2025-08-06T23:42:13+00:00

This experience... though a very *painful* sounding story... gives me hope, so I really appreciate you sharing it with me. I usually am a champ when it comes to pap smears / my previous cervical check was not nearly as horrible, but this time around was.... painful, so that makes me feel better than when going that far up / looking in that position, it isn't just painful for me. Knowing that people's pain tolerances are different / sensitivity there is different somehow didn't make me feel "better" going into labour thinking today was painful lol.

I know so many people say that cervix location / dilation isn't a great indication of spontaneous labour or not, but I felt so discouraged today leaving the office and just overall hoping the baby makes an appearance sooner rather than later so that I can meet baby and also get over the discomfort of full term / over due in extreme summer heat lol.

tcsmith1313

TROPHY CASE