Hello Beautifuls!
Happy Spring, such as it is :) I hope this finds you well. I, for one, am so happy with the extra light, but so over the freezing cold... It doesn't matter how gentle the winter, I'm always over it by this time, stuck in a bizarre mix of impatience and fatigue (although perhaps it's really just the effects of total wardrobe boredom at this point). Spring is always a little slower to get sprung than we want, so be sure to take care of yourselves, stay warm, and ease into the lighter food of the changing season gently. It's still too cold to go full smoothies and salads, so try to keep up with your veggie-based soups and cooked things for awhile yet (this from a person who, if left to her own devices, would basically subsist on avocados, tropical fruit, coleslaw, and ice cream cones).
This week, as your resident pregnant chick, I share my impressions from my experience so far:
updates from a pregnant movement addict
Before I actually got knocked up, I used to view pregnancy as an inherently delicate time, and to be honest, it really didn't appeal to me very much. It looked physically challenging in all the wrong ways, and I (like a lot of us, I think) was a little scared of suddenly becoming a totally different person who lived solely in pregnantland, complete with gaining 70 pounds, fretting over random things no one else cares about, and being treated/treating myself as an invalid. This was narrowminded, silly, and straight up wrong, of course - I don't actually know many pregnant moms who are like that - but I noticed there seems to be a lot in our culture that portrays pregnancy as a time of fragility, lack of strength, and a lot of "can't" and "don't."
So I'm pleased to report that actually, I feel stronger pregnant than ever before.This is not to say I don't also feel sometimes more tired and uncomfortable than ever before, but this thankfully has not been the norm for me so far. The only can'ts there are I can live without (margaritas and Botox, for instance) and the don'ts don't phase me. I am literally amazed at what my body can do. This is also not to say I do everything the exact same way as before - obviously, I do not - but I prefer to think of the changes as adjustments rather than limitations. Maybe I'm not lying on my stomach or inverting much these days, but that's temporary, and I'm definitely not lacking in strength, capability or other exercises to do because of it. Instead there's so many things for me to learn and practice and get strong at, and my body is literally blossoming from it all.
Strength to me now is being able to do most all I normally do while my body grows a whole other human. Strength is carrying around my extra 20+ pounds with grace and ease. Strength is also squatting those extra lbs just as low and just as many times as I ever could. And strength is also having the confidence to fully listen to and trust my body and my ability to make the right decisions for it. Anyway, for the maidens out there, I just wanted to say, pregnancy might not be easy, exactly, but it is freaking cool, and not nearly as terrifying/boring as I, at least, thought it would be. You can stay strong and fit, and even get stronger and fitter, if you want to.
On a just adjacent note, the main lesson I'm learning from my pregnancy is the importance of being able to roll with the punches and adapt to constantly shifting conditions. All of the sudden, one day, you can't zip your coat, or you get dizzy every time you lay down on your back, or strangers start talking to you about how big you are, or "how this happened." (What the f, right?) I'm not gonna lie, as each of these things has happened, I've had little perfectionist fits of frustration, and feel defeated for an afternoon or so, but once I accept the changes as normal, even important, I'm back to feeling free and capable and curious about what happens next. Except the awkward comments from strangers - in that case, the claws come out. Calmly, but sharply.
The other difference I've noticed is the power and persistence of instincts. Almost the instant I found out I was pregnant, my motherly instincts kicked in and I became warrior-level protective of my body. This has drawbacks - namely, riding a busy subway - but is also pretty cool. It's helped me choose among the scores of advice offered to pregnant people and really, really learn how to take care of myself. Which means that sometimes, I don't read the news on account I don't want to get too upset/stress out the baby, or I nap instead of working on the endless to-do list. This way of going about life I think is not just for pregnant people - I think it's good for all of us to be put our literal selves and bodies first in our daily decisions, and to build trust in ourselves to make those decisions for the best. It never feels like a sacrifice, and it's an immensely empowering kind of confidence to have.
See you at the barre,
Annie
