Back in early 2004, I thought I was quite the fashionista, envisioning a beautiful pregnancy, cool clothes, a healthy glow and then, just a few short weeks into my pregnancy, reality kicked in. Although I was extremely excited to be pregnant, I was sick and uncomfortable and to add insult to injury, it seemed to me that I was the only expectant mom who felt this way about being pregnant. I hated it. Fast forward several months, and once I gave birth, there were plenty of times I found myself exclaiming, "Why didn't anyone ever give me the heads up that it would be like this?"

Some women struggle for years to get pregnant while others face more severe health issues. So it can seem ungrateful to complain about being nauseous during pregnancy or being tired because your baby won't sleep. However, pregnancy and raising a baby can be an isolating time especially if you don't have a support system in place, or just someone else with whom you can commiserate from time to time.

There are so many books and resources available to expectant moms but there are also so many different women in the world, with different opinions and life experiences which can lend themselves to a competitive, judgemental world about the right way to do things for your baby. But what do we really know when we first get pregnant? We read a few books, we ask our friends, we go shopping, and we decorate the nursery. We revel in the logistics of having a baby. But how do we really know what it will feel like? How will we cope? What will happen in the delivery room? What really happens to our bodies once we give birth? Do we know? What will breastfeeding feel like? Where in fact does the milk come from? What do we do with baby once we bring them home from the hospital?

Pregnancy and baby's first year was an emotional roller coaster for me, with plenty of humorous highs and depressing lows. I think this is true for many women but some of us, many of us, don't share our stories or ask for help when we are in the thick of things. What is funny is that just a few short years later, when our children are older, most parents will have no qualms chatting about all the stuff we went through during that first year with baby. But I wanted to give expectant moms the heads up now, before they start thinking that they are the only ones feeling overwhelmed with a newborn. Parents should share their stories, the good stories and the bad stories because that is how we all learn and prepare because having babies is a whole lot more than cute clothes and beautiful nurseries.


About the Author;

Katina Michelis obtained her Master of Science degree from McGill University and had a long successful career in technical sales at Xerox Canada. She took a hiatus from the corporate world to focus on herself, her family and to fulfill a lifelong dream to write a book. You’re Pregnant, Now What? The good, the bad, and the ugly of pregnancy and baby’s first year was published in May 2013 and is available on Amazon.ca. She loves to cook, play volleyball, blog about life, and has just embarked on the next chapter of her life as a financial advisor. She and her husband were born and raised in Montreal and Laval but now consider Ottawa home where they live with their two daughters, Eva and Gia.