BabyLoving.com

The nine months that make up a pregnancy are among the best times in new moms' lives. There are so many things to plan for and get excited about! The "fun things" take over your life for a while but eventually some of the fears will hit and it is always a good idea to be prepared for them and know how you will be handling them if they arrive.

The fun things are very easy to deal with. We first get totally excited and start telling people the good news. Suddenly we are interested in everything baby related and we pay more attention when there is a baby in the room. We talk to new moms and dads, suddenly having something very special in common with them.

The next steps are also fun and a whirlwind of excitement. We start buying little things for the baby and begin plans for his or her nursery. Somewhere during this time period we will start making a mental note (or maybe a physical note!) of names for the baby. Up until this point, the biggest stress may be what the baby's middle name should be.

This is often the point at which the fears start. Suddenly it hits you that you will be responsible for this new little life and that everything the baby needs will be up to you to provide. You worry about how you will be able to afford everything that you will need and you worry about the baby's health. You make doctor appointments and the longer the pregnancy progresses, the closer together the doctor visits become.

You may hear stories that strike fear into you concerning what someone else thought was "normal" or not in a pregnancy. The first tip here, in overcoming those pregnancy fears, is to not take things you read and hear as gospel. The internet is a wonderful place full of incredible people and each has her own story. That doesn't mean that what happened to one pregnant person will happen to you if you have the same thoughts or symptoms. So don't take everything you hear as the truth. When in doubt, just ask your doctor. A quick phone call may do the job, or you may feel better getting a checkup but either way, don't torture yourself with wondering.

Another fear might be the fear of not being able to get rid of your extra pregnancy weight after delivery. Try to follow your doctor's guidelines about that and be sure to provide yourself with a healthy diet. 200 calories in fruit is going to be a lot more friendly to your body over time than 200 calories in cookies.

After you spend some time worrying about all these things, everything from your family finances to baby names to extra pounds, it will probably hit you that giving birth to a baby is *painful* physically. This is a good time to plan some childbirth classes. Classes may be beneficial even if you do not plan to (or can't for medical reasons) have a natural childbirth. Learn some techniques to make the experience certainly not "painless" but less painful than it may have otherwise been. If you will not be doing the "natural route" the classes often help with other areas of becoming a new parent as well.

Still another great idea is to find some other people in the same position and sharing the same excitement of a first baby. The internet is a great place for this because there are tons of forums, mailing lists, and chat places for first time moms (and dads, too, of course). As with all areas of the 'net, don't be too anxious to give out your personal information, that goes without saying, but there are many comfortable places to go to talk about pregnancy. You will be able to tell if a forum or list is a friendly place. Just use the same precautions you use for safety in other areas of your online experience.

It is important to remember that others will be having the same fears. Also remember that after the baby is born, things will go fine and being a parent will turn into a natural experience for you. A big part of the fear is that you will be treading into unexplored (by you!) territory. Being responsible for a baby is not just a little matter, but you will get accustomed to it very quickly.