Pregnancy: Not all pregnancies are the same.

Photo Credit: scarymommy

When you become pregnant for the first time, you will undoubtedly get advice from your mom friends. They will tell you what they went through, from the very beginning, right up to delivery. You might take in their experiences in and wonder if your experience will be the same as your friends. I can tell you, without a shadow of a doubt (and as someone walking their talk), your experience will be unique.

When I learned, for sure, that I was pregnant, some of my friends told me how they were able to work right up to the moment they delivered. Some told me that they were on bedrest for a good majority for their pregnancy. As someone who was finally back to being independent (after dealing with a spinal cord injury for 5 years), I was hoping and praying I would be like my mom friends who worked up to the very minute they delivered. I tried hard to make my job and the life I prayed for, for so long, work, that it almost cost me something I was already falling in love with: my unborn son. Since being pregnant, I have been battling severe colds, bronchitis, and flu symptoms. Not only that, my back injury has been flaring up. Sure, it would be easy to chock up all of my symptoms as part of being pregnant. However, that would be lying. I know my body when I'm sick, and I know the type of pain I feel in my back and left leg (I have nerve damage in my left leg due to the injury in my back) when my back injury flares up.

Having to resign from my job due to illness, pregnancy, and my back injury was devastating. Losing my apartment and my freedom is devastating. If you're wondering if I applied for disability for my back injury, I have. After fighting for over 4 years for disability, I learned a few weeks ago that I was denied. The judge ruled that I have serious limitations, but he couldn't approve me for disability. My lawyer cannot help me appeal, and he said that I have a slim to none chance of getting a new lawyer to fight for me, due to how complicated my case is (it's complicated because I tried to work while I was dealing with my injury and I didn't last long at any of the jobs, due to the pain and inability to walk. What was I supposed to do, sit on my a** and rot? I needed to try).

I digress. No one can tell you for sure if you will have a smooth or rough pregnancy. A lot of things factor into it. From what I've experienced, it's on-the-job training, just like parenting will be. Your experience is your experience, and no one can judge you for what you go through. I'm not completely bedridden for this pregnancy, but I have to take it easy due to my other limitations. People are going to judge me, but, unless you are walking in my shoes, judgments are just dog sh*t.
Focus on your pregnancy and make sure that the beautiful being inside you is healthy and happy.

Whether your pregnancy is hard or easy, all of the hardships will be worth it when you are holding that bundle of joy. Don't worry about the nonsense, and while other people's experiences are welcome, don't think their experiences will happen to you. Some things might be the same, but it will generally be a unique experience.