Pregnancy... it's not all a barrel of laughs really is it? Last Sunday I had the pleasure of teaching seven other preggos a barre class followed by a two hour hypnobirthing workshop and it was sooo cathartic to be able to just share how we were all feeling. We were at all different stages of pregnancy, some our first baby parcels and some our second, etc. but it didn't matter. Honestly, it didn't mean a fig, see the thing is once you embark on this journey of pregnancy, no matter how you get there or if you've been there before you are all linked by an indivisible gossamer cord of unity, there's a sense of empowering sisterhood and it's just wonderful.
Initially I was worried that this group of strangers would feel awkward or uncomfortable opening up and exposing themselves but I needn't have worried. As we were all going 'through it', conversation just flowed naturally, what with so many questions to ask and so much advice to pass on and symptoms to discuss. That's the thing about motherhood it's a bottomless subject, there's so much to learn and so much we will never learn, and it's just so lovely to know that as imperfect as we feel, so does every other woman. In our own way we are all struggling, be it with our changing bodies, our changing homes, and our changing relationships, pregnancy is a perpetual struggle to find an even footing and at the end of our three hour fitness and hypnobirthing workshop no one seemed to want to leave. We had created a space of safety to express our fears without the need to try and front it out.
That's what I want to really draw out of this blog- us women when we're together we're good so let's stick together and not do this swizzle on our own. Share those sleepless nights, the heartburn the raging hormones ... it makes it all that little bit easier, it's the knowing you're not in this alone girlfriend, and that your tribe are behind you one hundred per cent of the way. Exercise together to boost your mood and energy levels, and laugh, laugh about wetting yourself when you sneeze, about going to the toilet twenty million times an hour, and about making it only half way up your stairs and just having a little power nap there! Baby Luno with its blogs wants to reach out to all of you wonderful, inspirational women and connect. It's not just about the amazing products they sell to make our lives just that little bit easier, it's about showing that they care, that they've been there too and that if you want to feel better then just read what a mess someone else's life has been and nod your head in recognition. For example, two days after that wonderful event with those gorgeous women I had my own extra splendiferous meltdown.
I walked into a wall, stumbled over thin air and swore profusely when my husband dared to laugh at this flying Humpty Dumpty preggo. I then left the house without my car keys, stalked back in to find said car keys, which had mysteriously vanished from the face of the earth (but were exactly where I remembered leaving them once they'd finally be found) and drove myself furiously to the gym. With all the best intentions in the world to get my ass on a machine and do some cardio I marched into said gym, bumped into a personal trainer friend and promptly burst into tears. The poor man gave me a hug... NB never give a hormonal, crying woman a hug, it will only make it worse... so obviously I sobbed harder and snottier than before finally making it to the step machine. Jokingly PT friend said he would put a sign on the machine saying "hormonal pregnant woman she is fine just leave well alone." And then off I went to work blasting out some cardio before realising my top was inside out... and do you know what I didn't give a s**t!
Embrace the chaos and the madness, it's called the beginnings of motherhood and in all it's barmy craziness, remember ultimately it's going to provide you with the most amazing little person who is one hundred per cent your creation...who you will hold in your arms and immediately know that all that s**t...it was worth it.
-Lottie
Lottie Keble-Wyatt is Baby Luno's blogger. Lottie is a pilates instructor and blogger, currently towards the end of her pregnancy. We can't wait to follow her journey as she takes on motherhood!