The cruelest part of pregnancy isn't any of the aforementioned inconveniences or discomforts. It the onslaught of information in every pregnancy book, pamphlet, show, etc. about what could be wrong with your baby. I'm getting anxious even thinking about it. One book had me stressed out after I read that stress was bad for the baby. We live in an age of too much information. If I have symptoms of an ailment, then a nice index by which I may look up my symptoms would be helpful. Just make sure it's all in some appendix at the back of the book. It would even be nice to post a warning: "SCARY STUFF IN HERE -- OPEN ONLY IF NECESSARY". If there's no indication of anything amiss, I don't want to know all the terrifying possibilities. Just stick to showing me how big my tadpole is and what adorable parts she's developing at this point.
Of all the possible defects, the one that scared me the most was Down's syndrome. The only reason I worried is because I opted for the screening. WHCA recommends it; so how could I turn down the opportunity to know my baby was OK? It also came with a bonus early ultrasound. But! The screening is done to give you the option of terminating the pregancy. I can't explain the horror of imagining the scenario in which you'll have to make that choice. Although the testing is done fairly early, you don't get your results (which are in the form of odds -- Vegas style) until 20 weeks. That's about four weeks after I'd already begun to feel the baby move. 'Nuff said on this subject. Shudder.
If caused any pregnant mommies and undue anxiety, please accept my apologies and view the below video over and over until your blood pressure returns to normal.
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