I’ve heard it said that women forget the pain and discomfort of pregnancy by at least their child’s first birthday. I guess this is nature’s guarantee that the species will reproduce and propagate regardless of the uncomfortable nine months and the horrifying pain of childbirth. My pregnancy was over two years ago and I still miss resting my hands on that large belly. In contrast to the theory, the memory of my pregnancy is a guarantee that, God willing, I will have another child.

Of course you’re thinking that my pregnancy and labor must have been wonderful, uneventful and full of bliss. Imagining I awoke every morning ready to take on the world, preparing myself to become mommy of the year. You’re probably thinking that my labor was swift, in and out, painless and picture-perfect. If this is what you’re thinking, you couldn’t be further from reality. My pregnancy, to put it bluntly, was miserable.

For eight months I couldn’t kiss my husband in the morning without feeling the gag reflex in my stomach before our lips even met. You could imagine the effect on his self-esteem. I was sick almost every day for just about the entire pregnancy. In fact, I distinctly remember sitting in the hospital bed after my son was born thinking: wow, this is the first morning I haven’t gagged in a long time!

Now you’re thinking I probably didn’t gain much weight because I was sick the entire time. Only in dreamland. My sickness didn’t result from a full tummy, but rather an empty one. I couldn’t let myself get hungry at any time or I would be looking for a toilet in a hurry. Needless to say, I gained about 60 pounds with my son. And just a side note, I haven’t lost about 20 of that yet.

So if my pregnancy wasn’t all that fun, you could imagine how my labor was. My contractions began at 10:00 am on a Monday morning. They went from 15 minutes apart to 2 minutes apart within one hour. My husband was at work on this cold December morning. We live in the country. His work is about a half an hour away from our home. The hospital is an hour away from our home. I was concerned to say the least. Especially when we ran into road construction on the way. I’ll never forget the look of sympathy on the road worker’s face as she stopped traffic to let us through. It brought me to tears.

I ended up being in labor for 9 hours, not bad for a first pregnancy. Except the labor was very painful, contractions shooting through my back and my legs. The nurses insisted that I walk. Were they serious? One contraction would send me to my knees. So they told me to try the birthing ball. Some of you may be familiar with this alternative approach to pain relief. You’re supposed to lean on it in any way that makes you more comfortable. I decided that I was most comfortable on the birthing table, on all fours, anything to take the pressure off my back. Then I tried the Jacuzzi. Ah…relief. But they made me get out after 30 minutes. I felt like begging them to let me back in.

Finally, my doctor arrived and ordered an epidural. I know this is controversial and it was a difficult decision for me. Fortunately, my doctor took the decision out of my hands. He was, and still is, my savior.

Labor went quick after that. I felt every contraction, I felt my son being born. I saw his face when he arrived into this world. Just thinking about it gives me goose bumps. I remember thinking, so this is why women do it again and again.

My son will be two years old in two weeks. He is my miracle, my gift, my God send. When I hear people saying that they will never have another child after the pain they went through with the first, I just don’t understand. Pregnancy is amazing. It will be the only time when you can carry your little bundle around with you without having to deal with the crying and breast-feeding. For nine months you don’t have to worry about separation anxiety, a term you will become very familiar with once the baby is born. It is the beginning of a relationship that will last a lifetime.

Being pregnant is a time to rejoice and enjoy God’s miracle of life. I can’t wait to have another little baby growing inside me. I can’t wait to see my next child for the first time. I can’t wait to share this love I have with another little being. If the pregnancy is miserable and the labor is painful, and I’m sure it will be, I know it is well worth it. If my husband gets set aback because I can’t kiss him every morning for the next nine months, he’ll get over it. If I gain more weight, we’ll all get over it. Being pregnant is the most important life-changing time of your life. Sit back and bask in the blissfulness of a life that is growing in your belly.

Elizabeth Smith is a part-time freelance writer when she is not too busy mothering her two children, ages 3 and 6. She also runs an online and offline gift basket business entitled Crafty Gift Creations ~ Gift Baskets for Any Season and Every Reason. Visit her website at http://www.craftygiftcreations.com or add a comment to her Blog Spot at http://www.craftygiftcreations.com/blogger.

• Labor Tips for a Natural Childbirth


• Exercise During Pregnancy—What Is Safe?


• Pregnancy Exercise and Diet Tips - Sensible Advice for Expectant Mothers


• Increase Your Chances of Getting Pregnant with Fertility Calendars


• Embryo Adoptions


• Baby Gender Prediction Improved with Time of Intercourse and Ovulation?


• Understanding Ectopic Pregnancy


• When is the Best Time to Get Pregnant?


• How to Host a Long Distance Baby Shower


• How to Get Pregnant: Fertility Tips for Women and Men