Beyond the Bump: Unveiling the Untold Realities of Pregnancy

The moment I found out I was pregnant, I began hunting for the best baby items, and providers in my area, and watched an endless amount of YouTube videos talking about nesting, what’s in my hospital bag, and preparing for pregnancy. It was like a door opened in my brain and said: “Yes, you’re allowed to look at all of these now. Welcome to the world of motherhood.” I was just ecstatic. Especially when I went to Walmart and saw ALL the baby clothes, little hats, and cute mittens… I felt like I finally entered my zone, my era, and my duty of what I was born to do. That may be a little extreme but I mean it. I’ve always dreamed of the time when I would be a mother and the future of taking care of and loving my children and husband. It was my calling.

I thought pregnancy would be a breeze after caring for my 5 siblings growing up. I even considered my skills and knowledge to be mildly high on the scale when it comes to caring for children. However, when I say that pregnancy humbles you, I mean it. Never have I ever been so stunned to learn everything that pregnancy entails. It’s like I was living under a rock and someone happened to flip the rock over to show me the bigger picture of the whole world of motherhood.

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Within the first trimester, I learned that pregnancy goes beyond cuddling, loving, and singing to your child. It includes what I like to call the nitty gritty work such as health insurance, finance, baby-safe items, planning the unknown, and preparing the house for this new life.

My journey to motherhood started slightly rocky after transitioning from one OBGYN to another, being laid off, moving, and applying for Medicaid and WIC. To help other mommas out there, I wanted to discuss the untold realities of pregnancy to help you plan and navigate these bumps in the road so that you can experience a smooth and stress-free pregnancy journey.

Choosing an Office and Provider

When I began searching for an OBGYN, I remember going on Google and typing in OBGYN near me, and began my search based on office ratings and reviews. Within the same day, I scheduled an appointment for the following week and thought that this was the beginning of everything. I would stay at this provider until the end of my pregnancy and everything would be perfect! However, after the first appointment I felt like I was being rushed and expected to understand how everything worked. It wasn’t until the second appointment when my husband and I knew that we needed to transfer offices for several reasons:

The hospital they partnered with was 30 minutes away not including traffic on the interstate. Yikes!
They were a private practice-which is more expensive
Our insurance would only cover so much of the fee
I didn’t enjoy being rushed throughout the office
I didn’t enjoy being expected to know how everything worked- especially as a first-time mom.

At that moment, we knew that we had to change offices and providers but feared how long it would take to schedule an appointment with another provider given that I was already 10-12 weeks into my pregnancy. It was a stressful transition, especially waiting for my medical records to be transferred to the other provider but it was so worth it in the end. Our new office and provider felt more comforted, our questions were answered without being rushed, and our insurance was more compatible with this new practice. I never realized how important it was to find an office and provider that aligned with my needs until this moment but I’m so thankful I changed.

A helpful tip for new momma’s is to thoroughly do your research when looking for OBGYN offices near you and not base it solely on ratings and reviews. Don’t be afraid to ask questions when you’re speaking with them. Most of all, listen to your gut, and don’t be afraid to change offices and providers if your current one doesn’t align with you.

Health Insurance

When it comes to insurance I cringe and just want to avoid it as much as possible. It’s just so hard for me to comprehend and wrap my finger around it. However, when it comes to pregnancy it is SO important to understand how your health insurance works and understand the terminology used when discussing health insurance. I was fortunate to have a background in the medical field but could only imagine how difficult this process could be for individuals not knowledgeable in this field. It is also super important to ensure the medical office/provider you plan to see throughout your pregnancy accepts your health insurance.

Medicaid/WIC

Did you know that Medicaid finances about 42% of all births in the United States? Additionally, did you know that about 51.2% of individuals participated in WIC in 2021? Based on a study it shows that individuals utilizing WIC have healthier infants, more nutritious diets, better health care for children, and a higher academic achievement. It doesn’t hurt to see if you’re eligible for these programs or not during your prenatal and postpartum journey.

Click here to apply for Medicaid

For WIC, call your local WIC office and see if you’re eligible to apply for it.

Baby Items

After watching so many YouTube videos regarding nesting, packing hospital bags, and preparing for a baby I felt this dire need to buy all these items for my baby. I wanted their nursery to be as cute as the ones on Pinterest and YouTube. I wanted the best items to bring with me to the hospital. I mean my list was endless! However, after writing all these items down I realized that all of these items were not necessary. At the end of the day, all a baby does is sleeps, eats, and pees/poos so that’s all the items we need to take care of them.

Here’s a list of things that I consider a MUST-Have for your baby:

Crib
Bassinet
Carseat
Stroller
Diapers
Bottles
Formula (unless breastfed)
Sleepers
Blankets
Burp Cloths

Remember, you are the best thing for your baby. They don’t need all that extra fluff around them. Simpler is better and more!

Baby’s Health

If you’re anything like me, monitoring your baby’s health can cause a bit of anxiety and nervousness. I’m always constantly thinking if my baby is doing okay, if they’re comfortable, if they’re eating well, if my placenta hasn’t latched off or is wrapped around the baby, and most of all making sure that I can feel their little kicks throughout the day. It’s so nerve-wracking and can be scary. However, as I tell myself, these thoughts will not help you or make you feel any better. Believe in yourself and your baby and know that they’re doing okay. Seek out medical attention if needed and listen to your gut.

You momma’s are doing great!