Expect the unexpected

In my profession I was trained to be always prepared for everything and expect the unexpected. I became rather good at it and was able to be step ahead of the game most times.

When you get to go through pregnancy for the first time....suddenly you are back to square one.
You have no clue how the body is going to react and what kind of pregnancy symptoms are waiting for you around the corner.
My doctor, all the people around (family & friends) books and internet communities cannot forecast it for sure either. They can tell what they know from statistics or went through but still does not mean it applies to you too exactly in the same way, if at all.

It is an amazing adventure but admittedly at times it feels frustrating as well in the beginning. Especially if you have previously been the high performer type, who was good in keeping thing under control and getting all things done as per plan....or in my case, often ahead of the plan.
Suddenly pretty much nothing else is in your control, except your attitude and way you handle everything that is coming at you. Also, thinking that after successfully managing one unwished pregnancy side effect, you would master the game...nope. Better rather not expect anything, yet be prepared for everything with big portion of faith and good sense of humor in the back pocket.

The sooner one can accept that keeping positive attitude and trying not to stress about what is coming ahead, those are the only things one can influence. The rest is out of your hands and one needs to create the trust relationship towards the universe. Trust that everything what happens, happens for a reason. There is purpose for everything....one just need to let go of the illusion of having the control of what happens and when.
That is how the rest of the life is going to go anyway with a child. So, the sooner one accepts the feeling of being able to live with uncertainty and not having the control, the better.

My adventure has had lot of bumps but despite all of them....here we are starting soon the 3rd trimester. I could tell you everything about hematoma, placenta previa, about uncertainty whether or not one has gestational diabetes (diabetes as a side effect of the pregnancy).
Yet, most of the details would not matter....as everyone's body reacts differently. In my case all the previously mentioned healed, cleared out and 3 hours glucose test confirmed that no diabetes after all.

I personally believe that no matter what comes along the journey, one should not forget about the miracle of carrying a small human being inside. That little being is hungry for the positive energy and love you share.
Most things in today's health care (at least in US) can be handled and managed. In my case, there has been to each bump on the road a solution, which I have worked out together with my doctor.

Even bed rest as a solution to prolong the pregnancy as far as possible. As bad as bed rest sounds to someone like me, who is always active and has 10 irons in the fire at the same time (Finnish saying). When that bed rest becomes THE solution, one can only accept it. Well okay, one could protest against it but it helps nobody, really.
Nor dwelling in what once was or what one was still able to do few weeks ago. Better just stop, take a deep breath, take the mental & emotional scissors out and cut the cords to all of that. Let it all go and turn a blank page to see what it will be filled with. Breathe out, out with all old, breathe in the positive energy and faith. Faith in what ever happens, happens for a reason.

After that.....
The transition from busy daily life to couch life goes without major obstacles. Suddenly you have your daily activities on the couch and all the time to take in the all the information from books, web pages without rushing through. Knitting the baby blanket or preparing yourself to what's to come, suddenly that is keeping you happy throughout the days. You find yourself actually enjoying this phase.

I have made the best out of each solution and kept in my mind that all of these things, eventually end or change. So, instead of worrying, I have knowingly chosen to enjoy, as much as possible, the time and make the best out of it. Even if it means that my world shrunk into bed, couch and bathroom :) One month into it and I have not had a day, where I felt bored, sad or depressed.

Having friends and family around (in person and virtually via Facetime / Skype / Viber / WhatsApp), with whom you can talk about anything and everything. Who keep checking how things are and share their latest events. That helps on those days when bed / couch / bathroom starts temporarily to feel too small :) It may take few reminders and some effort from your side to establish the renewed social schedule but keep trying. Once you succeed, suddenly you find yourself talking to friends, with whose calls you did not encounter with or visits from family & friends, who you did not expect to take the time.

Even if my pregnancy has not been the rosy, pink story from the magazines, I've had the more rocky hike. Yet it has been perfect pregnancy for me. I needed to go through the transition this way and this has allowed me to bond with the little person already before he is born. I have had the chance to stop and embrace the experience and remind myself that this is just the beginning of the life long journey with full of surprises. Thus, except the unexpected ;)