Part of my final mark for Nursing 132 is a 30 minute presentation on a certain age group and their health. My age group is adolescents (I picked them b/c I have a lot of experience with youth that age) but the girl's that did their presentations this morning did it on pregnancy and post-partum health. In one of the girl's slideshows, the image above came up and every girl in the class cringed and uttered a gasp of horror. The lady is HUGE!
After the presentation was over, we all sat in a circle and had a discussion about the topics covered. Our teacher, Andrea (sweetest little thing you'll ever see) brought up the picture again and asked us a question (with her adorable Brazilian accent, in broken English, of course): "Why is this a negative thing to you? Pregnancy is a beautiful process and a miracle. It is a good thing." Afterwards, we had a big conversation about it and I think I've come to a conclusion about why that picture makes me feel slightly sick.
Partly, I think it's because I haven't been exposed to women who are late in their pregnancies often in my life, and when I have they've been covered up and 'hiding' their big bellies. Our culture as a whole isn't too interested in showing off pregnant tummies because of the emphasis on thinness. My unexposure to this sort of thing makes me view the image and see something that isn't normal. It looks... well, wrong. It shouldn't be the case, because what could be more natural and healthy than pregnancy? But still, it's how I feel.
Secondly, I think it's because I know it will happen to me. It's the realization that it really could be my stomach in that picture. And, frankly, that's terrifying. I'd like to think that when it happens my instincts will kick in, and I'll somehow summon the courage out of nowhere and find the whole process lovely......but really, right now it makes me absolutely petrified. I can't imagine having something that big inflating and moving inside of me! Granted, the woman in to above photo is most likely pregnant with triplets, or at least more than one baby (so says my teacher). That's a bit comforting. When I see the size of the bellies carrying just one child, it's seems much more manageable :P.
It feels like instead of being shocked by that image, I should be in awe of what my body is capable of doing... like, if someone's stomach got that big for any other reason, they're pretty much as good as dead. Yet... we don't die. In fact, we not only live, but we thrive. We carry an infant around inside us, and then we push it out of us.... and we survive. And we like it so much that we do it again!
I looked up some other images of pregnancy to make me feel better, and they definitely did. I'll share them. The more I think about what it is to be pregnant, the more I'm in stunned by the incredible process it is... especially studying in my Biology class what exactly happens the the woman's body pre and post-partum, and fetal development. It's more than just a baby growing, it's wonderfully complex. (Sorry if this post is a bit hard to read, I've gotten only 4 hours of sleep the last 3 nights and I have a midterm exam in an hour. The stress and exhaustion levels are high)
