remembering pregnancy: the miracle that is life

to tell you the truth, before i got pregnant i don't think i fully understood and appreciated the awesomeness of what it meant to create a living being.  i mean, i learned about how babies were made when i was in 5th grade (and 7th grade and high school health class).  and then again in a psychology class in college.  so i had a general idea.  and i remembered my mommy's belly growing when she was pregnant with my baby sister.  i had an idea of what it was all about...the basics, so to speak.

i would gather that most people are probably like me in regards to understanding the full knowledge of growing a baby.  and i suppose, unless you're an ob/gyn nurse, doctor, midwife or such there isn't really a need for the general public to know, in depth, the whole (the ins and outs, front to back, complete) pregnancy process.

then i got pregnant.

i'm one of those people that like to do research into whatever i'm currently into or planning on acquiring or participating in (i mean, i even do research on shoes i plan on purchasing if it's going to be a major expense).  i like facts and figures.  i don't care for people who make particular claims without backing it up with some numbers, data, facts, etc.  i guess that's just how i am.  perhaps that's a bit of high school/college education rubbing off on me. 

with my first pregnancy, i researched e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g.  i devoured all information i could get my hands on about childbirth, fetal development, labor and anything related to pregnancy and childbirth.  and there was A LOT of information out there.  some are more opinions than facts.  while others are plain, old, get to the point facts.  what i remember the most about my first pregnancy is learning all about the scientific process of a baby's growth in the womb, labor and childbirth and how amazed i was by the whole process.  my eyes were opened!  big time.

the growth of a baby inside the womb is truly a miracle.  3 weeks after conception (or 5th week of pregnancy) the heart is already working.  really?  wow.  at 5 weeks, i didn't know i was even pregnant.  and then there were little arms, feet, eyelids, the teeny nose and a detectable heartbeat 6 weeks after conception (or 8 weeks).  every week, i remembered being truly amazed.

and the fascination didn't stop with the first pergnancy.  i remember being just as fascinated with the whole process during our second and third pregnancies.  i loved getting the weekly fetal development e-mails, reminding me of the amazing growth taking place minute by minute, day by day.  needless to say, the loss of our baby 8 weeks into our second pregnancy really hit us hard, especially knowing all the little things that were happening inside of me at that time.  even though we never met each other, saying good-bye to our precious little one was hard.


each life is precious, with such an amazing journey even before he/she ever enters the world.  and now i have people around me that are expecting...preparing to add another member to their growing family.