A view into the final days of pregnancy...

The final days of pregnancy can be some of the longest days of a woman’s life. Not only are you more uncomfortable as each day goes on, the inappropriate comments from strangers become more and more disconcerting. When a woman appears to be carrying a Guinness Book of World Records pumpkin under her shirt it is of course suitable to ask her if her parents had ever advised her not to eat watermelon seeds.

This is the life of a 9-month pregnant woman.

Please don’t misunderstand; awaiting the arrival of a new little one is very exciting and somewhat magical. This new little person will be soon entering the world and changing the perspective of his or her parents permanently. Each day little feet and elbows poke out curiously from the mother’s belly as she wonders what this new little person will look like and what will they accomplish in their life.

Notice how nowhere in that statement was the following mentioned: requests from strangers to touch your belly (at least they ask, right?),  “waddling” descriptions of the way a mother is forced to go from point A to point B or a personal favorite, the inability to feel comfortable anywhere…. Doing anything…

But, in the end, a new little person is eventually born and a whole new chapter begins in that mother’s life. The toothless man at the gas station who commented on her belly size only 2 days ago is forgotten and the joy of becoming a newborn baby stalker (one who stares at her baby incessantly, non-stop, 24-hours a day) sets in. If she listens quietly during the two minutes of peace she has each day, she can hear a voice saying “Welcome to the club dear friend, the best and finest establishment in the world, the Motherhood club.”