The Last Month

Being pregnant is a bit of a roller coaster for most women. You have morning sickness and hormone changes and body changes. You have new homicidal tendencies towards anyone who irritates you. You aren't sleeping. You aren't eating and then you're eating too much. You're out of breath, you're tired, and you're uncomfortable.

It is quite the whirlwind and it all comes to a head in the last month. Everything seems to be intensified as you sit and wait for your little person to want to come join the world.

You have weekly doctor's visits. You pay attention to movements. You try to stay active, drink water, and eat right. You wait in terror for contractions to start.

It is a time when you are supposed to stay relaxed but that is almost impossible to do. Keeping the stress down in that last month is one of the hardest missions of all.

Some women may still be working. And being productive during that last month is a chore. Your mind is in a million places. You are trying to focus on work, but also thinking about all of the things you still haven't done at home to get ready for the new addition to your family.

Even if you don't work, you have housework and perhaps other children to tend to. You have your regular monthly stresses, such as bills. And then add on the fact that you need to prepare your home for a new person and have everything they need ready.

Your life becomes a series of lists that get checked off only to have another page worth of items replace them. It is a never-ending cycle. There seems like there is just so much to do and only four weeks left (maybe).

This is likely why most people encourage women to start preparing things early on, or gradually throughout their pregnancy. It will alleviate the stress of that last month dash to the finish line. It will also give you some order to your life if your baby decides he/she wants to come early.

The last month is a little insane. You feel like you have all the time in the world but also like you have a ticking bomb attached to you. You want to be super productive and get as much done as possible, but you also really just want to sit down with a bowl of your comfort food, put your swollen feet up, and nap.

The last month is a battle of wills. Don't be afraid to recruit help if you need it. Don't be afraid to take that nap if you need it. There are plenty of not pregnant people in your life (hopefully) and they will all be willing to help you out as the due date draws near. So put aside your pride and ask.

The last month is difficult, but it is the last month. You have made it this far. You have crossed every obstacle and in a short period of time, you will get to meet the new addition to your family. As stressful as the last month can be, it is leading up to something wonderful.

So hang in there. Make your lists, ask for help, and take a nap. Do what you have to do in order to get through these next four weeks, because once they are over your life is going to get much busier.

Keep calm, make a plan, and, if all else fails, eat some chocolate. You are not alone in this, so remember that. And good luck to all the mom's trucking through their last month. You've got this.