Pregnant women are frequently told to make a birth plan, as detailed as possible, so that everyone is on the same page about what women want for their delivery experience.
But what do you do when everything goes exactly the opposite of what's planned?
On this episode, Jillian Grover shares her personal story of the most unplanned delivery experience and her postpartum complications after she delivered her son. She also shares her wisdom and advice for pregnant women on how to prepare for an unexpected childbirth experience.
Episode highlights...
The difficulties of being in and out of the hospital and how she coped with the uncertainties of her pregnancy
Why Jillian didn't see her son right after her son was born and how she saw him for the first time
The shock Jillian received after delivery about how her son had stopped growing weeks before her son was born
How none of the prenatal tests identified the genetic disorder that Jillian has
How she coped with a much longer NICU stay for her son than she expected
The devastation of finding out Jillian's dangerous postpartum complication that landed her in the hospital again after her delivery
Her heartbreak of not being able to breastfeed her son because she was on life-saving medication
How she balanced having children at home and a baby in the NICU
The mindshift NICU parents have to make when caring for a medically fragile child
The most challenging part of Jillian's post-delivery experience (it was not when her son was in the NICU)
What Jillian wished she had known looking back on her experience
How her experience has impacted how overprotective she is of her son
If you're feeling like it's one hit after another during your pregnancy and postpartum and you're wondering how you'll ever get through this, you are not alone.
Resources from the show...
Visit Jillian Grover's website at Doing Away with Perfect
Free webinar to help you overcome fear & anxiety and stay pregnant as long as possible (Join now)
Get your copy of Pregnancy Brain: A Mind-Body Approach to Stress Management During a High-Risk Pregnancy (Read Now)
Tweetables
Moms, you are not doing anything wrong. You're doing it your way and that's the best way to do it (Tweet that!)
Overprotectiveness for NICU parents comes from not just a fear but a memory of almost losing your child (Tweet that!)
About the Guest
Jillian Grover is a mother of 3 who lives in upstate New York. She blogs at Doing Away With Perfect where she helps moms stop comparing and love their imperfect self.
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