One of the things I hear most frequently from women who have a high-risk pregnancy is, “I’m stressed but I’m ok.”
Or “I’m feeling anxious and I’m really worried about my baby, but I’m fine.”
If you find yourself saying that, keep reading.
Most women who say this are trying to stay positive and have hope, which is very important when you’re facing pregnancy complications. However, there is a stark and critical difference between denying how you feel and having hope.
Denial is saying that you feel ok when you really don’t. It’s telling yourself how you wish you felt without actually feeling it. (Tweet that!)
On the flip side, thinking positively is having hope about the future being brighter while acknowledging that your present feels dark.
You can tell that you are denying your true emotions because when you do it, it doesn’t feel good.
Your words don’t match your emotions or how you feel in your body.
Your mouth says, “I’m fine” but you still have a pit in your stomach.
Your words say, “I’m staying positive” but you keep thinking about everything that can go wrong.
You tell yourself, “I’m ok” but your heart stops every time you can’t find the heartbeat on your doppler.
If you say the sky is green, does it change the fact that it’s actually blue?
Just by saying you’re fine doesn’t take away from the stress and anxiety you're actually under. Instead, it prevents you from getting the support you need to protect your baby.
Because here’s the reality. If you’re stressed, you may not feel the effects of that stress but your baby does. (Tweet that!)