There’s More Than One Way To Do Things For Example Being Pregnant And Becoming A Parent
Becoming a parent doesn’t mean giving up your life. It’s the beginning of a new one to share with another, […]
Cate Staff
Becoming a parent doesn’t mean giving up your life. It’s the beginning of a new one to share with another, someone who is [quite literally] a piece of you.
Finding out that your expecting brings on a rush of emotions. It’s exciting and also nerve wracking to keep it short. To be welcoming a new life into the world that you created is euphoric. However, it’s also natural to fear the intense change that is coming, knowing that it is no longer going to be just about yourself.
I read an article from Evie Carrick on Insider who shared her experience of traveling while pregnant. She shared all of the reasons she was glad to have done it and also got real about the challenges of it. All in all though, she exemplified a truth that we aren’t all accustomed to learning and that is that there is no single “right” way to be pregnant or to parent. You can’t lose yourself in the process, blend who you are into this new narrative that you’re about to write.
Keep Your Passions Alive
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When becoming pregnant or even just thinking about it, we often associate becoming a parent with having to give up our lives – whether it be a career, hobbies, where we live, etc. However, that doesn’t have to be the case.
Evie shared, “When I first started telling people I was pregnant, many people reacted by saying things like, ‘Well, it’s a good thing you traveled when you did,’ or ‘Wow, your life is about to change.”
No matter your lifestyle or habits, these comments are pretty common across the board. It’s like people just automatically associate becoming a parent with giving up your lifestyle or anything “selfish” at that. However, Evie made a point not to confine. She continued, “And while I understand that sentiment, I knew I would never give up my nomadic lifestyle entirely for an SUV and a home in suburbia. My love for navigating new places and adapting to new cultures runs deep; travel is my happy place.”
Later in her article, she wrote, “From the start of my pregnancy, I struggled with the idea that as a mom, I should meet a handful of stereotypes put forth by mainstream society — a three-bedroom house, an SUV, and a gaggle of stroller-pushing friends.” So, if you’re a woman, a soon-to-be mom, or a mom already in training let this story from Evie be proof that you can bring who you are into this new relationship you are about to be part of in the new life you’re about to build.
Bring Your Baby Into YOUR Life
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The beauty of being the parent in this case is that YOU get to choose the life your create for and with your child. There’s no one way to parent or one way to build on your family. We all have different values and morals that should be incorporated when painting the future.
After consulting with her doctor and getting the approval that it’s safe for her to travel, Evie was on her way. With her husband, she spent time in Ecuador, the Galápagos Islands, Lebanon and France. The pair both had jobs that allowed to work worldwide, therefore they did, all while preparing for their baby on the way.
At five months pregnant, Evie’s job took her to the Galápagos Islands. It was 10 days of exploration on a luxury cruise followed by a week of adventures in Ecuador.
At seven months pregnant she spent four weeks in Lebanon which involved more physical labor due to her husband’s job, however, she did it.
And, almost towards the end of her pregnancy, at the eight-month mark, the couple returned to Paris, France where they have lived for periods of time in the past.
Evie wrote, “All of these experiences were ones I felt I was sharing with my daughter. When I was five months pregnant, my daughter and I swam with hundreds of baby sea lions in the Galápagos. And I like to think she felt my fear-turn-to-courage when a shark glided by below us and my joy when a sea turtle swam over to say hi.”
She elaborated on how she plans to continue her lifestyle and make her daughter part of it, “Traveling while pregnant showed me that parenthood has many paths. I didn’t take the one expected of me by society, and I don’t plan to take the path expected of me now that I’m a mom.” Adding in, “That mentality, combined with my passion for travel, pushed me to get my daughter’s passport just a few months after she was born. It is also why we took her on her first international trip at just five months, and why we plan to take her on a three-month trip to France this fall.”
Evie’s story is only one of many to remind you that becoming a parent is an adventure that YOU control. You’re in the driver’s seat. Keep your life alive and welcome your baby into it with open arms.