Months before we conceived, I decided that once we had children, this blog would not center on them. Sure, they would be in it quite a bit, but it wouldn't just be documenting their lives. This is not to say that it's a bad thing to do - I enjoy several blogs that do just that! But I wanted this to be a way for me to still be able to have thoughtful, adult discussions.
And then I got pregnant. And I realized just how much thought babies take! For example, the two things I've been thinking about most lately: whether we should get an actual cosleeper or just buy a pack and play with a bassinet, and what type of sling wrap would work best. When I'm supposed to be looking up journal articles for my research, usually I end up looking up the baby's growth for the next couple weeks. For every clothing item I look at, I wonder "Could I wear that when I'm pregnant? Would it be easy to nurse in that? Can I wash spit up out of it easily?"
Along the way, I've realized that these are still very much "adult" topics of conversation, and they indeed are taking a lot of thought! Having baby on the brain is the new normal for me, and that's not a bad thing. In fact, it's exactly as it should be. I get frustrated when pregnant women want people to treat them exactly the same, as if being pregnant and having a child isn't going to change them. Of course it's going to change you! You are becoming a mother, and that's an indelible change. So why would I think that my blog wouldn't reflect this change in me?
Really, the rubber is hitting the road. All my abstract thoughts about the importance of motherhood to femininity, the sacrifice inherent to womanhood, and the best way for my husband and I to raise our family are about to be put to the test. It's time to put theory into practice, and that's not always a smooth ride. But I'm really excited to see where this takes me and how it makes me reevaluate these issues!
My one dilemma, though, is you all. Specifically, I know there are a few readers who are having difficulty conceiving and/or have suffered miscarriages, and every time I post something baby-related, I worry. I don't want them to be depressed after reading my blog. I wouldn't blame them if they stopped reading altogether, although I hope they don't. They're very gracious women, and I'm sure they would assure me to enjoy this special time - they of all people know just how sacred it is. But I still feel a tinge of anxiety for them nonetheless.
When I asked my husband how much baby talk was too much, his response was: "It's all too much. You should write more about the dog." Of course.
So I'll ask you all. Do you get tired of hearing pregnant women talk about baby stuff all the time? Or do you expect nothing less? And specifically for this blog, do you have any preferences on how much/little you'd like the posts to be baby-related?