Jennifer Lauren

Here’s what I hoped to share before Jette arrived:

This is my last week of freedom, when I can enjoy the simple pleasures of getting a full night’s sleep, eating a meal uninterrupted, and leaving the house on a whim (with nothing except what’s in my pockets) — we made it to a full-term pregnancy, and now, we’re waiting for our baby girl to arrive!

Short of popping out a little human, one of the most significant milestones has been completing 5 workouts per week for two trimesters, with limited modifications. It may seem like an arbitrary goal, but it was important for me to maintain a can-do mindset, proving to myself that I’m just as capable, pregnant or not.

I didn’t always have a positive perspective on pregnancy. I associated it with loss, giving up things that make me who I am, and uncertain, irreversible change. Everything I love is physical: dancing, swimming, hiking, working out. Pregnancy would change my body forever, and who knows? Will I be able to do all those things after giving birth? Will I be able to get back into shape and feel attractive, or will I be stuck in a mom bod?

Turns out, pregnancy has delighted me in ways I didn’t expect, and I’ve never felt more empowered. From burpees to pirouettes, I realized I could still do the things I did before becoming pregnant, and I could do them well into term. 

What kept me going was an image of my dance teacher in high school, who demoed handstands while pregnant. It motivated me to (cautiously) test my limits, and it made me realize the importance of making women visible at every life stage to bolster our perceptions of what’s possible. More women need to be visibly celebrated at every crossroad and juncture, whether it’s adolescence, marriage, motherhood, or beyond.

I used to feel like pregnancy was a sacrifice, and admittedly, I wouldn’t have been ready any sooner in life. To anyone who wants to start a family at the “right” time, you’ll know when you’re ready, but even if you’re not, your identity and life aren’t over.

Being a mom amplifies who you are and who you will become. Let your mindset grow larger than your belly: Do something consistently — big or small — that will remind you what you’re capable of and disprove your fears and insecurities.