A Book Review: Supported: Your Guide to Birth and Baby by Kristin Revere & Alyssa Veneklase, is how you want to be while being pregnant and beyond!
Did you know that couples often spend a year or more planning a wedding but often feel that birth and postpartum planning will take care of itself?
Forty-two weeks: No fake contractions.
I was sooo ready to give birth (IYKYK), while my child was not on the same page with me or my doctors.
I was told I had to be induced. I waited until the very last day of the very last week, hoping beyond hope for the natural start. I walked the whole Golden Gate Park with my doula back and forth. I got induction massages (if they worked… we would know by now, right?). I stayed away from castor oil [because vomiting did not ever feel like a good idea].
I was ready, but I was not at the same time.
5-ish years ago, I had no idea what I was getting myself into as I was packing my bag for the induction procedure at a local hospital in San Francisco.
I knew I had to advocate for my needs and wishes, but never having been pregnant felt like a disadvantage. I wanted resources to prepare better, but my brain was too tired.
It’s the craziest of rides.
Pregnancy and parenting are the craziest rides you can ever get on. No amount of preparation could ever be enough. You still want knowledge of and access to resources supporting you and your choices.
Those resources need to include fewer Instagram-perfect families who have it all together all the time. That is simply not true for anyone who has ever been around kids. Unless you have a professional team of stylists, cooks, fitness trainers, etc., to help you, the ” picture-perfect parent and kid combo” is not realistic for most of us.
And it does not need to be.
You are perfect just the way you are.
Your life, your pregnancy, and your baby are unique. Set an expectation for yourself to be healthy and to deliver a healthy baby. Focus on that instead of listening to horror stories from “well-meaning” family members.
Get the support you deserve!
A friend of mine, Kristin Revere, recently co-authored and published a book I wish I had when I was pregnant 5 years ago. The book is called Supported: Your Guide to Birth and Baby. In this book Kristin Revere and Alyssa Veneklase gathered an incredible set of resources on any and all topics related to pregnancy, birth and postpartum (not just depression).
They talk through such uncomfortable topics as being scared of pooping during birth or how to get through your first poop after you come home. They list options for supporting roles to make your journey easier and healthier and reflect how you want to do things. They discuss what procedures you can expect after the birth and when to call for the help of the sleep training consultant.
In “Supported,” you get ideas on how to communicate with people before, during, and after giving birth, especially with those who don’t want to listen and only want to share their unsolicited advice or negative pregnancy experiences.
More than anything, I love how the authors advocate for your need to rest and take care of you at every stage of this journey. You have to be rested just as much as your baby does! There is nothing to be ashamed of when you need a moment (or more) to yourself.
Read it and take action.
Supported: Your Guide to Birth and Baby by can be your one-stop shop for ideas on making your journey more comfortable and supported. It is meant to be one of many places you get information, which is why a big focus in Supported is put on trusted resources. You get to decide what works for you and your family, while the book provides you with starting points and what questions to ask.
Almost every page of this has gems for you to learn about and try. However, there were also things that I disagreed with.
The paragraph about putting a rearview mirror to see what your baby is doing. Please don’t do it. It is a driving hazard (I checked with California Highway Patrol when learning to put the car seat correctly), and you will know what your baby sounds like when they are puking quickly.
A few stray thoughts aside, “Supported” is filled with raw emotions, real-life stories, humor, and, more importantly, encouragement to keep an open mind as you navigate the totally unexpected world of becoming a parent.
Trust your instincts, believe in yourself, and know that you will be awesome at this parenting thing—even if it’s not your first time doing it.
*All the thoughts and opinions in this article review are my own and have not been influenced by others. Kristin generously provided the book so That we could share it with our community.
