Lindsey Johnson's Thoughts on Pregnancy

Lindsey, with her third child, Babetta, born last summer.

Pregnancy is one of those things in life that no amount of reading or advice from family and friends can ever prepare you for adequately. The same goes for that first moment you hold your new baby fresh and warm from the womb.

Like many women, I have my share of funny stories about pregnancy woes. I have heartwarming moments that will forever be with me in my memory.

I spent hours talking to my belly with each of my three pregnancies. There were sappy professions of love and undying devotion to being their mommy. There were mundane descriptions of traffic along the Bronx River Parkway on my way up to monthly appointments. There was music played and hands pressing firmly into my fleshy belly in hopes of feeling the gentle (or sometimes hard) kick or poke from a developing limb.

Each pregnancy taught me a different lesson about life. My very first pregnancy ended in miscarriage at 10 weeks. That experience taught me not to take the fragile miracle of life for granted. It taught me to stop blaming myself. It taught me yearn for something more.

Over the past 5 years and three full-term pregnancies, I learned new things about myself. I'm stronger and braver that I ever thought possible. I learned patience and endurance.

I learned funny things. For instance, I will never be able to look at a can of Chef Boyardee ravioli again. Or drink another glass of strawberry flavored Tang. And that if I am going to enjoy a splash Frank's Red Hot sauce, I better follow it with a chaser of Pepcid AC and Mylanta. I also became a pro at peeing in a cup and massaging my sore sciatic nerves each night.

More than anything else though, I've learned that love knows no boundaries. Love is not divided between husband and subsequent babies — it multiplies, it matures and deepens, it blossoms and flourishes. I learned to appreciate and love womanhood and the divine roll we play as mothers and nurturers.

And it is all worth it....even on days like this.


Lilly, Fritz, and Babetta posing for our Christmas card picture...that we never sent.

From Lindsey Johnson of Café Johnsonia.