As a woman, the chances are that you always expected to have kids one day. While many are now choosing not to go down this path, others grow up playing with dolls and dreaming of children. Even if you focus on your career and building a life first, you may well envision that kids will be at the end of your rainbow.
But then, disaster strikes. You and your partner decide to have children, but every month ends the same way. Six months pass, then a year. Before you know it, you’re talking about other options like IVF and surrogacy.
It’s a nightmare, that’s for sure. Yet, it’s one which haunts upwards of 10% of women in the U.S. Even if you attempt IVF; you may find that you’re unable to conceive. As such, you’ll be looking down the barrel of a long surrogacy journey, where you have to trust another woman to carry your child. That can be a hard pill to swallow. Ultimately, though, this can lead to the family you’ve always wanted.
Of course, during a traditional pregnancy, you would care for your body for the sake of your child. During surrogacy, though, it’s all too easy to let your health slip. The trouble is, that can have more of an impact on your child than you’d think. While you aren’t carrying them, your health still matters right now. You’re about to become a parent, after all. As such, you should look after yourself in the following ways.
Care for your mind
There’s no denying that the surrogacy journey can take its toll on your emotional wellbeing. While pregnancy can impact mood through hormones, surrogacy can straight out flatten your mental health. Most notably, you’ll need to deal with extreme levels of stress. In some cases, your inability to conceive could also lead to issues such as anxiety and depression. Neither of these is things you want over your head when a child comes into the picture. Hence why you should do what you can to get your mental wellbeing in check. This could mean something as simple as finding out more about surrogacy so that you can put your mind at ease. In extreme cases, you may also want to embark on some sort of talking therapy. This will help you work through your emotions before your child arrives. At the very least, you should develop coping mechanisms such as yoga and meditation. These are especially beneficial. You can take them into parenthood with you to help you stay afloat during those difficult first months.
You aren’t eating for two, but it’s no longer just you
Most women only watch what they’re eating while pregnant for the sake of their babies. Though you don’t need to do that, it’s worth considering the state of your diet. Our food impacts our bodies in all manner of ways, after all. A bad diet won’t leave you in the best place for your baby’s arrival. Returning to the above point, eating the right food can help improve your mental health. As such, getting your diet right now can compliment the steps you’ve already taken here. It’s also worth noting that a healthy diet ensures you’re in the best health possible when your little one needs you. Fatty, unhealthy foods can leave us sluggish, as well as posing potential health problems. But, you now have a reason to stay fighting fit as long as possible. Start the journey now by choosing healthy options over those saturated fats.
It’s about to get physical
It’s even worth getting stuck into exercise during these nine months of prep. Given that you aren’t carrying your child, you can get stuck into intense workouts which wouldn’t be an option during pregnancy. This is beneficial in that it’ll prepare you somewhat for the physical task of parenting. Birth or no, the first years of your child’s life will be far more physically strenuous than you expect. For one, you’ll need to spend large portions of time carrying an ever-growing baby. You’ll also need to heft pushchairs up stairs and lug a heavy nappy bag around with you wherever you go. That’s before you even consider the number of times you’ll need to bend over in a day. If you don’t prepare for these things now, you can bet they’ll leave you sore when the time comes. Don’t let it happen. Get into a regular fitness routine now to ensure you’re fighting fit when it matters most.
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