6.I'm worried that there won't be anyone around to watch my older child once I go into labour. The best way to cope with this particular fear is to keep a list of potential babysitters close to the phone. That way, when the moment of truth arrives, you can start hitting speed dial. If you're really concerned, lend your cell phone to your prime babysitting candidate and ask her to carry it with her 24 hours a day. That should give you one less thing to worry about.
7.One of my pregnancy books talks about awful things like perineal shaves and enemas. Do hospitals still do that sort of stuff? Chances are the pregnancy book that you're reading is well on its way to becoming an antique. Thankfully, perineal shaves and enemas have pretty much gone the way of the do-do bird. Just count your lucky stars that you're giving birth today – not 20 years ago.
8. My mother wants to throw a baby shower for me before the birth, but I'm afraid that might bring me bad luck. No matter how sensible you may be about other things in your life, it's easy to get caught up in pregnancy superstitions. If this is a major worry for you, you might want to suggest that your mom hold off on her shower plans until after the delivery.
9. My abdomen looks like a roadmap. I'm worried that these pregnancy "souvenirs" will be with me forever. While stretch marks do stick around for the long-term, they tend to fade over time. After a while, they'll be silvery-white and virtually unnoticeable to anyone but you. This is one worry you can definitely move to the bottom of the list.
10. I'm worried that I don't what have it takes to become a parent. It's normal to feel a bit shaky about your parenting abilities at this stage of the game. After all, you're about to find yourself faced with the ultimate of challenges -- motherhood! But before you know it, you'll be an old pro. All you need is a little time in the trenches -- and, as you know only too well, boot camp is about to begin!
Ann Douglas is Canada's foremost pregnancy author and a mother of four. Her most recent books include The Mother of All Pregnancy Books and Trying again: A guide to pregnancy after miscarriage, stillbirth, and infant loss.
