What We Can Learn From April the Giraffe

Oh, April. 

I can only imagine what it feels like to labor (or not, actually) with the entire nation watching along.  Now, I'm no giraffe, but the thought of that many eyeballs on me makes me just a wee bit nervous... and rushed... gah, she's going as fast as she can, y'all!!

The pressure!

So, what can we learn from April??

Don't make your labor Facebook official, mmmkay?

Remember those labor hormones we learned about in Your Best Birth Class?  And about how you need to stay Calm, Comfortable and Confident?  Telling everyone that you're in labor may not be the best way to make that happen.

Well-meaning loved ones may begin to worry- they may not understand that labor sometimes starts and stops.  Or that early labor can last a while.  Or that you may crave privacy.

They may not understand that you'll be exhausted after the birth or that baby will need to be skin-to-skin with mom as much as possible to help establish breastfeeding.

Or, maybe they do... but it's still hard to be patient.  And the last thing you need is your phone blowing up when you're trying to push out a baby.  I mean, you're gonna have a lot going on then, so...

Wait. 

Share your exciting news with the Need To Knows (care provider, doula, photog, super special, secret-keeping family/friends).  Then, when YOU'RE ready, make it FB official.