Watermelon Seeds magazine created by Hansens' Photography studio in Roseville and Sacramento California, CA

For more mom-to-mom insight please request your complimentary printed copy of this publication by contacting us by telephone at (916) 791-7623 or by email at ws@hansensphotography.com. See more Maternity Portraits

We know that the experience of becoming a mother can be overwhelming whether it’s the first time or fifth! It is a frightening, mysterious, and magical time, full of anticipation, worry and wonder. There are so many changes in your life that you may find yourself wondering, “How do other people do this?” One of our contributing moms, Jennifer, expressed this by writing, “So many times I was struggling with something and felt like I was alone and weird, and then I heard other moms talking and realized I was normal! Mothers need to support each other!” Because Hansens’ Photography specializes in Maternity and Newborn portraits, (and because we have re- cently been through the addition of a little one ourselves) we know how difficult the process can be and wanted to provide a resource of support to those of you embarking on the journey to motherhood. Thanks to our generous contributing moms, we have collected some honest and supportive information about the pregnancy experience. The information presented here was submitted by real mothers describing their own personal experiences. It does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Hansens’ Photography and is in no way meant to be interpreted as medical advice. Please address any questions or concerns you may have with your doctor. We hope that the images in this publication will inspire you to focus on the beauty of the miracle you are taking part in and that through reading this mom-to-mom insight you feel more prepared, informed, and most importantly more connected to the other women with the difficult, fulfilling, honored role we share... Mother.


What was the most difficult thing about being
pregnant and how did you cope with it?

Being pregnant with a toddler was difficult. It was hard for her
to understand why mommy couldn’t play and needed to rest.
My husband was very helpful with play time and picking up.
It also helped that she was already potty trained and
becoming more self sufficient. I would recommend
at least a two year age span before a second pregnancy.
--Farrah

Being tired. I just listened to my body. That is a really
important tip.
--Rheanna

My emotions! I swear I cry for almost the entire nine
months. Everything hurts my feelings, I feel overwhelmed
with feeling inadequacy as a parent, I then feel foolish
because I know that I am being too emotional and a little
on the irrational side and then I start crying, I get my feelings
hurt, and start feeling overwhelmed...the cycle starts over!
Did I mention that I cry for almost the entire nine months?
I think the best thing to do is do not overload yourself
emotionally or physically. Get plenty of rest! (After talking
to my doctor about this with my last pregnancy, he told me
it sounded like I was exhausted and he gave me
something to help me sleep at night and it made a
TON of difference.) Excercise, not where your sweating your
guts out, but move a little, on the tread mill, swimming, etc.
Also, a good friend or spouse who will just
listen can do wonders!
--Jennifer

Sleep gets awkward towards the final month or
two of pregnancy. A body pillow really
helped me out.
--Shannon

I had pains in my hips and lower back and I felt
tired most of the time. I may have evenhad a mild case
of depression. I was fortunate to have had a friend who
would come to visit. Being able to share experiences
helped me to see that what I was experiencing was
normal. It helped me leave some of the self-pity
behind, and see the joys of what I was experiencing.
--Millie

The most difficult thing about being pregnant was my anxiety
about being a single mother. I had no idea of how my life would
change. Fears and questions would continuously enter my
mind. Could I do this on my own? Can I still finish school?
Will my daughter be happy? Will I be a good mother?
Luckily I have a very loving and supportive family. Talking
with my family about my fears and questions helped me relax
and focus on the fun and exciting aspects of my pregnancy.
--Kristy

The leg cramps in the middle of the night! I got them 4-5 nights
a week, sometimes a couple of times a night. Finally
I resorted to just standing up until they went away. It was the only
thing that truly worked. I also tried extra calcium, potassium,
and massaging my calfs. This was also coupled with not being
able to sleep once my belly got too big. I would have fantasies
about finally getting a good nights sleep on my tummy!
--Ashley

I was put on modified bed rest at 32 weeks because I started to go into
premature labor. They were able to stop the contractions for a while, but I
still ended up giving birth at 35 weeks. Those 3 weeks on bed rest were
very difficult because I'm usually a very active person who doesn't take
much time to sit down. However, those extra 3 weeks that my
son got in the womb were extremely important, so it was worth it!
--Kim

NAUSEA. Eat frequently, change up what you eat, keep busy so
you don’t focus on it, and try not to kill all those people and all their
advice.
--Stephanie

I was pretty sick with my first baby. I just ate crackers and tried to lie down a lot.
--Paige