The Google Monster

Google. It's my best friend, and my worst enemy all at the same time. For example, I could be in the middle of a conversation with someone, and we can't come up with the answer to a question. My first response is 'hang on, let me Google it'. Fifteen years ago, I would have said, 'let me just got look in my encyclopedia'. Yes, I had a set of Funk and Wagnalls encyclopedias. I actually just had to Google their correct spelling. You see, we literally depend on Google for everything! I'm not sure how long it takes to hardboil an egg. I Google it. I'm not sure what time my favorite show is on tonight. I Google it. So, would it not be only natural for me to Google my many pregnancy questions as well? Oh you bet I do. BUT, this is where it gets complicated. I have literally been Googling my little heart out since the first day I knew I was pregnant. In fact, I started Googling when I suspected I was pregnant. 'Early signs of pregnancy', then it was 'how to tell your parents you're pregnant'. I took a unique approach on the whole 'telling the parents' thing. I simply showed up at their house with a bottle of wine and said, 'here, it was in my cupboard and you might as well have it because I can't drink wine for a while', The response was 'why, are you hungover?' 'No, I'm knocked up'. Cue tears and excitement. As well as a 'finally' from my Dad. Anyways, back to Google. Needless to say, for the past four and half months, I have been Googling the crap out of everything pregnancy related, and therefore scaring the living shit out of myself. Yes, I am the idiot who decided to watch a birthing video weeks into my pregnancy. I was sitting there, in my kitchen, half crying and half too shocked to do anything. I called my Mom, bawling and crying, saying 'I can't do this, I'm too weak'. Her response? 'Candace, it won't be any worse than the the worst ear infection you had as a kid'. Now I'll grant you, I have had some wicked ear infections in my lifetime the worst kind of numbing pain you could imagine. But somehow, I picture childbirth to be slightly more intense than an earache. But okay Mom, I'll take your word for it. Now, let's move on. Every single woman who has ever given birth has their own idea of how to go through your pregnancy, what to do, what not to do. I've seriously heard it ALL. I have a lot of friends who have had babies in the past five years, and they all offered me advice or support. But the BEST thing anyone has said to me, thus far is this, 'every birth is different, so do what's best for you, you can't compare yourself to someone else and don't let their stories freak you out'. Honestly, seems simple. But it's so basic. No one person is the same, and every person deals with a stressful and painful situation differently. So whenever I find myself worrying about that big moment, I try to remind myself of this. Now here is the other thing that is kind of hard on the head. The never-ending list of what you can and cannot do during pregnancy. Seriously people, if we listened to every belief out there, we might as well put ourselves in bubbles for 9 months. I was under the assumption I had to stop drinking coffee for the entire nine months, do this weird exercise with my pelvic area everyday, and take cold showers. Yes, there are some things that the doctor says you absolutely should not do. Like going in a hot tub warmer than 100 degrees (Fahrenheit), drinking alcohol (although they do permit the occasional glass of wine). You should definitely try and quit smoking (pregnant or not), no drugs, no ibuprofen, no raw fish. But seriously, if you are anything like me, you won't have any desire to eat raw fish anyway. I love sushi, but I have been such a puking machine lately that the mere thought of it makes me gag. That's another thing, the sickness. Some people will judge you for taking medication that the doctor make prescribe to you if you are seriously ill with nausea and vomiting during this process. This is where you need to look at them and say 'listen, I can't even walk into my kitchen without puking, and I haven't gotten out of bed in three days, shut the hell up'. Take the damn pills, eat meals regularly, and enjoy your life. Just because you are growing a baby doesn't mean you have to feel wretched for entire process. Oh, and one more thing, don't believe everything (or really anything) you read on Google.