Push

𝗣𝘂𝘀𝗵⁣
𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘣 (used without object)⁣
• to exert a thrusting force upon something.⁣
• to make one's way with effort or persistence, as against difficulty or opposition.⁣
• to put forth vigorous or persistent efforts.⁣
⁣
I’ve birthed 7 babies. ⁣
I’ve helped families prepare for it in my Childbirth Education classes and guided mommas through it as a Doula.⁣
So, I guess you could say I’m familiar with the term. ⁣
⁣
But there’s always this point... ⁣
RIGHT BEFORE a baby is about to be born... ⁣
often juuuuuust moments before the actual push begins...⁣
𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗮 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘁. ⁣
⁣
Why? ⁣
TRANSITION.⁣
You see, the most intense part is in fact NOT the push. It’s the stage that leads up to it. This is the part when your body shakes, you are focused & intense, the odds are stacked against you mentally, your emotions are all over the place, and YOU THINK YOU CAN’T GO ON.⁣
⁣
“𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯’𝘵! 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯’𝘵 𝘥𝘰 𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦!”⁣
⁣
This is the cry of many a momma in this stage.⁣
But this is also the moment that every Doula, Midwife, and L&D nurse who knows birth can tell you... you’re almost there. ⁣
⁣
The moment you say you can’t, is when your team rallies around you and says,⁣
“𝗬𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻! 𝗬𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗼 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲! 𝗪𝗲’𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂!”⁣
⁣
Now, the push IS next, but it isn’t easy. Your body is doing something huge, and you need your strength. So we hydrate, nourish, close our eyes as we can, and remember all the preparation that has gone into this moment. But the unknown is over. It’s time. When you begin to push, it’s the last, final minutes (or hours) before you meet your baby. ⁣
⁣
I’m gonna make my analogy really clear.⁣
Some of us think we are pushing (in our marriage, relationships, businesses).⁣
BUT IT’S ONLY BEEN TRANSITION.⁣
The transition is mentally and emotionally draining. We have to keep going, through the waves of hard things. We have to do the work; the prep. We hydrate, nourish, rest. We do the next right things. We rally our support team. ⁣
THEN WE TAKE A DEEP BREATH,⁣
𝘸𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘨𝘶𝘵 & 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯,⁣
𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗲 𝗽𝘂𝘀𝗵.⁣
It’s time.