In a world where we often want to plan our life’s finer details and ensure that things go according to our own timelines, Suanne Bitzi, a young millennial first-time mom, discovered that there is never a perfect moment to start a family. As part of our baby feature, Suanne shares her candid and relatable story about navigating the highs and lows of her first pregnancy.
Suanne shares that as a young millennial finding out she is expecting for the first time was a crazy rush of all kinds of emotions and feelings. She says the first thing that she did when she found out was going into immediate planning mode.
“One thing you can count on is that there is never a right time to have or decide to have a baby,” Suanne reflects.
“You think it’s something you can plan for, but hold up girl, you can plan all you want. The deciding factor is if it is meant to be, that is the right time.”
Like many women today, Suanne found herself caught up in the world of social media where an overflow of information is available to you instantly, and one often turns to social media for guidance. “As someone who works in social media all day every day, obviously I went down the social media rabbit hole,” she admits. “I enrolled myself in the University of TikTok, which if I look back at it now, can be good and bad.”
Suanne highlights the double-edged sword of the internet’s influence on pregnancy, noting that while it expands one’s understanding, it can also lead to overwhelming amounts of conflicting advice. “The best thing is to use the information, take it all in, listen to your own thoughts and views, and then come up with what they call a ‘pregnancy journey’ or ‘birth plan’ that is fit for you and you only,” she advises.
Navigating pregnancy came with its unique challenges for Suanne, from dealing with pregnancy acne to battling the mental strain of gender predictions. “The biggest thing for me was a thing called pregnancy acne. Guys, it’s a real thing and not fun at all! The only thing you can do is accept and maintain your skin health as much as possible,” she says.
When it came to staying active, Suanne found herself drawn to a less conventional form of exercise. “I wanted something fun and not too much strain on my body. So, I found out about water therapy. The thought of exercising in water caught my attention,” she shares. “You might think, you joking, exercising in water is not real exercise, but I say try it out for yourself!”
Amid all the preparations, Suanne emphasises the importance of prenatal education, a key part of her journey. “One thing my husband and I did to equip ourselves was to attend a one-day prenatal workshop. This really put everything into perspective for both of us,” she explains. “Even if you are not pregnant yet but are thinking about it, go do a workshop – it is really informative.”
As Suanne looks back on her experience, she leaves a parting thought for other expectant mothers: “As a regular everyday person, this is one woman’s first experience. Each has their own, and some can relate to others and some simply can’t. This does not mean that either is right or wrong or that there should be any judgment.”
She concludes by saying: “The only ‘prep’ book I started reading was ‘The Subtle Art of Not Giving A F*#k’. You do you, which I think is fitting, don’t you?”
Compiled by: Justine Fortuin Photograph: Supplied
