Tips from a supermom
It was in the middle of the night on my fifth trip to the restroom that I started to feel really sorry for myself. Not only was my good night’s sleep being interrupted by frequent bathroom breaks, but honestly, it wasn’t a good night’s sleep at all.
No pregnancy pillow can cure, or even contend with, the stabbing rib pain that has started to keep me up all night. I toss and turn, all the while yearning for that one perfect position that might alleviate my discomfort for a few hours of rest.
This is what third trimesters are all about. Nature’s way of preparing you for motherhood, like it or not. With just weeks to go, when all you want is great sleep while you can still get it, your body instead says, “get ready, sister.”
When I find myself throwing short pity parties on my sleepy-eyed shuffle from bedside to bathroom, I remind myself of one person – Ashley Foster.
While I am on my second pregnancy, Foster carried six girls – Addison (15), Savannah (13), Camille (11), Gabrielle (9), Saxony (9) and Mary Katherine (7) – over the course of five pregnancies (one set of twins). She was pregnant from 1998 to 2007, adding up to 45 months total of being pregnant. And she vomited every day during each of those pregnancies.
I wanted to know how she did it. How each of the pregnancies compared to one another. And, of course, if Foster, being a true pregnant professional, had any pointers for making these last weeks memorable before my next baby’s arrival.
What I got were answers that touched my heart. The beautiful story of a family coming together and all of its challenges. I was reminded no pregnancy is perfect, but each one certainly is a miracle.
Foster’s answers are laced with lessons that stretch so far beyond pregnancy to everyday life. How to enjoy each season for what it is and be thankful, ailments and all.
Were all your pregnancies the same or were some distinctly different?
Foster: With all my pregnancies I was very sick – vomiting every day, including the day I was induced with each one of them. That was the same! I had different cravings: pickles with some, Whataburger cheeseburger with mustard, strawberry limeade from Sonic. The twins were the hardest because it was double the hormones and double the illness. But I enjoyed carrying them more than any of the others.
What did you consider being the best part of pregnancy?
Foster: The best part of being pregnant was when I could feel the baby move. Each month you are pregnant brings to mind the fact that God is at work in you, molding and shaping this new life (Psalm).
What was the hardest part for you?
Foster: Each pregnancy had its own challenges. With Addi, it was simply the fact she was the first, and I did not know what to expect. With Savannah, it was being pregnant and trying to take care of a 2-year-old, a house and be a pastor’s wife. With Millie, I only had two hands, and now I was about to have three kids! When I was pregnant with the twins, we lived in a two-room graduate housing apartment in England, not much help, foreign country, tight budget, and I was a working student (along with my husband). MK, she was the easiest due to the fact the older girls were somewhat self-sufficient and could help me with the twins.
Was there anything that made being pregnant easier for you?
Foster: There wasn’t anything I used to make the pregnancy any easier, such as stretch lotions or pillows for sleeping. However, I ate a bottle of TUMS almost every day! That made being pregnant easier.
Of course, when you’re in the middle of pregnancy (going to the bathroom all hours of the night, waddling, uncomfortable), the last thing you may want to hear someone say is, “Enjoy every minute.”
But what advice do you have for pregnant women?
Foster: My advice: Realize that everything in life has its own season and try to enjoy that time for what it is. Time goes so fast. It is hard to believe my “baby” is now seven and college is in the near future for my oldest. In the midst of the difficulties, be thankful.
Did gender play a part in y’all’s decision to have a big family?
Foster: Jason and I wanted six kids.
The first two, I wanted whatever God wanted me to have. The third baby, I went in and when they said, “You’re having a girl!,” I cried my response, “I’m thankful for whatever, but I really wanted a boy.”
We lived in England, and while we were there, I bought a book titled, ‘How to Choose the Sex of your Child.’ We did what it recommended. I got pregnant and miscarried at 14 weeks. The miscarriage put things in perspective for us. Three months later, I was pregnant with twins ... twin girls.
