The ability to ask for help without guilt, and to accept help with grace.
You may not have much—or even any—morning sickness. Or you may be like me and feel like you are suspended in a completely debilitating, eternal hangover for three months. Either way, maybe starting now and definitely starting soon, you’re going to need more—much more—help than you are accustomed to asking for. And once the baby comes…wowza. No time like the present to begin learning to ask for help and to feel comfortable leaning on others if that’s maybe not something you are currently great at.
Short Reads
Headspace Article, “Asking for Help Can Be Awkward. But It Doesn’t Have to Be”
New York Times Article, "Why is Asking for Help So Difficult?"
Parent Magazine Article, “How to Get Your Husband to Help (Written by a Husband)”
Psych Central Article, “How to Ask Your Spouse for Support”
Blog Post, “Five Reasons Asking for Help Sucks”
Parent Magazine Article, “7 Tips to Rock Pregnancy When You’re Doing It Solo”
When you look up “how to tell my boss I’m pregnant,” almost very nearly every single article will say “wait until 12 weeks.” That’s fine advice. But there are some situations, where waiting doesn’t feel like the best option. I can speak from a bit of personal experience here. I was soooooooooooo sick that it didn’t seem best for me to not give a reason, or to only give a vague reason, why. Give this article a read if you think you may need to say something at work before the first trimester is over. While this article speaks specifically to pregnancy after loss, it may also be helpful to anyone experiencing difficulties during the first trimester that could make it difficult or undesirable to conceal the pregnancy from employers. Bravo to these writers for taking on a tough topic. | Article, “How to Tell Your Boss You’re Pregnant after Loss.”
Watch or Listen
Do
One small ask: The next time someone offers to (no-strings-attached) help you with something, say yes!
One big ask: Identify what recurring chore you’d most love taken off your plate for a while (e.g. laundry) … identify who could take that over for you. Talk with them about it and make a plan together.
Buy for Yourself or Request As A Gift
Take out for dinner … or lunch … or even breakfast!
A laundry service
A visit from a cleaning service