Transitions of any kind can be rough. 

The first day of a vacation

The first day back from a vacation

Leaving one home and moving into another

The end of a time of meaningful work

Finding your way from diagnosis to treatment

Adjusting to a new leader

Potty training

After the honeymoon

Retiring from a lifelong career

The end of a relationship

Transitions are an in-between time. We are neither here nor there. We can’t go back, but we haven’t arrived at the next place. What has been is over, but what is to be hasn’t started yet.

I remember when my daughters were born, the most challenging time was during the transition phase. You can read about all the details if you are interested, but suffice it to say, it’s hard. You can’t start pushing, but that’s all you want to do. You decide you want to go home, but nobody will let you. The people around you are trying to encourage you, and it’s not working. These are the final moments of your pregnancy, but there’s still no baby. You’ve had it up to here, but apparently here has room for a little more.

A few things that can help a woman get through the transition:

Remember how far you’ve come.

Keep breathing.

Take it one contraction at a time.

Along with being the most challenging, this phase is also the shortest. This is a good thing to remember when  in the midst of any transition, big or small.

And…

Remember how far you’ve come.

Keep breathing.

Take it one contraction at a time.

There’s new life ahead.