10 Surprising Ways Pregnancy Can Reveal Your Inner Strengths

by Stephanie Larson

Pregnancy is often seen as a time of vulnerability and uncertainty, with many pregnant individuals worrying about the physical and emotional challenges that lie ahead. However, it can also be a time of great personal growth and an opportunity to discover inner strengths that you may not have known you had. Here are 10 surprising ways that pregnancy can reveal your inner strengths:

1. Physical strength: Pregnancy can take a toll on your body, but it can also be a time when you discover just how strong and capable you are. From conceiving and carrying a baby to giving birth, your body is capable of amazing feats. When I gave birth to my first child, I felt superhuman—powerful in ways I never felt before. 
    
2. Emotional strength: Pregnancy can bring a range of emotions, from excitement and joy to anxiety and worry. It can show you how resilient you are. It’s a time when you learn to embrace your emotions and cope with stress in healthy ways. As your baby develops and grows in your womb, you may discover a well of love deeper than any you have felt before. I remember wondering, when I was pregnant with my second child, how would I love the new baby as much as my first. I didn’t have to worry though. My love expanded effortlessly to encircle both of my babies, and later, my third and my fourth too.  
   
   
3. Mental strength: Pregnancy can be a time of great mental challenge, as you navigate the many decisions that come with parenthood and adapt to the changes in your life. But it can also be a time when you tap into your problem-solving skills and find creative solutions to the challenges you face. I found that I had a 'mama bear' protectiveness that kept me clear-minded and vigilant. 
    
4. Time management skills: As a pregnant parent you have to balance many different responsibilities, from work and household tasks to juggling appointments with your midwife or doctor, to preparing for the arrival of your baby. This requires you to put your time management skills into practice and become even more efficient and organized. Hopefully, you also discover the ability to say 'no' when it resonates with you.    
   
   
5. Adaptability: Pregnancy and childbirth can be unpredictable, and you may have to adapt to unexpected changes or challenges. This can help you recognize your inner strength of flexibility and being open to new experiences. You have the capacity to thrive not only when things go your way but also when they don’t.   
   
   
6. Self-care: Pregnancy necessitates that you prioritize your own health and well-being, learn to listen to your body, and practice self-care. This can be an important lesson that you carry with you long after your child is born. One of my favorite ways to take care of myself is to dance every day. Even if I can only set aside two minutes to put on one song and dance to it right where I am, it always leaves me smiling.  
   
   
7. Communication skills: When you’re pregnant you advocate for yourself and communicate your needs and preferences to your healthcare provider, your birth support team, and your loved ones. This helps you to recognize your communication skills, and develop them even more, to serve you better in all areas of your life. Your inner strengths of compassion, empathy, and assertiveness may reveal themselves during pregnancy. You may even discover your capacity to connect more deeply with yourself, and with your baby in the womb.  
   
   
8. Decisiveness: During pregnancy, you are often subjected to the opinions, advice, and expectations of others. Ultimately you will hone your own judgment and rely on it to make decisions for yourself and your child. This can help you grow in independence and self-confidence, and will serve you well as a parent. For me, pregnancy was pivotal to realizing my calling to help people enjoy birth, and I made the decision to change my career.  
   
   
9. Interdependence: The strength of interdependence is being capable and independent, but also reaching out for support when you need it, and offering support to others when they need it. Whether it comes from a significant other, family, friends, spirituality, or a healthcare provider, we all need to feel cared for and supported. Pregnancy can bring to light your ability to nurture yourself and others, to stand up for yourself, and also to ask for what you need, such as a helping hand or a kind word, and welcome it when you receive it.    
   
   
10. Gratitude: Pregnancy can be a time when you reflect on the blessings in your life and cultivate a sense of gratitude. This can be a powerful source of strength and resilience going forward into parenthood. While you're at it, give gratitude to yourself, because pregnancy isn't always easy, and you deserve gratitude and recognition.  
    
    

Pregnancy is a unique and transformative experience, and the inner strengths that it reveals can serve you well throughout your life. So embrace the challenges and opportunities that pregnancy brings, and allow it to show you how strong you are.