My pregnancy is special, too....

As most of you well know, I'm a nurse. I work in a fairly large hospital in the labor and delivery area. So, I work with mostly other women. Right now there are 11 of us pregnant (I think, it might only be 10), with 4 of us due in April. It's pretty crazy, but fun to be pregnant with so many other gals at the same time. Well, usually it's fun. It's been a little different this time, and I'm feeling a little defensive about it.

I was at work one night last week, and 5 of the staff on that night were from the pool of us preggo girls. We were sitting around in the early morning discussing who all was pregnant, when we were due, etc. One of my co-workers who I don't see very often looked at me and said, "You're pregnant, too, right?" Then another of my co-corkers looked over and said, "Yeah, but she's not keeping that baby," with a weird little tone. Then another of my co-workers, a close friend this time, said to me the other night, "Well I just don't get as excited about your pregnancy because this baby isn't going to be around, and we're not going to see him/her grow up."

Okay. I totally understand, and I get it. But this pregnancy is just as special as the other ones, and just as special to me as being pregnant with my own babies. In some respects, it is more special. These 40-ish weeks that I'm pregnant is the only time that I will be responsible for the care of this baby. It's the only time that this amazing little person will be a part of my daily life. My family is helping someone start a family of their own. I think that's pretty darn special.

Sure, my pregnancy is different. People don't understand what I'm doing, and/or why I'm doing it. I expect random comments from people I don't know very well, and even from the older set. If my grandma had something to say about it, for example. But it's a lot harder to hear from close friends, and people who I know are exposed to it on a regular basis.

There are friends of mine who may think I'm crazy, or who deep down don't understand. But please try to remember that, even though we're not keeping this baby, this pregnancy is special to me too. Please think about what you say to me before you say it.