An old friend posted this on Facebook today. After watching and laughing a lot I knew that it was an essential post for both my clients and readers alike.

A large part of preparing yourself for parenting is to have realistic expectations. These two honest presenters are a breath of fresh air and further solidify my belief and teaching philosophy that straightforward and honest communication is the best way to prepare parents for their journey into parenthood.

In my practice, with my doula and childbirth education clients, I am always conflicted about whether to be honest or glossy. I have engaged in heated conversations with colleagues about my unwillingness to gloss over the realities of childbirth and the postpartum period. Like the presenters sister declined to describe the loneliness of a new mom it is a common belief that expectant moms should not be told everything because it might create anxiety and fear. While I do not think that “What to Expect when you are Expecting” is a good influence on expectant parents because it does feed into anxiety, explaining the realities and challenges of birth and the postpartum period are an essential part of prenatal education.

I have always opted for honesty because I am not a really glossy girl. My teachings can come off to some as harsh for the same reasons that were discussed in the presentation. Society surrounds us with images of well rested people running and holding hands. Of course we all want to match that image and anything that deviates sounds negative and cynical. I would rather equip expectant parents with all of the information that they need to make informed choices, eliminating surprises that may remove their control, so that they can approach parenthood with confidence and realistic expectation. Does that mean that the glossy images that we see in magazines get blown out of the water? You betcha. But that doesn’t mean that your experience can’t be great too! It is just important to know that the real experience is alright, common, and worth it!

Would you agree?

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