'High-Risk Pregnancy - Why Me?' Offers Moms Answers, Support

NEWARK, NJ--(Marketwire - Jan 20, 2012) - Research scientist Kelly Whitehead's new book, "High-Risk Pregnancy - Why Me? Understanding and Managing a Potential Preterm Pregnancy" (www.hrpwhyme.com), is a medical reference and emotional resource for women experiencing high-risk pregnancies.

Whitehead, who wrote the book with the backing of fetal and maternal medicine specialist Vincenzo Berghella, provides answers in layman's terms to the myriad medical questions families have. She also shares coping strategies she discovered during her own high-risk pregnancy, along with what she's learned through benefit of hindsight, and insights from other mothers.

Enduring such a pregnancy can be an experience of stress, fear and unknowns, she says. Here are some of her tips for coping.

• Try to enjoy being pregnant. Don't miss out on this experience because you're high-risk. Do the normal prego things, even if you have to modify them: Shop online, get a belly cast, shoot expanding-belly photos, and savor those kicks and body changes. Don't forget or stop dreaming about the actual birth and your desires for what it will be like. I regretted missing out on so much while carrying my daughter. Rather than enjoying the pregnancy, I kept focused on the end and my hope she would survive.
• Don't let your emotions become your enemy. Say goodbye to guilt -- this is not your fault! It's okay to be bitter, angry and upset at the world, and to hate "normal" pregnant women, but it isn't going to change anything. So go get mad, yell, and cry, and then move on.
• Pelvic rest sounds easy, but it isn't. It's not fun being forced to become a nun, so don't. There are still ways to enjoy intimacy; you just need to get creative. Think high school -- remember how much fun necking was? Try body oil, a massage… whipped cream? Sexy lingerie is still hot, even if you're pregnant. Flaunt your new assets -- they surely went up a cup size or two.
• Educate yourself about your situation. Don't go reading about every other possible scenario out there; you don't need to worry about problems that aren't a likely issue for you.

About Kelly Whitehead

Kelly Whitehead is a microbiologist who has worked in research and development for more than a decade. She's also a doula -- a woman who provides support during the labor and birth process.