Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Jenna Bush Hager's pregnancy

I watched the video of Jenna and her husband Henry announcing to the world that she is pregnant. Of course now that her dad is no longer in the White House the pressure is off her a little. But she admitted she was nervous and excited to let the world know. She said it is a spring time baby.
The part of the story that caught my attention was that they have been married for four years and her parents were beyond anxious to be grandparents. She said her dad said he saw her husband's boss at a conference and he said to stop paying her husband until they produced children. If I remember from her biography, Laura did not have an easy time getting pregnant, finally had twins when she was about 35, and those twins were a difficult pregnancy and birth. Perhaps that is why they pressured them to get pregnant, they wanted them to begin while they were young in case they didn't have an easy time.
First, I am thrilled for all of them that they will have their first child/grandchild. Second, I can't imagine needing to announce a private thing like this to the world. It was a difficult enough decision when Ram would announce to our church members that I was pregnant! Third, it seems that she is far enough along to be beyond miscarriage and I am so glad she was able to wait until now to announce instead of have to tell almost immediately like the Duchess Kate.
But the media focusing on how much the Bushs wanted to be grandparents is ridiculous. I am learning more and more from my friends and the He Remembers the Barren site how much infertility is part of our sinful world. What if they would have gotten to the point of trying for a baby and nothing would have happened? What if they have been trying but just not telling the world and nothing happened until now?
I also have to say that I never dressed like Jenna when I was pregnant, not even after my morning sickness lessened. I never wear high heels. I never would have worn a sleeveless dress in December. I read the pregnancy books and didn't paint my nails or wear much make up while I was pregnant. And frankly it would have been obvious I was pregnant by the time I was well enough to get dressed and announce something like that on TV. I know that each pregnancy is different and I pray for her sake that Jenna's is easier than mine.
Also, we live really different lives. She is focusing on her new job as Southern Living magazine editor. Once I got beyond the sick part of pregnancy I focused on getting ready for baby-read books about parenting, got the nursery ready, started organizing the presents from baby showers, etc. I did not go back to work after I had children. Then I had a baby that never slept because he had MSPI and there is no way I would have been able to work outside the home or even be an editor from my home.
May Jesus bless and keep Jenna and baby through pregnancy and birth and the newborn stage.


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