Aside from proper prenatal care and nutrition, the most important thing a pregnant woman needs is emotional support. The obvious sources include husband, family, and friends. But very rarely are all these people going through what the pregnant woman is going through at the same time. It can be very rewarding to branch out to sources of like-kind, and the internet offers many.
Families.com is one such source of pregnancy support. Visiting the Pregnancy Forums will lead you to other women to chat with about the many issues of pregnancy. These women are going through pregnancy just as you are, and can offer support and ideas. The Pregnancy Blogs, including this one, will give you interesting and informative ways to learn about things related to pregnancy.
Another source of interaction are internet groups, like those offered by Yahoo. You can sign up for local or public groups on just about any topic that you can think of, and pregnancy is no exception. You can even narrow the field depending on what type of parenting style you prefer. I am part of a local group called Naturally Attached, and the women on my group tend to approach pregnancy and parenting in a natural way. It is convenient to be part of a local online group, because we also meet up in person for play-dates with our children, and other local events in our area. For women who don’t have very many friends with children, this can be a wonderful avenue to pursue in pregnancy or afterward.
Another option to look into during pregnancy is organizations that are free to the public. birthNetwork is one such organization, and has chapters in several states. If there isn’t one near you, do a search with your search engine to find a similar organization. Or, if you have the ability to, start a local chapter yourself. Organizations like these tend to have monthly meetings that cover various pregnancy and parenting-related topics. The meetings are aimed at women who otherwise do not have awareness of things like midwifery care, natural childbirth, and doula support. It also is aimed at women who are interested in meeting other like-minded moms and caregivers.
These are but a few suggestions toward finding ample emotional support during pregnancy. If you still have difficulty finding a source that fits your needs, ask your midwife or obstetrician if they can recommend one for you. Ask specifically for groups that meet regularly. And once again, if you can’t find one – start one! I guarantee you aren’t the only one looking.