by Judith Evans Thomas
We're pregnant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Laugh as you might, it's how I feel since my daughter Lauren broke the wonderful news that she and Patrick are expecting a baby. Being the calm collected mother that I am, I ignored the first symptoms... bloating, hormonal flushes, and needing to sleep more than my usual 8 hours. I rationalized these to jet lag from my 18 hour Australia flight. But as the weeks have progressed (we're now 12 weeks preggers) I'm eating all the time and swear that my jeans are tighter than they were last month. Maternity trousers made of some kind of disgusting synthetic yarn that stretches have started looking "attractive." Shoot me now!
I began to panic. Was I truly bonkers or just plain run of the mill crazy? Lo and behold, Googling " sympathetic pregnancy symptoms" pulled up a number of web pages devoted to what is called Couvade ... or sympathetic pregnancy symptoms. Although all the discussions were based on fathers having symptoms along with their pregnant wives, it made sense to me that any other close relative (especially a mom) could have the same feelings.
Now isn't this a dandy subplot for a book? Hmmmm what crimes could I get away with claiming Couvade post-partum syndrome?
Let's come up with some plots.
7 comments:
Many congrats! Yes, I predict an insanely over-the-top grandma! (Except you need a way cooler name. I have dibs on Nana in our family.) What a happy Christmas at your house!!!!
But dammit, Judith, this is a fabulous idea for a parent-child plot! I WANT TO STEAL IT! (Mama and Papa Blackbird have returned.)
Hm...
Are you going to do the sympathetic labor part, too?
Yes, congratulations, Judith! That would be an awesome plot for the Blackbird girls. Especially because so pregnancy plays such a big role, already! Judith, a plot for you. Depending on how serious the book is...the grandmother could kidnap a baby when her daughter's baby dies and then claim post-partum whatever that is you said????
Congratulations, Judith! So exciting! You will be the coolest grammy on the planet!
Thanks all. I struggled with the name thing and although I am not going to have the baby call me GlamGram, I did decide on Grandma. I went through the Mimi and Nana names and then said to myself....darnit. I am excited to be Grandma. I loved mine and my mother was very close to Lauren and was called Grandma. Soooo Grandma it is.
As to the book plot. Rebecca Drake's first book is along the lines of this theme. I still predict it will be published Becky!
Nancy... as to stealing the concept, I don't think it would be stealing anything. The syndrome is pretty well known in crazy parent circles... and yes it would be hysterical in the pregnancy centric Blackbird circle.
Congratualtion Juith!
My mother was very formal with her son and daugher-in-laws so when my husband and I had our first child I wondered aloud: "What would our baby call my mother?" My husband's answer was: "The same as all newcomers to the family... Mrs. Hart."
PS: Yes, Hart is my maiden name, I didn't change it when I got married, the 80's were a crazy time.
Congrats, Judith!
Seems like a good reason for some Toffee Taboo to me!
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