My son teaches karate to children and this is a term he’s acquainted me with: helicopter parents.

Helicopter parents hover; hence, the term.

In addition to helicopter parents, there are Care Bear parents, apparently. Care Bear parents find something warm and fuzzy about everything. Every event is recorded, lauded and praised.

Try not to be a helicopter parent, okay? Your children will survive if you just ease off the hovering and let them be. Seriously. Now, if you’re afraid they’re going to get hurt, here’s a hint: don’t sign them up for karate. Or football, basketball, soccer, rollerblading - well heck, just about any sport. The only one I can think of right off the top of my head is golf. Then again, I never was a helicopter parent so I’m not sure I’m qualified to determine what a helicopter parent might find objectionable about golf.

I’m also not a Care Bear parent. There were just some things I felt ought to be expected of children and therefore praising them for doing it wasn’t appropriate. Like saying “please” and “thank you,” doing chores, attending school and getting good grades.

What does this have to do with the prenatal period? Absolutely nothing. I just felt like talking about parenting because my son brings home such funny stories.

Let me know if you missed Prenatal Impression #1.

Prenatal Impression #2 (aka Indisputable Facts of Motherhood): Maternity clothes will never look as cute on you as they do on someone else.

It’s true.

Let’s say for a moment you just found out you’re pregnant (and you’re not already 7 months along!) and you see a pregnant woman walking down the street wearing something that looks absolutely fabulous, adorable and maybe photoworthy. First, check to make sure it isn’t actually someone famous - they get paid to look that good so don’t even try.

Second, don’t even bother asking them where they got it unless you want an exercise in frustration. Even if you think that woman is your body double, it takes time to adjust to how your body will look. Well, go ahead and go shopping - I’m not saying you won’t eventually have to buy maternity clothes.

There are a lot of choices these days and it’s much more acceptable to proudly display a “baby bump” in tight clothes. Back when I was having children, everything looked like it had been designed by Omar the Tentmaker. Bumps were covered loosely. A tight T shirt would have been shocking. Even in the 60s “summer of love” era, everything was flowing and loose - much like the styles of the day. Flash back to Goldie Hawn’s loose, flowing “flower power” style of dress during her early 70s pregnancy. Nobody was wearing a stretch tube top that showed their popping belly button, even then.

Whatever you do, make sure you’re comfortable. That’s what I like best about today’s fashions in most part of the U.S. Women are choosing comfort and form above hiding something we should all be proud of - our growing prenatal impression!

When I found out I was pregnant for the first time, I was unmarried and living in a different state than the father-to-be. I know that’s more acceptable these days, but 20+ years ago, it wasn’t so much.

It’s not as bad as it sounds. We planned on marrying and we were engaged. It’s just that the pregnancy was a bit… untimed.

The doctor suspected I had an infection and wanted to give me antibiotics. He asked if it was possible I was pregnant. I said it was possible, but not probable. He insisted on a blood test (fastest test you could do “back in the olden days”) and three days later informed me it was positive.

Impression? Terrified.

I mean - husbands, you can divorce. Children, however, are forever. There is no “for better or for worse, etc.” with children. You birth them and they belong to you and you have a responsibility for the rest of your life.

That’s terrifying.

Then again, you’d think if I was going to react with such terror, I would’ve been more careful. Don’t even ask me what happened - I can’t even tell you.

Did we live happily ever after?

Well, as happily ever after as about 50% of couples do, I suppose. We’re still married, getting old(er) together and have the pleasure of watching our children make their way into the world.

I’ve told them to be careful.

My sister-in-law tells people that she cried for days when she found out she was pregnant. She even says this in front of the children who were a result of the pregnancy she was crying over.

It’s okay to be upset about a pregnancy. Not every pregnancy is a welcome one. Having a child is stressful and the second (or third or fourth or…) time mother knows this better than anyone else. Children are time consuming, expensive and hard work. They strain marriages and finances. Not all of them are pink little bundles of joy who coo joyfully and sleep on schedule. Very few of them, in fact! Many mothers-to-be contemplate the impending event with anything but joy and happiness.

For the sake of your own health, if you feel depressed about a pregnancy, talk to your doctor.

For the sake of your children and their mental health, it’s probably best to keep negative prenatal emotions between yourself and medical professionals or in very private conversations with a close friend. Even if your feelings have changed since having the baby, it gives the impression that they are unwanted - and no child needs to feel unwanted.

A friend of mine had all of 3 weeks to get used to (1) the idea that she was going to be a parent, (2) the fact that she was already 7 months along and (3) an early delivery of a baby that, 1 month prior, she hadn’t planned on having and didn’t know she was going to have.

I’ve always said there’s no GOOD time to have a baby. If you think about it too much, you end up never doing it. Let’s face it - children are a huge responsibility.

But 3 weeks? Wow - what a shock!

Do you remember that moment when you first found out you were pregnant?

Women experience a variety of emotions when realizing they’re growing a new life: joyful, scared, apprehensive, shocked, alarmed…

Whatever you feel, we’re here to help. Everyone has their story. Everyone has a point of view. None of it is wrong or bad.

Women sharing with women is important. It makes us stronger because we realize we aren’t alone.

Bear with us while we build a place for sharing prenatal impressions.