The third trimester brought many happy moments and a sense of accomplishment while conquering last moments of fetal development and your body drastically changing. I gained 58 pounds and am five foot. Talk about major change, but if that was not enough change, try dealing with tearful moments that made you feel that you truly could not go on. Now I have heard of racial discrimination, but I guess I never fell victim to discrimination. However, to any mommy reading this, or woman for that matter ask yourself “do you know much about discrimination to the pregnant woman in the work place?” I will never forget the hardship of 2016. Before I get into it, I will sum it up in three issues before you read on. My business partner left our business, my dog was diagnosed with Cancer, and I started a new business- all in my third trimester pregnant with my first child.
I work in PR, and have clients with many different genres, but what I saw being a professional woman and business owner while pregnant were people treating you as if you are fragile and will break once give birth. As if all you work for and do falls to pieces because you decide to execute the circle of life and have a child. I had many clients tell me “Are you sure you will be able to work on this account after you have the baby?”, or “You cannot fly to this country, you will be a liability for my company”-quote by a once client of mine. I also found it strange that fellow coworkers that were also pregnant working under this client were treated in similar fashion. I laughed at each of the episodes where treated like having a baby was something I should reconsider just to save my career. I forged on, and worked my ass off. I completed tasks like attending Coachella at 27 weeks pregnant with swollen ankles and managing 8 events in 48 hrs. In the middle of April my business partner of 5 years told me over email he no longer wanted to be my partner. With much surprise and shock, I thought it was a joke, I mean I was planning to enjoy my maternity leave, where the person I leaned on could relieve me for a few weeks to enjoy my infant. No that was no longer going to happen, this was far from a joke, and in fact felt like a nightmare. While trying to be happy for the unborn baby, keep positive, and stay healthy, because that baby feels everything coursing through your veins, I had to either salvage this, save the partnership, or start planning an exit. I tried confronting my business partner to bargain working through his exit, it is funny, and I really could not understand at the moment what I had done. I mean I was signing business, maintaining the staff, and even promoting our company name into great areas of our field. He simply said it was him, it was not me. I learned that my business partner got a great offer from the same client who did not want me to travel pregnant. I think today that maybe it was easy for him- I was clearly vulnerable, weak, and my priorities to him would be solely on my baby. Sure it was a game of “I have to take care of me”- but what it did for me, was change me forever. It taught me to be tougher, see clearer, and know bad people are under my nose, but it taught me strength for my unborn.
My business partner left our existing office the day of my baby shower; of course he had no shame. I on the other hand did what any pregnant woman in her third trimester would do. I nested, but I nested at a level of crazy. Some mommies to be went through their closets. I did just that and a large office. Some make nurseries; I had to rebuild a new office in a new location. All of this was a joke, nightmare, and something I could not believe I was going through. As I prepared and prepared, I realized nothing prepares you for hardship pregnant or not. I just know that inner strength comes out in our hardest of moments, and you must embrace it.
