the pregnancy project
Departures from narratives of progress

Excerpts from interview transcripts
 

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Betsy (due in late February, planning a home birth with midwives)
 
We weren't trying not to [conceive], but we weren't - we were letting nature take its course.  I had concerns because I'm 31 and I've never - I was actually married before and had tried to get pregnant and never got pregnant.  So, I had a concern that I might be infertile.  Just this sinking fear inside of me.  I mean, it's a long time in a person's life.  But I've always maintained the believe that you get pregnant if you're supposed to, you know what I'm saying.  The baby chooses or the universe chooses and the timing is right now.  Actually, Joe and I were having a hard time in May, and that's when we got pregnant.  I was doing a lot of praying.  Give me a sign, God.  What am I to do?  What path am I to choose?  This was what I got.  [Laughter]
 
Maria (due in mid-March, planning to deliver at hospital with obstetrician)
 
[Our priest] was like, Why wait.  I was taken aback.  I was like, Well, but we'll have a baby.  We'll have a baby in February.  So early.  I'm in school.  It was just a shock.  But the more I thought about it, the more I'm like, Well, if we don't have to do natural family planning, then I'd rather not.  I'm also kind of against planning in general because I think the culture is so toward planning.  I think this is so true - well, if you just think about birth control in general.  Because so many people are, I'm married, but I don't have kids for 5 years or whatever or even 2 years.  So, they plan and they use birth control for 2 years, then after that, they'll have kids.  To me, it's just like, Do I want to have my life controlled by myself?  If you don't think you can do it, God will be there to do it.
 


Please note that all names have been changed in order to respect and protect the privacy of the first-time mothers and fathers participating in this project.