đŸ«¶ This Time Last Year

I Was Afraid of Labor

Author

Naomi Knight
July 07, 2025

Hi Mama,

Hi momma,

We’re continuing our “This Time Last Year” series today — stories from moms who now have 3-month-old babies, reflecting on what life looked like when they were pregnant just like you.

Today’s story is for the moms nearing the finish line
 and realizing just how big that finish line feels.

This Time Last Year: I Was Afraid of Labor
(shared with permission from Aleah)

This time last year, I was a few weeks away from my due date — and I was completely overwhelmed.

Not just physically, though that too.

I was peeing every 20 minutes, couldn’t sleep without stacking five pillows around my body like a fortress, and cried over a peanut butter commercial.

But the hardest part was in my head.

I’d lie awake wondering:

What if I don’t know when labor starts?
What if I freeze?
What if I can’t handle the pain?
What if something goes wrong?
What if I’m not strong enough?

No one tells you how emotional the last stretch of pregnancy can be.

I felt like I was about to step off a cliff — and everyone around me was saying, “You’re going to fly!” while I was secretly thinking, “But what if I fall?”

I wish I could go back and wrap that version of me in the biggest hug.

Because she didn’t know it yet — but she was so much stronger than she realized.

I didn’t feel “ready” the day labor started.

But I was ready.

Because ready isn’t a checklist. It’s trust.
It’s presence.
It’s showing up moment by moment, breath by breath.
And you, reading this now — you’re doing it too.

So if you’re carrying a knot of fear with you today
 it’s okay.

You’re not broken. You’re not failing. You’re just human. And you're stepping into something extraordinary.

Let yourself feel it. Let yourself cry. Let yourself rest.

The strength will rise when you need it — I promise.

With so much love,
Aleah

Next week’s story is one of my favorites — it’s about the kind of pregnancy that doesn’t always get talked about — the kind that comes after loss.

Until then — stay hydrated, stay gentle with yourself.

You got this momma,
Naomi

✹ Hey Mama-to-Be
 got 60 seconds and a phone? âœš

Then you’ve got everything you need to grab my Week-by-Week Pregnancy Guide for Modern Moms—because the eBook version is totally, actually, really FREE.

Yep, it’s on Amazon.
Yep, the price is zero dollars and zero cents.
And yep
 I know.
I’ve never gotten anything on Amazon for free either. 😂

But here we are!

This guide is like your favorite pregnancy app—but turned into a cozy, beautifully illustrated book that won’t send you into a Google spiral.

Each week, you’ll get:

đŸ‘¶ Adorable baby-size comparisons (spoiler: some of them are snack-related)
đŸ€° Straight-up facts about what’s going on in your body—without the medical jargon
📝 Gentle checklists, easy prep tips, and bite-sized wisdom that won’t overwhelm you
📚 Bonus stuff like a sample birth plan, a glossary of pregnancy terms, and a budgeting worksheet (because onesies add up, y’all)

Whether you’re 6 weeks in or officially in nesting mode, this book will help you feel grounded, prepared, and a little more like the rockstar mom you already are.

Go on—treat yourself to the easiest Amazon checkout of your life.

You got this momma,
Naomi 💛