A woman is pregnant for nine months, but remains a woman for the rest of her life

There was a doctor,  Peterson, I believe, who was ‘assigned’ to me when I was a quite pregnant young woman, when my husband had been sent to work at a plant that was part of the Manhattan Project.  It was more than a year before we knew the facility was part of Atomic Research, but that’s what it was.

Anyway, home and everything was paid for, such as housing (5-room, 2 bdrms bsmnt); all utilities, furnace (coal checked and supplied monthly), large lawn space, and including all medical care.  All pure GI. (Government Issue).  Which at least partially explains why I can’t remember that man’s real name, but he changed my life.

That part I remember well, very well, and I’ve passed his words along many times just as I’m doing so today. Never once did I ever tell him “Thank you”, for WW2 soon ended and all of us were again tossed around.  But others have thanked me for his words, because I’ve passed them along.

But anyway . . . there I was, a long, long way into my pregnancy . . . bewildered,  scared, in a new ‘town’ and tossed into his care.  So it was a long time before I knew how marvelous his words were. Before I had any way of knowing their worth, and so I excuse myself.

He was a young doctor and after the preliminary exams were over he told me I was in great shape, but a little overweight.  I was surprised because I had been watching what I ate, etc.  BUT I WAS PREGNANT, dang it,  WHAT DID HE EXPECT ???

Well, he didn’t expect anything, but he hoped for several things.

First he told me, “A woman is pregnant for nine months, but remains a woman for the rest of her life,” and I agreed with him.  So, he said, “When I see you on your first visit AFTER the birthing, I want to see you looking like you did before you became pregnant.”

Well, dang it, I had the same hopes, and had just taken it for granted, but the Doc wasn’t there for a conversation and went on with his directions.

“From now on”, he smiled at me, “I want you to pay attention to women who are older than you.  Wherever you are, restaurant, store, church, anywhere, silently seek out the women who are 10, 20, 30, 40 or more years older than you, and then choose which ones of those women you would like to look like when you become their age.”   

Oh, I silently said, for  he went right on,  “And, also decide which ones you do not want to look like.”  Oh, that’s different.  Okay, okay.

“And when you see one in her 60’s and not bad looking at all, watch her.  If in a restaurant, casually see what she eats.  If you know her in your neighborhood, pay attention to how she spends her days.  What she does, or doesn’t do.”

At the same time, he went on, “Find those women that you would NOT want to look like at their age.  Do the same silent checking.  What do they eat?  Do?  All that stuff.

“Make a casual habit of this.  For heaven’s sake, don’t intrude, but check up on women older than you, and notice what foods they order, how they exercise, and spend their ‘free’ time, handle their children and all the rest.”

He stressed that unconsciously, each of those women had chosen the bodies they now walk around in,  by their choice of food, exercise, or no exercise.  What they read, study, dress and all the rest that makes up a woman’s life.

And he noted it doesn’t take a lot of money, but happens just by making the right choices.

I heard him. There I sat long ago with a ‘baby bump’ as big as two balloons, and while I’m now no paragon of beauty, but my weight is good, I still have a waist line, my mind is active, and my family does not have to apologize when introducing me as their mother.  Just watch, copy or not, but learn and do the best one can.

Watch older women and CHOOSE which one you would like to look like in 10, 20, 30, 40 or more years, and which ones you do NOT want to resemble, and then go on from there.

I dunno where that good Doc got his info from, but it was good, and I for one followed it.  Hope some young women reading this will do the same.  Thank you Dr. Peterson, where ever you are.  You helped form my adult life, and I think the lives of several other women  who’ve heard your (my) words over the years.