Welcome to our health and wellness issue! Such timing, as we were determining the deadlines and details of this issue, unbeknownst to me, I was a mom to be. I did figure it out at about 3 weeks along. I am now three and a half months pregnant and it was a planned pregnancy. But I was planning for it quite a bit further down the road.

It was eat and sleep more than usual and my clothes are beginning to feel snug, all the normal signs. As for cravings, sushi, coffee, chocolate and most other things I am supposed to cut out or cut down on are at the top of my list. The strangest part of being pregnant so far has been other peoples’ reactions. These have ranged from disgust, happiness, bursting into tears (not tears of joy) and confusion. It is strange when a loved one has a strong unhappy emotional response to my personal new. I used to feel like I had to smooth things out and make it ok.

This time the new and improved pregnant me laid down the law and told those sitting in judgment, “If you are not happy for me, I do not want to hear about it. At all.” OK I did comfort the teary responses, but cut off the judgemental responses. This goes against cultural norms of how to talk to older and loved relatives, but ain’t it great that culture is not a static phenomenon?

I have a renewed respect for young Aboriginal mothers as it seems the first dificulties encountered come from our own before the baby even arrives. So, go tell the mom nearest to you what a wonderful job she is doing raising strong beautiful children, tell them they are doing more for nation building than the AFN ever could! (I should add that many family and friends are supportive and I feel that daily.) Voice has got to be one of the most dificult issues for me to tackle, however with a new spirit inside me, I speak with an increased resonance. I suppose this could also be the hormones, whatever the source is, I love this part of pregnancy and anticipate that it is only the beginning of how motherhood is going to change my life.

Sometime before the first day of spring, keep an eye out for an advertisement for a new editor, because I will be a new mom and probably too busy to edit for awhile. Hope you enjoy this issue; please send us your feedback or submissions!

Sincerely, Joanna +1.