40 Weeks The Movie

When I found out I was pregnant the first time (and the second, third, and even fourth time), I immediately procured a copy of What to Expect When You're Expecting and absorbed myself in it for a few days. I wasn't really looking for specific information, especially by the third and fourth time around, but more for a sense of what the journey and changes ahead of me were going to feel like.

Over the weekend I had the opportunity to preview the new documentary movie 40 weeks, and it is everything that was missing between the covers of all the pregnancy guides I've read. This beautiful film goes beyond entertainment and puts both men and women in touch with 13 real women on a very intimate journey through the 40 weeks of pregnancy. I loved it!

The film follows a diverse group of women through the pregnancy journey, which I appreciated. There was a mother doing it on her own despite some heartbreaking setbacks, which I could obviously relate to. There were happy couples expecting their first and second babies through healthy, smooth sailing pregnancies that comfort so many worriers. Some of the women encountered difficult roadblocks like cancer, fibroid tumors, and hyperemesis, and watching them struggle through it to the end is so encouraging and uplifting.

There is something so comforting about watching real women who are generous enough to share the details of their pregnancy experience. Turns out I am not the only one whose skin doesn't respond kindly to pregnancy hormones. Pregnancy brain is apparently a legitimate excuse for losing your keys in the refrigerator. I even cried along with the movie as mothers found themselves having c-sections they didn't want and didn't expect. There was so much that I could learn from and connect with in this film.

All of the women's stories are inspiring and educating. The film, so much more than any pregnancy book I've come across, is personal, empowering, and presents a reassuring community for both moms and dads to connect with.

Husband and wife team Christopher Henze and Dominique Debroux created 40 Weeks the movie in part to educate expecting moms and dads. To ensure that all health care information in the movie is accurate and current, 40 Week's key partners include:

The Association of Women's Health
Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses, the world's largest nursing authority dedicated to the healthy of women and babies
HealthyWomen.org, the nation's leading independent health information source for women
March of Dimes, the most respected non-profit organization dedicated to helping moms have full-term pregnancies and healthy babies

If you are expecting (or even just hoping to take this journey someday), this movie is a must see! As a mother who just recently completed the 40 week journey and is now fully immersed in the baby days that follow, I found myself completely enthralled by the film and the incredible women in it.

Watch the trailer. Check out the 40 Weeks website and Facebook Page.

The film's creators have partnered with Gathr, a really unique approach to crowd-source screenings across the country. With Gathr, it’s easy to become a 40 Weeks Champion and hold a screening in your area. Just go to https://www.40weeksthemovie.com/about-movie/find-screening/ and sign up to hold a screening or be notified if one is coming to your area.