I debated whether I wanted to share something so personal on this public blog, but I really enjoy reading personal bits of other bloggers’ lives, so I thought I’d give it a go. Pregnancy has been both easier and harder than I thought. It’s been easier physically (for the most part) but much harder emotionally. Even though I know everyone’s experience is different, I wanted to share my top 10 best and worst things about pregnancy.
Best
1.
good skin
I know not everyone gets the glowing skin when they’re pregnant, but I’ve definitely had it and I LOVE it. I’ve always had kind of dull, oily skin, but right now my skin is smooth and supple. I will probably get pregnant again just to experience this great skin!
2. loungewear
When you’re pregnant, you can get away with wearing literally whatever you want. I wear leggings every single day and nobody even bats an eye.
3. baby kicks
This should probably be higher on my list, but I LOVE feeling the baby kick. Sometimes it’s a little freaky, but usually it just feels good. I like having a reminder that there’s a real human growing inside of me. I feel very connected to the baby when he kicks.
4. baby clothes
Buying baby clothes has been a great source of therapy for me. Whenever something happens (good or bad), I go to Gap and buy the cutest thing I can find. I don’t want to be one of those moms who only buys clothes for her kids, though, so I make sure to buy myself something, too.
5. thick hair
Similar to #1, I’ve had great hair since I’ve been pregnant. My eyelashes and eyebrows have been so much thicker and longer. I know a lot of women lose a lot of their hair after having the baby, so I’m living it up while I can!
6. compliments
People make a lot of stupid comments about pregnant women, but they also say a lot of nice things. No matter what I wear or how I do my makeup, people always tell me how cute and skinny I am. And right now, I’ll take what I can get!
7. baby daddy
Watching my husband get excited about having a baby has been very special to me. Even though he’s not somebody who just LOVES kids, he is already very thoughtful and loving when it comes to OUR baby, and it’s honestly been so fun seeing that part of him.
8. (lack of) stretch marks
I know this is a stretch (get it…?) but I’m really grateful that I haven’t gotten any stretch marks with pregnancy. As far as I know, stretch marks are genetic, so I really just lucked out in that area, but I’m definitely not complaining about it!
9. better curves
I don’t always feel this way, but on a good day, I look at my body and I honestly feel pretty sexy. I haven’t gained an excessive amount of weight so my arms and legs are still pretty skinny and my boobs are definitely bigger haha. The body stuff has actually been pretty hard on me emotionally, so I’m trying to be grateful for the things I do like!
10. the motherhood club
When I got pregnant, I felt like I joined this elite group of women who wanted to raise good families and set/reach good goals and just generally make the world a better place. Seriously. Mothers are amazing. I have loved receiving advice and comfort from other moms, because it makes me feel included and excited about this chapter of my life. Being a part of the motherhood club has been such a privilege for me.
Worst
1. morning sickness
I had all-day sickness for the first 20 weeks of my pregnancy. Even though it was pretty mild, it was really hard to continue living my normal life during that time, especially because nobody knew I was pregnant. I haven’t been nauseous since hitting that half-way mark, but I will never forget how crummy it was.
2. body issues
I know I said I feel good most of the time, but seeing my body change has been really, really hard for me. A large part of my identity (and probably everyone’s identity) is the way my body looks, and seeing that change so drastically in such a short amount of time has thrown me for a loop. I started using positive affirmations such as “I am PROUD of the changes my body is experiencing with pregnancy” and I feel like that helped a lot.
3. comments/insults
I could write an entire book of the weird things people have said to me since being pregnant, but I’m really trying to focus on the positive here. I’ll just say this: If you’re not telling me how skinny and beautiful I look, just shut up. Even comments like “Wow, you look so pregnant!” are hurtful and should be kept to yourself.
4. comparison
It’s been really hard for me not to feel like my pregnancy is a competition with other women's’ pregnancies. I know I’m not the first person to have a baby, but to me it’s so special and sometimes other people treat it like it’s no big deal! Even when someone else announces that they’re pregnant, I feel bad haha.
5. hormones
My hormones haven’t felt out of whack until recently, but now they’re out of control. I get sad/mad/upset really easily and it’s frustrating to feel like I’m just not myself. My mother-in-law says that hormones are a blessing because they magnify our feelings, but sometimes I wish they would just go away!
6. food
I have had a really weird relationship with food during pregnancy. I honestly haven’t had a great appetite and I haven’t had any crazy cravings. Most days I just really don’t feel like eating anything other than McDonalds (which is the same thing I like to eat when I’m not pregnant) and it’s exhausting to explain to people why I’m not taking a lunch.
7. pelvic pain
In case you didn’t know, being in the late stages of pregnancy (28+ weeks) feels like you’ve been hit in the crotch with a wrecking ball. IT HURTS. ALL THE TIME. Nobody told me about this symptom, so I called my doctor and asked if it was normal for my uterus to fall out of my body and she said, “Oh, yes. That feeling will probably get worse as you get farther along.” Great. I don’t want to whine about this forever, but my private area literally hurts no matter what I do. It hurts to sit, it hurts to stand, it hurts to walk, it even hurts when I’m lying down. The ONLY time it doesn’t hurt is when I’m in the bathtub, which is why I take so many baths these days.
8. “how are you feeling?”
This question will be the death of me. Like I mentioned above, my crotch hurts all the time. I really want to be a positive person, but some days I just can’t do it. Sometimes I actually feel insulted when someone asks me that, because the truth is, until I’m not pregnant, I’m not going to feel good, so please stop asking me.
9. heartburn
I actually *kind of* see heartburn as a positive thing. It’s an old wives tale that heartburn during pregnancy means the baby will have lots of hair, and because I want a baby with lots of hair, I take on the heartburn with pride. But also, sometimes I feel like I’m having a stroke, and that’s no fun.
10. preparation
I know this is vague, but the logistical preparations for having a baby have been really stressful. I’m 6-7 weeks away from delivery and I just feel so overwhelmed by everything I have to do to get ready. My mom is taking me shopping today (which is mostly for fun, but I think it will help me to feel a little more on top of things). The truth is, it doesn’t matter how many blogs you read or how many people you talk to, I think you just never feel prepared for something like this.
Pregnancy has been a miraculous experience and I’m SO GRATEFUL for the opportunity I have to be pregnant, but I would be lying if I said it wasn’t hard. I’m just glad that when this pregnancy is over, I’ll have a beautiful new baby to show for it!
♡♡♡
Rebecca
