10 Reasons Pregnancy Isn’t What It’s Cracked Up To Be
So, you just found out you're pregnant, huh? Not you, specifically, but let's just go with that for a moment. Let's say you find out you're pregnant and for that moment and maybe even a few days or weeks after, you're over the moon! Then after the excitement wears down a little you start noticing some symptoms, upon symptoms, upon more symptoms. I promise you're not dying. You're just pregnant! While the end result is unimaginable with you holding your new baby for the very first time, the road there can sometimes be winding and long. Very long - seemingly an eternity long. So here are 10 reasons why pregnancy sometimes isn't what it's always cracked up to be:
1) All the fun is sucked out of your life.
Okay, maybe I'm being a little dramatic with that one, but it really does feel like it at times! No more drinking, no more late nights, no more roller coasters, limited caffeine, and the list drags on. The further you go along the more fun that gets sucked out of your new pregnancy life.
2) You're constantly wet (and not in a fun type of way).
Perspiration. Some people have a lot and some people only have a little. However, when you're pregnant, sweating becomes the new norm. Not just sweating from your pits either. Oh no, you get the fun crotch sweats too. It's fabulous. Not to mention, everything becomes a lot more annoyingly lubricated 'down there' for quite a while due to hormone fluctuations. It's so fun being huge and living in a constant puddle.
3) Say goodbye to sleep.
This continues until death pretty much. I'd like to say that it gets better, but since I had my first pregnancy seven years ago I still have had about seven decent nights of sleep since. So maybe one per year. Sleeping while pregnant becomes impossible. You're never comfortable. Once you finally get to a certain level of comfort either something starts aching or you have to pee for the sixteenth time. Uhg.
4) The bathroom becomes very familiar to you.
Like I mentioned above, you will have to pee non-stop. Just when you think your bladder couldn't possibly have any more liquid in it, there's more. Don't expect to be able to do anything for over 30 minutes straight without making a bathroom trip during pregnancy. It's not possible.
5) Everything is a balancing act.
Everything is a balancing act - life, work, walking. Yes, literally walking gets difficult as your center of gravity changes all throughout your second and third trimesters.
6) Nausea, nausea, nausea!
While many people don't suffer from this particular issue for more than the first trimester, some people do their entire pregnancy. Morning sickness is real and it's absolutely awful. Spending multiple times a day running to a toilet or trashcan because you think you're about to hurl is tiring and a little embarrassing. Carry some ginger mints or ginger gum during this time. Those always seem to help ladies with morning sickness issues.
7) Nothing fits anymore.
Nothing fits anymore and I mean nothing. Your pants, shirts, bras, underwear, and even your socks and shoes may not fit anymore. That's right!
The pregnancy-related weird issue of foot growth causes your feet to grow and never shrink back down. I used to wear a size nine and now I have to get a ten or eleven. You have to purchase a whole new wardrobe just because you're having a baby. It's insane.
8) Cramps, aches, and pains, oh my!
During pregnancy, you'll experience so many strange sensations including, unfortunately, painful ones. Muscle cramps, ligament pain, and backaches are all par for the course of pregnancy. Some people even develop a lovely condition called sciatica, where a nerve is compressed causing your leg to feel as though if it were on fire constantly. You're starting to re-think this baby thing, aren't you?
9) Food cravings, weight gain and swelling.
Obviously, since you're pregnant you're going to gain weight. Not only will you gain weight, but you'll crave different foods that you must have no matter the cost. Sometimes these cravings hit during dinner when your significant other can easily obtain it. Other times, they hit in the dead of night where you must have that Rocky-road icecream right now at 1 a.m or you feel like you might die. Add all of the extra food you'll be eating with bad cravings and water retention and you'll pack on the pounds quicker than anyone thought humanly possible.
10) Beach ball belly.
During your third trimester, your stomach gets so big that it becomes unmanageable. You can't see a few feet in front of you because your stomach obstructs your view. Try not to sit on the floor, as you might get stuck unless you have someone to help you get back up. Intercourse is generally uncomfortable and cumbersome with a giant baby belly in the way. Breathing even becomes difficult in the last 6 weeks. smoothly flowing basic bodily functions become victories each and every day that pregnancy progresses with the beach ball belly.
While pregnancy can be a huge pain in the, well, everywhere, the outcome is generally good and well worth the effort invested in creating a new life. However, that doesn't mean there aren't bumps, sometimes large ones, along the way!