I never used to understand when people would say that they didn’t love being pregnant.
Who wouldn’t love feeling the kicks of a tiny baby that you are growing inside of you?
Who wouldn’t embrace an adorable baby bump, proudly showing off that you are the sole source of a growing tiny human?
Well, I have to admit…this is my third pregnancy… and I.am.over.it. I don’t know if it’s because I’m a little older, or because it’s the nature of a third pregnancy, or I just didn’t get as lucky this time around, but my body is utterly and completely exhausted. When people kindly ask, “How are you feeling?” I always respond, “Great” or “Good,” but I’m not really feeling either. I was extremely sick the first 14 weeks of my pregnancy, to the point that I needed medication, I had to get an eye procedure during my 2nd trimester, and now in my third trimester, I feel constantly out of breath and my lower back feels like it’s going to dislocate itself from my body.
I am sharing all of this not to simply complain, but to share with others that I GET IT NOW. I understand why some people don’t enjoy pregnancy like I once did. And it’s not just the physical stress that I can relate to, but it’s missing out on the person you were before you were pregnant. I miss raw sushi, a nice glass of wine, a refreshing margarita, COLD CUTS!…just to name a few. I miss my 5am workouts that I once had the energy to do. For some reason, the third time around, I miss all of those things so much more.
Now, I want to admit that I haven’t absolutely hated every second of being pregnant. I do enjoy feeling my baby girl moving around. I do love looking back at how my baby bump has grown. It does bring me joy and a feeling of content. It’s not all bad.
But, I’ve learned that it’s okay not to love it all the time. The more I’ve talked to other moms about this, the more I learn that I am certainly not the only person to ever feel this way. It’s almost a relief when another mom replies, “You too?! I HATED being pregnant!” It’s as if we have to keep yet another emotion inside, because it’s not what people want or expect to hear.
But, I am here to say that being pregnant is hard work. It’s not easy and it’s not always fun. I mean, I’ve never heard someone say they regret it. It’s so obviously worth it for the beautiful outcome. It just needs to be out there that it’s OKAY to say you don’t enjoy it, that it’s OKAY that you can’t wait to get yourself back again (physically AND mentally). The stigma that pregnancy is all glowing faces and beautifully styled bumps, is just a façade to cover up the emotional messes we are hiding underneath. And, we shouldn’t have to hide it.
Wear that bump proudly, along with every single emotion that goes along with it. I am with you! 