The things women go through being pregnant…boy o boy!
They say that every pregnancy is different. This is something that I believe. But you know what is starting to bug me? I am starting to get irritated with the celebrities who get pregnant and you only know because of their baby bump. They still look gorgeous and it seems that pregnancy makes them look better than they did before. Uggh, its annoying to me when they only come out in public when they are looking great and you see the flaws that comes along with carrying another human being. It’s not just celebrities who do this, there are some amazing “normal” looking women I see on Instagram and say to myself “She looks great! How does she do it?!”
Well I am here to shatter the lies that only the pictures tell. As beautiful pregnancy can be, there are some ugly parts that come along with being pregnant that the celebrities and some women on Instagram just don’t share. These are symptoms that I have experienced. If you are trying to become pregnant or are already pregnant, you may not experience these effects but I most certainly did.
- Feeling Unattractive. Since becoming pregnant, I have not felt like my normal self. I mean, I can’t wear my stilettos, cute dresses, or my sexy underwear! I mean, I can still wear heels but I’m a bit nervous to wear them as sometimes I can be a bit clumsy; I am a bit self-conscious to wear cute sexy dresses during my pregnancy; and sexy underwear, let me know where I can find some that will fit over my ass that seems to be pregnant as well. Don’t get me wrong, there are times that I see the glow and feel absolutely beautiful, but there are times that I just don’t feel pretty. I went through serious acne in my first trimester, I know have freckles and a darkened neck (super weird), and my feet are so swollen I couldn’t wear heels if I wanted to.
- Itchy Nipples. Oh I know how my dog, Baby, feels when I scratch her belly and hit that spot on her tummy that gets her legs to start shaking. There are times that where my nipples/ breast are so itchy that I actually make these weird noises as I scratch them. It can get so bad that to make sure that I don’t put any welts on my breast I put a thin t-shirt over my boobs and scratch like crazy. So it’s a bit hard if you’re in the bed with your “baby-daddy” and you want to get romantic and your boobs start itching crazy. That is not a good look.
- Gas. Oh my lord! If we ever meet, you may not want to stand around me for too long because you might get caught up in the “dark cloud”. You know the bad thing about it, is that I can’t seem to help it. It comes out of nowhere. Seriously! Do you know how many times I laughed and passed gas at the same time…in public?! I have to play it off like someone else did it or say it must be the local sewer system. Yea right! It’s the sewer system in my behind, but they don’t need to know that. This is actually something that is a thing for pregnant women. I read that your intestinal tract becomes so relaxed that passing gas becomes almost uncontrollable. It’s something that just happens. This is so not sexy.
- Horniness. Now this may not be something that you would consider to be a flaw in pregnancy and it isn’t normally, but when you are always pouncing on your husband like a horny male teenager, the aggression can be a bit much. Now, I can have this conversation with you guys because I am a married woman and there is no shame in my game, but sex has never been better! Especially in the second trimester. The first trimester he could’ve wrapped it up, put a bow on it, and gave that thing to Hustler as a gift that would keep on giving. But now that I am feeling like myself, it has become the gift that keeps on giving to me. Praise the Lord! Now, when you feel your sexual urges come back, and they will, try to spoon feed it to your husband. Now for a while, you won’t have to do anything. He will be wanting you so bad because of the lack of action he didn’t get in the first trimester, you will have to fight him off you! After he “feels better” your sexual adrenaline will still be at full speed! So I say it again, don’t hurt him too badly.
- Back and rib pain. This is horrible! You may start to feel your lower back throb and your ribs ache a bit here and there. This is so uncomfortable beyond imagination. You can say that it is painful but I will say that it is uncomfortable. I feel the pain my lower back if I am walking for a long period or if I am doing too much. However, the rib pain is, sometimes, unbearable and I experience this the most after I eat. I read up on this and it seems to be pretty common. It feels like your ribs are trying to detach themselves from your body and no Tylenol can help the discomfort. So get ready for that discomfort.
There are few other things that I noticed that makes pregnancy kind of gross. But, if we take those flaws away there is so much beauty that comes along with bring forth a new life into this world! I love to feel my baby kicking and moving inside of me. It is quite overwhelming. My husband and I cannot wait until we meet this little person and receive that unconditional love that God has for us and that we have for each other. There are so many advantages of being pregnant that I will miss when this experience is over and the one that I will miss the most is the love and pampering that I get. My friends and family have been so supportive and helpful to me during this time. Their support helps makes the uncomfortable things a bit more comfortable. So, if your pregnant and don’t feel like yourself, you have to find something that still resembles who you are as a woman (minus the baby) to feel good. For me, it’s a spa day. I’m not talking a massage; I’m talking a day. I am saving my coins for it now.
Pregnancy certainly comes with its challenges, from feeling unattractive to dealing with back pain and gas. It’s refreshing to see an honest take on the less glamorous side of pregnancy that often gets glossed over. Despite the discomforts, the joy of feeling your baby move and the support from loved ones make it all worth it. Hang in there, and treat yourself to that well-deserved spa day!