Pregnancy Promises

[Modestandatinybitsexy]

What pregnancy perks were you looking forward to that never materialised?

I'm currently 8+4 and I've been really looking forward to my hair staying put on my head and my skin clearing up.

I have a lot of long thick hair and I molt EVERYWHERE. DH was told convinced this would stop if he got me knocked up. He is very unhappy to keep finding the hoover clogged with my blonde locks.

I've also had eczema my entire life. I was super looking forward to the pregnancy glow and my skin clearing up. I'm yet to see any improvement! It's actually got worse because I've had to come off my steroid creams and I'm getting way more spots!

So tell me Pregnant People of Mumsnet what were you promised that hasn't gone to plan?

[lighthearted]

[Cococrumble]

The famous "glow"

I'm pale, drawn and have huge bags under my eyes.


I feel I've been misled

[drinkyourmilk]

I was told I'd feel better by 12 weeks.
16 weeks and still throwing up most days.
Now they've said I'll feel better by 20. Gah.

[summerskittles91]

Cococrumble

Totally agree - not helped by the fact my cousin told me my face looked "fuller"

so now I'm pale, with bags and a fatter face. great!

[Modestandatinybitsexy]

Ah! There's definite misleading going on, it's a conspiracy

Cococrumble and Summerskittles how far along are you both? I have to admit I'm still holding out hope for the glow!

drinkyourmilk I'm sorry you're feeling so terrible. FX for feeling better sooner rather than later

[Kittenrush]

8+4!! You've got tonnes of time yet! I have been through so many different hormonal stages. At first my skin cleared up beautifully but then I actually developed eczema at about 6 months which I've never had before in my life. Now I'm 8 months and my hair is amazing but my skin is horrendous. Back to my spotty chin and shiny forehead! It'll all change again after you've given birth :) give it time! You've so many hormones to come :D

[hels18]

Haha, I was talking about this earlier today! A friend of mine kept talking about how much she loved being pregnant and how wonderful she felt. I am wondering what I am missing as a certainly do not feel wonderful (26 weeks in..)

Totally missing the pregnancy glow. Instead of my skin and face looking well and glowy, I have more spots and giant bags under my eyes from not sleeping well.

Another promise was the little perks of perhaps getting a seat on the tube, or peeing for free. Oh no, life goes on and I am still commuting standing up and paying 50p for peeing at the station morning and night (£1 a day soon adds up!!).

[cocopops88]

That the morning sickness would stop.. At 12 weeks, at 16 weeks, at 20 weeks.. I'm 33 weeks now and still sick at least 6 days a week!

[Kittenrush]

Cocopops you poor thing. I can't imagine how awful that must be

[SaltedCaramelEverything]

I read the so called "glow" comes in the second trimester. However the unmumsy mum says it's a con!! I'm keeping my fingers crossed to be blessed with it (to make up for current bad hair and skin, I think it's only fair)

[melibu84]

My hair did not get fuller and thicker. It got drier and brittle. i now have pretty bad post partum shedding so seriously considering hacking it all off and having a mini afro :D

My partner said I had the glow, but I never noticed!

[hels18]

Oh cocopops you poor thing. Mine finally eased off around 16 weeks, but the nausea came back around 23 weeks..

[Bumptittybump]

op have some patience! My psoriasis dissapeared completely last time I was pregnant and never came back!

[happylass]

Bigger boobs! Mine haven't grown at all . I've had to buy bra extenders as my back has got wider but I'm still struggling to fill an A cup

[greenlizard]

No glow here either and my OH was gutted that I never did develop the second trimester horn which he was so very looking forward to......

[Lovewatchingrainfall]

I was promised my boobs would grow and they have not currently 32weeks and not grown a bit!!! I do nothing but moan.

Was also told my hair was thin a bit but no it has got thicker and thicker.

Plus still waiting for my glow.

[idontlikealdi]

The all of it was a lie!

I had no glow, no energy, crippling Si that got me signed off at 21 weeks, a spot on my nose that didn't disappear for the whole pregnancy, everything apart from my boobs swelled up, even my nose, heartburn the list goes on.

It was worth it though!

[Nuggy2013]

41+4 here. It's all bloody lies. Glowing? Sweating like a mofo at the slightest sign of temperature increase is more like it. Hair, healthy and thick? Dry and shedding like a dog. Don't start me on my skin, however 3 more days until eviction kicks in so hopefully there will be some improvement......... At some point!!!

[MrsH87]

My hair appears to have stopped growing entirely! It's still quite thick, but much the same length as when I had it cut 3 months ago (it normally grows very quickly) and I've not had to shave my legs or pluck my brows in weeks!! Weird!

[nephrofox]

8 weeks is so early you've got loads of time. I don't think the placenta is even fully formed yet and so there's lots of hormonal changes etc to come.

[frikadela01]

The glow.... I looked like shit my whole pregnancy.

My hair is super thick anyway so not sure if it got thicker... It is however now falling out in huge clumps 16 week post partum.


The "easy" second trimester. This is when my heartburn and snotty nose started so I couldn't sleep at night due to having to be propped up on pillows.

[RPC3110]

I can totally relate with a lot of the comments above. Im 35w+3d and not once did I get 'the glow', everyone commented on how good I looked, I never felt it!, my hair grew slower and got drier too, so that was a bummer. My boobs barely grew yet I got horrible stretch marks on them :( The only upside is that I didn't get stretch marks on my belly and I was barely sick just a bit of nausea until around 11/12weeks. I found out at week 6 I was pregnant so didn't suffer too long. Oh and heartburn, yeah that sucks. Your skin changes with hormones so will go through many changes, mine went bad, then better and then back to bad, maybe it will get better when I give birth a long with everything else, who knows.

[RobberBride]

That 'morning sickness' would just be in the morning, not all day.

[Cococrumble]

modest 36 weeks. I've given up hope now to be honest!

summerskittles yes to the fuller face! My cheeky cow of a sister told me "you don't look pregnant from behind..your CHIN otherwise..."

Also, I had the delight of catching a glimpse of myself in a full length mirror naked earlier. I am absolutely PLASTERED in stretch marks including the tops of my thighs, hips, all over my stomach and my boobs I want a refund from bio oil!

[RasperryInAMelon]

9 weeks and a mess already...

Skype call to my dad earlier 'Jesus, I thought you were supposed to be glowing with pregnancy? You look rough!!...'

Cheers dad, can always rely on him for a pep talk! 

Best mate also told me I looked 'wide' the other day!

[haveacupoftea]

7+5 here so early days but so far lies include 'when you're pregnant, you just know' (really? I am yet to be convinced) and 'you'll just naturally go off things that are bad for you like wine' (no, it still looks and smells delicious, i'm pretty sure it still tastes amazing too)