to ask what you found to be the hardest part about pregnancy?

[SoreFeet1983]

I have had a really rough pregnancy this time around. I've had awful sickness and nausea, I'm tired, I'm trying to look after a toddler at the same time, and I can't even have a glass of wine to take the edge off. I'm exhausted. Now finally 37 weeks.

But for me, this all pales into insignificance in comparison to restless fucking leg syndrome 😡😡 Every time I try to lie down and relax I just can't get comfortable. It's driving me up the wall and really getting me down actually.

Apart from the obvious, what did you find to be the hardest parts of pregnancy?

Physically, it was a breeze. However, I was the first of my friends to be pregnant and I missed going out drinking with them, and I couldn't go on a holiday to San Fran that they all took. We did other stuff together - "quiet" pubs where I drank soft drinks, cinema, pizza, walks on the beach etc - but it didn't feel the same.

Now, I'm glad I had my two children when I did (30 and 31). A couple of those friends didn't start families until 40+ and are finding it hard going.

The indigestion and nausea are getting me down at the moment and I'll easily have another 3-4 weeks of this. Plus tiredness as soon as I wake up. Finding it completely impossible to work but can't tell anyone yet!

Heartburn and sleeping on my left side.
I have two conditions that made the pregnancy high risk so concern about how those might impact my baby.

This is baby #4 and the migraines have been the worst this time round. I finally went on beta blockers to try to stop them, but they have the side-effect of making me completely and utterly exhausted while not doing very much for the migraines themselves after four weeks! Currently getting 4 or 5 migraines a week, then spend the day after one feeling knackered too.
I'm now 30 weeks and have 3 other kids to look after. I have felt human for about a week in the past seven months. It's awful. I feel so guilty for relying heavily on the iPad for the younger ones to help keep them entertained while I crash in bed feeling pathetic.
I'm pretty sure I should not put myself and my family through this ever again!

The pain, I think I had spent but we didn't know about it way back then, and the enforced bed rest for pre enclampsia

Lack of sleep! 37 weeks with twins today and before I got pregnant my head would hit the pillow and I was gone and now I can't get to sleep and when I do it feels like minutes before I'm woken needing the toilet. I wish I could sleep on my stomach again would be heaven!

How long it takes to go from week 30 to delivery. Every bloody time I forget how much this bit drags (& the longest I've ever been pregnant is 39+4). Currently 33+3 with #5 & the only thing keeping me going is the fact I have lots on & lots to get done before this baby arrives.

Lack of sleep! 37 weeks with twins today and before I got pregnant my head would hit the pillow and I was gone and now I can't get to sleep and when I do it feels like minutes before I'm woken needing the toilet. I wish I could sleep on my stomach again would be heaven!

Being tired & waddling everywhere like a slow duck!

Have you had your iron levels checked recently. Restless leg syndrome is associated with iron def. maybe have some Spatone, it might help

The hypermesis was definitely the worst. However, I am now 38 weeks and not enjoying this stage either - esp the constant exhaustion yet not being able to sleep for more than about half an hour at a time 😬

Congratulations on getting to 37 weeks Ooh! I'm knackered enough at 33 weeks with a singleton never mind 37 with twins!

This is very comforting.

Last time round I found pregnancy really easy and I enjoyed it. This time, I just want it to be over. My sickness lasted to 30 weeks then disappeared but it's come back with a vengeance over the last couple of weeks. I need to pee about 5000 times a day. All I want to do is lie on the couch and wait for D Day but I have a 2.5 year old who is absolutely not sympathetic to the trials of pregnancy. I feel very guilty that she's probably not been out and about as much as she should have been the past few weeks.

@SoreFeet1983 if it makes you feel any better I'm laying on the couch between running to the loo, being sick and having a 2 year old stick stickers on my face.

This is my first pregnancy, I'm 25 weeks currently and so far I hate that im not my usual self. I can't run around and be busy at work, throw heavy stuff about, have a mad tidy of the whole house.
I am really liking the little kicks I feel though, they do make up for it.

The sole responsibility for another life, and the fear it might not make it.

It's a toss up between heartburn and reflux (accompanied with coos of 'oooooh, you'll have a hairy baby') and suffering with high blood pressure and the fun that brings with it.

There's no fun in having to have a hospital bag packed from 25 weeks, knowing that one of your twice weekly BP checks could land you admitted to hospital. With DD1 that happened with alarming regularity. Am 36 weeks pregnant with DD2 and have dodged the bullet so far this time...

35 weeks here currently.
At the moment it's the restless legs which is driving me up the wall! Had it on and off before pregnancy but come back with a vengeance the last week or so :(
Also the pain in my feet/ankles from them being puffy...having a foot massage soon. Hoping it will help the pain

The nausea, definitely.

All the tests to be done, and the worry that comes with it.

Frequent urination and fear of giving birth.

Magnesium tablets might help with the twitchy legs. And you can have that glass of wine.

The sickness and nausea.
The breathlessness ! Oh the breathlessness.
The heart burn
The fatigue
The yearn for a glass of wine to take the edge off but not allowed
The sleepless nights
I won't be doing it again

1st trimester - the sickness and fatigue
2nd trimester - the worry about whether or not he was moving enough
3rd trimester - same as second trimester with added heartburn and reflux, especially when he was breech.

In general - being told what I could and couldn't do, often without any proper science behind it.

The above is just the negatives though (as requested) - in general I think I was very lucky to have a pretty good pregnancy and mostly enjoyed it.

The itching (I have icp) the weight of this baby my first was nowhere near as heavy! People constantly saying I know your having a girl and referring to baby as a girl (we've not found out the sex) the "you'll be a perfect family with one each" no thanks well be perfect either way lol My biggest pet peeve aside from the itching is tryna turn in bed dear God it takes me ten minutes just to turn

DS - Pelvis pain so bad it made me cry daily from 28 weeks. Couldn't walk upstairs. A little bit of restless legs & heartburn.

This time (currrently 28weeks) - heartburn & restless legs are 10 times worse than before. Keeps me awake. Looking after DS is also exhausting (he's 2). Pelvis pain has manifested itself in my bottom. Literally feels like my arse has been to the gym everyday and done a spin class, weights, and 20k run.

Going overdue. I was terrified that induction was going to lead to intervention, pain and distress, and make it hard for me to bond with my baby. It really made the last couple of weeks hard going, all of my new NCT friends went into labour before me and having my phone constantly buzzing with 'is the baby here yet?' messages made an already stressful time worse.

The lack of sleep and constantly being in hospital having a blood transfusion was the hardest for me. I found it hard being pregnant with toddler. Even harder with toddler and newborn. But now I'm pregnant again so I'm sort of dreading it