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Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Original poster

Is 'pregnancy glow' a myth?

88 replies

Dogsmom · 23/08/2012 18:02

This is my first pregnancy, I'm 11 weeks and feeling tired, sick, narky, spotty etc, I've read that the first trimester isn't pleasant and was hoping that I'd soon be feeling the 'pregnancy glow' I've heard about.

However after reading lots of posts on here and other forums it seems that women go on to have spd, sore abdomens, back pain in the 2nd tri and then in the 3rd tri feel huge, bloated, uncomfortable and are desperate for it all to be over.

Is there really a glow at any time during pregnancy? is there ever a time when women feel normal? or is it really an unpleasant 9 months?

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frogalou · 23/08/2012 18:07

I was very tired the first three months, but after that I felt good and my skin looked good (from the lack of alcohol I expect) and my hair is thicker. I am week 33 now and I am feeling rather tired again, but on the whole, it has not been unpleasant at all for me, I have loved being pregnant so far! I was lucky to not have morning sickness though.

MiggleMoo · 23/08/2012 18:10

I'm only 6 or so weeks and look like I've not slept for a week! Pasty and sickly! But I take it as a good sign as this is how I looked when pregnant with dc1!

TheBigRazzoo · 23/08/2012 18:48

I'm pregnant for the first time and couldn't wait for my second trimester so I could stop feeling so awful and start 'glowing' and then when it didn't happen I felt like I'd personally failed somehow and I found it quite depressing. I felt such a pressure to enjoy my second trimester that it made the fact I still felt bloody awful 10 times worse. The good news is that at about 18 weeks I did start to feel pretty good and although I don't think I glowed I did feel like my old self again. I'm now 27 weeks and still feeling pretty good, if easily tired. That said I've never felt as healthy and happy while pregnant as I did before I was pregnant! There's no bit of being pregnant I've experienced that is more pleasurable than not being pregnant, although I'm very very much looking forward to meeting my daughter at the end of it all. I think pregnancy is different for everyone so you may well glow - and look and feel amazing - but if you don't this is normal too and don't beat yourself up about it like I did.

Gonzalez2 · 23/08/2012 18:58

In my first pregnancy I felt really well from about 17 weeks until around 30 weeks when everything just got incrementally harder. It def didn't happened right at the start of the 2nd tri.

This time round I think the good bit lasted about 3 days!

EmpireBiscuit · 23/08/2012 18:59

Ehm....my newly developed acne is fairly making me shine :)

PollyIndia · 23/08/2012 19:01

I have to say, my skin and hair have been really good (I used to get annoying hormonal spots on my chin - not anymore), plus weirdly I seem to have become quite hairless - I shave my legs about once every 6 weeks and they don't really need it then. But I don't know if it's pregnancy or just getting 8 hours sleep a night, eating well (though too much chocolate), not doing 10 tequilas and smoking 20 fags at the weekend. Hard to say!

I've carried on exercising throughout too which has definitely helped me feel good even if it doesn't contribute much to the way you look.

PollyIndia · 23/08/2012 19:02

I am 35 weeks by the way and just started to feel tired but no other complaints. Defo not desperate for it to be over at all. In fact, kind of the opposite!

littlemisssunshine3 · 23/08/2012 19:35

The only time I have glowed so far has been when I have been sick.......am still waiting for the elusive glow to appear :0

Jergens · 23/08/2012 19:35

I felt terrible the first half of both pregnancies. For me, second half was great and never reached fed up stage. Still prefer non pregnant state as I like to sleep on my back and have a glass of wine!

cupcake78 · 23/08/2012 19:37

Some of my friends look and feel amazing when they are pregnant. I one the other hand resembled death from start till ds was about 2.5 Grin

FluffyJawsOfDoom · 23/08/2012 19:39

I've had no morning sickness but have spd and I'm not sleeping that well - but I think I'm quite glowy! My skin's fabulous, and I think I'm benefiting from the sobriety!

strugglingwiththepreteenbit · 23/08/2012 19:40

I've felt human in the second trimester. Wouldn't exactly say glowing, but human.

noblegiraffe · 23/08/2012 19:41

Isn't 'glowing' a polite way of saying 'sweaty'?

gardenpixies32 · 23/08/2012 21:03

It surely is a myth. The only positive things I have noticed are lovely, shiney hair, very strong nails and smooth clear skin. The rest of me is just awful.

AbbyRue · 23/08/2012 21:09

Great skin - check
Great hair - check

SPD - check Sad
Laziness & tiredness Sad

So yeah, all going well Wink

StateofConfusion · 23/08/2012 22:06

1st and 2nd pregnancys were just yuck! Felt and looked like shite!

This time yes I'm tired and achey but my hair and skin are great, everyone keeps saying how well I look, I'm enjoying it while it lasts, I know it won't!

Nodecentnickname · 23/08/2012 22:10

Glow happened in second trimester!

Nodecentnickname · 23/08/2012 22:11

The rest of the time I looked like hell.

Lexiindisguise · 23/08/2012 22:39

12 weeks, awful acne (good skin before), lovely hair & nails, feeling much better than first 11 weeks physically - but I look bloody awful Wink

Original poster
Dogsmom · 24/08/2012 08:45

Hmmm, doesn't look good!

I'm feeling so guilty for not enjoying being pregnant, it's taken us 3 years and I imagined it to be wonderful, I'm not a sickly person, pre pregnancy I hadn't been to the doctors in 8 years and that was for an eye infection, I don't take painkillers etc

This has knocked me off my feet though and it's really getting me down feeling so crap 24/7 and there seems no end to it, even once the baby is here I'll be sore underneath, have cracked nipples and even more tired than this.

I'm looking forward to the day my son/daughter starts school.....

OP posts:
Sazzel · 24/08/2012 08:59

I'm 21 weeks, the constant need to eat to avoid being sick has passed, but I wouldn't say I'm glowing. I'm knackered, grumpy and fed up of people telling me what a nice stage this is and how it will get harder! I just smile politely but really I want to hit them. There are compensations though, starting to feel the occasional kick which is exciting and enjoying my new pregnancy shape.

OneOfMyTurnsComingOn · 24/08/2012 09:01

On my 3rd pregnancy, and have felt like shit for all 3. I'm spotty, my eczema has flared up, I can hardly walk, and constantly knackered.

So a myth in my book Grin

Polyethyl · 24/08/2012 09:22

I'm 18 weeks and feel far more exhausted now than I did in the first 12 weeks. I've also started throwing up, which I didn't in the first trimester. I want to punch all the prats who told me the second trimester is easier than the first.

HipHopOpotomus · 24/08/2012 09:33

DD1 - Glowed like a goddess past the 12 week mark. It was amazing how fantastic I felt. I was very active too - swam 5km per week which I think played a big part in it.
DD2 - sick & felt wretched for most of the PG. No swimming (I had a 3yo to keep me too busy for that)

HipHopOpotomus · 24/08/2012 09:36

I'm feeling so guilty for not enjoying being pregnant
Seriously don't beat yourself up or feel guilty. It is what it is - do your best, enjoy what you can. Leave the guilt alone.

When DD2 was born my first thought was "Holy fuck I'm not PG anymore" (and I felt instantly better), followed by "Ah my beautiful wee baby girl" etc etc Blush