Pregnancy - LOVE it or HATE it?

[xELENx]

You hear so many stories from people about how they 'loved' being pregnant and missed it when their baby was born. On the other hand, there are those who hated it, for various reasons.

What is/was your experience of pregnancy?

Hi OP, the beginning weeks are tough when you feel sick and tired a lot. I’m now 30 weeks now and I love it, love feeling him move and can’t wait to meet him (this is my 2nd son). The only slight hate is trying to sleep at night as I have PGP and it hurts to turn over in bed.

Loved my first, hating it this time. Illness, sickness, heartburn, hips, anaemia... the list goes on.

Thanks all, I'm loving hearing about your personal experiences, good and bad!

It's interesting how each pregnancy is different isn't it?! There really is no way of knowing what to expect, even if you've been pregnant before.

The overriding sense I'm getting is that, even though it can make you feel sore, ill and miserable, most would do it again. The anxiety issue is a biggy and seems to be present in even those who do not have a history of mental health problems.

@kate3150 I'm glad you've found this thread to be helpful to 👍

Wishing all of you who are currently pregnant good health and happiness, hopefully I'll be lucky enough to experience pregnancy for myself soon 🤞🏼 x

@sweetooth92 sorry you're having such a bad time, hopefully the birth will be as enjoyable this time as it was with your first.

@FrancesV83 I'm glad to hear that you are enjoying this stage of your pregnancy. I hope it continues and best of luck with the birth 😊

Hate hate hate.
It's only good when it's all over and the baby is in your arms.

I love my bump and the feeling of the baby fluttering around inside :)

As a natural worrier I hate the anxiety and stress that has come with it!

Plus I would kill for a few glasses of red wine lol

I'm not enjoying it. It was fine at first then at around 22 weeks I developed pelvic girdle pain and its been horrendous. I not have anxiety of the actual birth and going into labor. Terrified. I did enjoy it until the hallway point. Only 5 weeks to go now

Mostly not enjoying it and can't wait for it to be over. 2nd baby, both first trimesters were absolutely awful with vomiting and nausea and crazy exhaustion.

The middle part was ok, people told me I looked well and physically I was still fine with stairs, walking.

Now 30 weeks my hips and legs are always sore and cause me to waddle, I can't sit for too long without aches, sleep is hard, my eczema is flaring up horribly. I'm out of breath just doing a tiny bit of walking uphill. Maternity jeans are too tight and I wish I can wear normal nice clothes and look graceful and slim again.

Also, I'd really like a crisp floral white wine in this weather!!

My friends say I'll just be busier and more exhausted when baby comes, I know that's true but I just want this part to be done with.

... forgot to mention random leg cramps when I'm sleeping/ lying down.

On the plus side: My face is clear of spots and hair is awesome!

I'm so ambivalent about it! I feel pretty crap most of the time - quite some pain and lots of anxiety, so I can't say I love it. I don't even enjoy feeling the baby move, he pokes me with the sharpest elbows or knees known to man and it bloody hurts. But paradoxically I also feel like I'll miss being pregnant once it's over! Somehow I even kind of love the discomfort, just because it's such a novel experience and after a difficult time trying to conceive I thought I would never know what it was like. It feels kind of nice being 'in the club' and knowing first hand what all that complaining is about!

I was happy to be pregnant and I loved the thought of my little baby growing. I loved when I felt him kick and respond in thee. Hated the nausea, not being able to eat/do certain things, and at the end of the third trimester I had a few problems like flu and a fractured rib which made me not so into it! Overall though it was worth it for the end result!

HATE! 34 weeks pregnant and It's given me severe depression and anxiety I'm asleep all day awake til early hours. I'm miserable and not excited.
All this being said, 7 years ago I had my little boy and it was the most wonderful experience I was happy and excited and that made the aches and pains worth all of it, I was that annoying woman who loved pregnancy. It's bitten me on the backside this time though! I just want her out!

I'm glad I found this thread I've been ok so far but this past week I'm so anxious I don't know why I feel very on edge and nervous I hate anxiety just don't know how to get it to pass I'm 12+2 x

@anitagreen- when I hit around 13 weeks my anxiety got bad. I was told by Dr that hormones are high at this point so maybe that has something to do with it??
I’m 16 weeks on Sunday; have good and bad days but trying to hang in there! Feel like times dragging but then I can’t believe I’m already at this stage xx

@Kate3150 that's good to know I hope it passes I keep thinking what's wrong with me am I going mad or something? It's scary and congratulations that feels miles away from me atm x

@anitagreen- don’t worry, I’ve had those thoughts. I went to the doctors sobbing asking what’s wrong with me and she was very reassuring. It is scary but also remember you can’t control how the hormones make you feel so just ride it out and try not to worry about it.
I’ve been so lucky and had a symptomless pregnancy, but the emotional side has ruined the experience a bit for me. But I’m staying hopeful it will pass xx

@Kate3150 I did that too felt crackers but it helped and she referred me for some anxiety counselling which has helped it's just when it comes on I feel like oh here we go again let's throw in the towel and I've got to change that. I hope it goes soon x

@anitagreen- Something that immensely helped me was knowing that I am in control of my thoughts. So basically, I am my anxiety. Before I used to view it separate from me and get really frustrated thinking why me, why have I got anxiety and these thoughts.
Now I just reassure myself, they’re only thoughts... whatever they are they won’t hurt me. And I generally feel more relaxed about the anxiety and don’t panick when it’s bad. It takes some practice and I still get days when it pisses me off but I also have days when I’m at peace with it which I never had before. I hope all that makes sense! X

@Kate3150 that's really helpful I was actually taught that but I find it so hard to just let it go you know! Instead of thinking ah it'll pass it's just anxiety I'm always searching why is this happening I need to stop x

I hate being pregnant, the sickness, heartburn, not being able to get comfortable now I’m further along. My hips ache like buggery, can’t wear any shoes that aren’t slip on, but equally can’t wait to meet my baby when he’s ready.

Don’t get me wrong it’s an amazing feat to be able to grow another human but i find it so hard I’m not a good pregnant person

@anitagreen- like I say... it’s takes a lot of practice and determination. To be honest I’m so desperate to be at peace with this problem I’ve had for years.. I’m willing to keep working at it. There’s been times I want to pull my hair out and have a cry but I won’t do it as I’ll feel it’s winning and so far I think I’m keeping the battle mainly at bay.
You’ll never win a fight against anxiety, fighting it will just make it worse.
I will admit though it’s exhausting at times growing a human AND trying to combat anxiety I’ve had for years 😴😴😴

I'm usually suffer quite a lot with anxiety, I was also grieving the loss of my father the month before I conceived. I made a very conscious decision to shut down my anxiety in a way I'd never been able to before and enjoy my pregnancy because i couldn't bear the thought of the stress of worrying and grief having a negative impact on our child.

@foreverchanging19- that’s amazing you were able to do that! Well done you!!!
I think the hormones have made it quite hard to gain complete control over the anxiety.
I feel guilty about my anxiety but I know I’m doing the best I can for bub xx

@Kate3150 you can only do what you can do especially as you say with all of those hormones coursing through your body. Don't feel guilty about it, you're doing your best and you can't ask for more than that!

I did tell the Midwife about my dad and that I thought I was coping well but to check up on me after delivery in case I'd bottled everything up (something else that I am excellent at 🙈) and it all cane flooding back and overwhelmed me.

I realised you can gauge your feelings towards pregnancy when seeing other pregnant women. Each time I see a heavily pregnant lady I feel a huge wave of euphoria that I'm no longer like that :P!!! No jealousy whatsoever. I might be bogged down with a pram, giant diaper bag and whiny baby but my body feels so light and energetic and without the constant need to pee, hehe.

I also have anxiety and pregnancy felt like a constant trigger. I lived on edge for 10 months as there's always something that could go wrong...not helped by the fact that I had a fairly complicated one. But in the bigger picture, it was less than one year of my life and the rewards are infinitely greater. Sounds corny but when I look into DD's eyes I know it was worth all the anxiety and sleepness nights in the world.