Pleasant pregnancy surprises

[VerityClinch]

Following on from yesterday's thread about all the gross things no-one tells you about pregnancy, I thought it was time for some balance...

So what have been the things in pregnancy you have been most pleasantly surprised about?

For me, it's the fact that my forehead wrinkles have pretty much vanished, thanks either to the collagen thing going on (or maybe plain old water retention)

HA! Andi-deep-set-wrinkles-McDowell, put THAT in your pipe and smoke it.

The rest of me looks like cr@p, btw, but my forehead is beautiful.

lots of things.

smiles from strangers, eating lots of cake and carbs, wriggling baby, afternoon naps, hubbie kissing the bump, bigger boobs and lots more.

stop it! you're making me broody

I had the usual bad and good things being preggy but it was the reactions of other people that were most lovely. Everyone seemed to be so happy and excited about my pregnancy, even complete strangers. I have to deal with some difficult people in my work and even the most moany and horrid ones were all lovely to me when I was pregnant.

People treating me like a princess and smiling at me all the time.

My skin is really good and I do look like I am glowing.

I feel like I am doing what nature has put me here to do.

Being able and even encouraged to eat cheese, juice and bread which are normally taboo foods for me.

Totally lost my craving for cakes and biscuits.

The wonderful flutters of the first movements & then feeling & seeing the movement when they are real kicks.
My hair goes curly & stayed that way after DS (now 5 months)oh & freckles appeared on my cheak bones (I love freckles & never had em before as I'm quite dark skinned!)

really hated being pregnant at first, so was pleasantly surprised that there are some good bits -

• proper sized boobs
• great nails (having been a nail-biter since childhood)
• not being on a diet for the first time since i was 18
• much more intense sex (not that i feel like it very often - what a waste!)

unfortunately the chronic tiredness and dreadful acne are still outwaying these at the moment

Love this thread!!

• Haven't had to shave legs as much (although no change to underarm unfortunately...)
• Feeling our little girl wriggling around - she's giving me a good kicking as I'm typing this!!
• Not feeling guilty when I eat loads of mature cheddar cheese.
• Sex-drive has gone off-the-wall!! Much to DH's shock - normally have no sex-drive at all!! Took me a while to pluck up the courage to admit it to DH so had to be satisfied with "self-help" for a while...

Plenty of negatives too but this certainly isn't the place for those!!

I could touch my toes when I was pregnant (early stages obviously!) because of the relaxin in the joints! Never before or since!

My rheumatiod athritis symptoms disappeared whilst pregnant. No more feeling like a creaky 80 year old first thing in the morning - yay! Unfortunately came back again a few weeks after I had DD.

I also liked being able to go out a buy a load of new clothes. Well, not a load really, but for once everything went well together. Capsule wardobes rock!

being in my own pregnancy bubble - I love everything about it, even the nasty bits... It's a bloody miracle being in this state - I'll take whatever it chucks at me and enjoy it to the max!!!

But feeling it moving has to be the best bit, apart from the actual bump!!

Being able to get a seat on the Northern Line - EVERY time!!

Mind you I do make a point of getting in the carriage and announcing "I am pregnant, may I have a seat please?" !! Was a bit embarrassed at first, now I don't even blink - and seeing usually 3 or 4 people jump to their feet is quite amusing! As I am only very early stages can't see any bump yet, but I feel like cr*p and refuse to play the martyr by standing all the way to/from work.

Watching everyone else lugg heavy stuff around the office (having a refit) and having a good excuse to sit on my arse and 'supervise'!!

Listening to DP talking to the baby in my belly and telling him about our day- and then feeling the baby move around even more after hearing his daddy's voice!!

Having my mum offer to buy me lots of stuff, and watching her get all excited about her first grandchild.

The thought of having 9 months off work soon, yey!!

I dont have to condition my hair anymore, yey!

For the first time ever, I have a bald top lip and dont have to shave my legs as often, ha! (hairy belly tho- not attractive!!)

Getting out of having to pick the dog poop up!!!

Not having to worry about a bit of a muffin top because my skin is that stretched!

After suffering with Acne for 20 years it actually cleared up. And even better more than 2 years after the birth has not come back. if I'd know about this 'cure' before i 'd have got up the duff much earier and saved myself a lot of scarring

This is a bit gross but the 20+ veruccas I had had for about 6 years and tried everything to get rid of, pretty much disappeared overnight when I first fell pregnant with dc1.

With my first I loved the high sex drive, the being bigger then usual and generally feeling more solid, the not having to go out partying all the time, it sounds weird but it was a relief to no longer have to be the "wild" party girl.

This is a great thread!

My most pleasant pregnancy surprise was when I went to the GP last week with a very achy breast; thinking it was something sinister....and he sent me home to do a pregnancy test!!! "Not much hope of that" I thought, seeing as we've been trying for about 4 years with no luck - even with treatment!!! Apparently we were extremely lucky to have our son 8 years ago & the docs are quite perplexed by that. Anyway, I went home & humoured the GP only to learn that I am pregnant! OMG! How exciting....

I've thought of some more... not having to clean out the cat's litter tray and a kick-arse immune system, I know its supposed to be opposite but when my dad, DH, stepmom and their kids all came down with norovirus... as did the groom!! because some stupid woman brought her puking kid to a wedding back in December, all I got was a loud rumbling tummy and a bit of nausea. Just as well as I was only 3wks pregs. And last but not least clothes shopping, everything looks so cute with a bump!

What is it about the Northern Line?

For some reason you are almost guaranteed that you will get a seat.

Yes, the sex dreams.

Also agree about bikinis.

dd stretching while I was in the bath - I used to love watching my bump move and really miss it (2 years on!). Not having to lift a finger when I went to my parents' house. Being allowed to use the posh peoples' lift at Old Trafford for two sports events when I was 7 months' pregnant because we were sat in the gods and the security staff said I couldn't possibly walk up all the steps - they couldn't have been nicer. Going to meetings and people not asking me hard questions and making sure I had access to the lunches first!

My eczema on my hands has cleared up Haven't seen them looking normal in at least 12 months

My skin has cleared up loads, hair thick and shiny, reduced regrowth on leg hair(tho not altogether) and considerably reduced sweating which is good as I used to suffer with excessive sweats - tmi sorry.

Sadly not had sexy dreams or any change to sex drive, but still feel great, curvy and feminine and baby moving can be themost reassuring feeling in the world, even those hefty kicks!

Oh definately the sex. Amazing. I loved loved loved being pg. Baby moving was like magic.

I generally just grew to love and accept my body in a way I never had before. I felt beautiful, sexy and just right, somehow. And it has continued post pg too (although less time for sex !) which is weird as my body ain't what it used to be but I love it!

I loved being pregnant - made me the happiest person alive. There is not a single negative about it in my eyes. My hair, skin and nails were all great, I lost loads of weight (and still had a healthy 8lb baby) and best of all - the baby at the end of it!!

Hated everything except my gorgeous, beautiful nails.

And being able to feel baba moving around was amazing of course.