Here are the things people never really tell you about preganancy or maybe it was just me not really hearing it. I always thought preganant women looked beautiful. I never realized that they might feel the complete opposite.
Changes
Of course the body changes, everyone knows that but some things are conveniently left unsaid. Of course everyone knows about morning sickness, that one I never experienced. I haven´t felt ill at all. Most people talk about how joints hurt and it is difficult to walk because of the ligaments getting loose by the hormone relaxin. Still have been spared that one! I still bike to work everyday and take walks almost everyday.
But did you know that women get more hairgrowth during pregnancy. It goes away after the pregnancy, but seriously who wants little fuzzy hair on the belly? I am lucky accordning to my midwife because I don´t have one of those fuzzy lines under the belly button, you know that most guys have (raggarsträng - in swedish). But still! Nobody told me this before I got pregnant.
And the flatulance. I had no idea that pregnancy would mess with you in that way. Loudly and smelly. No way of holding it. It can create some funny and some embarrassing moments. I am happy to say that the worst period of this seems to be over for me!
Heartburn has just recently gotten to me. Not too badly though, but still. Not only the flatulance, but now also the burping!
Sadistical comments and unsolicited advice
It is funny how others (even people who don´t have children) seem to think they are experts on pregnancy. I had an unmarried very single guy tell me the other week that “MOST go over their due dates by 2 weeks their first pregnancy”. I just pretended I had never heard of the fact that you CAN go past the due date. Of course I didn´t correct him with the misuse of “most”. Besides, why do so many people feel the need to tell you that you will go past the due date when you just want the baby to come and be done with the pregnancy. It leads me to think that most people are sadistically inclined.
Women feel a special need to talk about their own pregnancies with you too. I have heard countless stories about how their babies moved in their belly, what they reacted to etc. Sure, this is intresting for me to hear but often these women talk all about their own experience without even once asking a question about what I am currently going through. That is what gets me. I am sure I will be exactly the same. I think I have put in my dues for me to act the same way!
(please do comment though! I would love to hear about your stories on this subject!)
Touching
Thankfully not many people have reached out and just started to touch my belly. What really surprises me is that it is mostly people I don´t know that will do it. A manager at work did that once but no more! Since I quickly started rubbing her belly back. I think that chocked her a bit.
Becoming food
I quickly realized that I should stay away from wearing just one color. It sort of makes me look like some kind of food. I wear all red and I look like a strawberry, all blue - blueberry, and my personal favorite - white - marshmallow.
I am thankful that I haven´t been sick or in pain. That things have gone very smoothly for me. I still think that other pregnant women look beautiful but I myself have a difficult time feeling attractive. Try it - a burping round fuzzy marshmallow looking gas ball.