You’ve got that blue line on the stick and your world is about to change forever. We share the unexpected, interesting (and sometimes embarrassing) things other mums say they wish they’d been told about pregnancy
We know that even when you’re pregnant, you’ll still be able to do nearly everything you did before. Equally, people might offer you a seat, bring you a drink, carry your bags and, if you’re lucky, tell you to take a nap.
You’re growing a human being after all
You’re growing a human being after all. Your body is doing the most remarkable thing. So, if you’re happy to be indulged, soak up the special treatment while it lasts.
And, although it might feel like you’ll be pregnant forever, you might end up pining nostalgically for your bump after your baby is born.
Mum Emily says: ‘You’ll miss your bump once he or she is a screaming baby!’
Maybe take photos of your changing shape. Or write a pregnancy journal to help you remember this incredible stage in your life. It’s a nice way to involve older children, your partner and other family members too.
There may be a few things you didn’t bargain for… Your boobs might start leaking colostrum. You might have a milky, musty-smelling discharge. And, to top it off, you might have piles. Great.
Mel, mum to Phoebe, says: ‘The first symptom I got which nobody told me about was horrendous trapped wind. I woke up in the middle of the night in agony every night for three weeks.’
Then, of course, you might find you succumb to constipation. Emily says: ‘Prunes are your friend and can be made more edible if you chop them up and put them in flapjacks.’
There’s no denying it – these things aren’t particularly pleasant.
If you’re worried about anything physical or emotional in your pregnancy, no matter how embarrassing, talk to your midwife or doctor.
And you might also feel self-conscious, particularly if you opt for a membrane sweep or have internal examinations in early labour.
Getting used to the feeling that your body is not your own any more can be tricky. Talk to your midwives if you’re finding this particularly difficult. They’ll do what they can to be sensitive to your concerns.
They may also be able to do something to ease the discomfort. Or simply explain what’s happening to allay your fears.
If you’ve already Googled the symptoms you could always bring your online research with you to talk through anything.
There’s just no way of knowing how you’ll feel during pregnancy… until you’re pregnant.
Everyone is different and every pregnancy is different
You might not suffer heartburn, exhaustion, swollen feet, dizziness, sore boobs, back pain, headaches, itchy skin, mood swings, forgetfulness, insomnia or any of the other lovely side effects of pregnancy either.
Even if your best friend had terrible sickness, you might escape. And, even if you felt utterly drained in your first pregnancy, you might not in your second. Try not to assume the worst.
The same goes if your symptoms suddenly change or disappear. Speak to your midwife for reassurance but try not to jump to the conclusion that something bad has happened.
For information about pregnancy symptoms and how to manage them, read here.
Remember, you’re carrying extra weight, your blood volume has expanded and your ligaments have softened. All of this could affect the way you’ll feel.
If you are suffering with any of the pregnancy ailments above, care for yourself with lots of rest, soft drinks and small digestible meals.
Everyone feels differently during pregnancy. Some women lose their appetite completely especially if they’re suffering pregnancy sickness while others are constantly starving.
It’s worth remembering that the NHS guidance is that you only need an extra 200 calories each day in the final three months. This is only a couple of slices of toast or pieces of flatbread.
Try not to go overboard with the old (and incorrect) myth of eating for two. And try to have a healthy balanced diet.
Equally, if you find that indulging a little is one of the ways of keeping you going throughout your pregnancy, don’t feel too bad about it.
Becoming a parent is completely and utterly life-changing. There’s no disguising it. And it’s an incredibly emotional time. Emily says: ‘Pregnancy hormones can make you weep about everything.’
Try to be open and honest about your feelings and any worries
Despite what people might expect you to say, you might not feel like this is the most magical and wonderful time of your life. Talk to your partner, family, friends or midwife if you can. Or seek support online.
It’s natural to feel overwhelmed and anxious at all the changes happening to your body and your life.
But if you’re concerned there’s more to it than just a pregnancy wobble, or you feel you might have antenatal depression, there is plenty of support available.
One mum, Lizzy, said: ‘For the first time in a long time, I felt vulnerable and unable to control what was happening to me while I was pregnant. I vividly remember calling my mum from work when I was seven months pregnant.’
‘I was crouched down in my office sobbing behind the door so that nobody could see me. This had been triggered by someone being unreasonable at the photocopier.’
For information about how you might be feeling, and how to cope click here.
Some women feel movements early on. Others find it happens much later. Some babies have a regular pattern and are more active at certain times of day, others are more unpredictable.
And a second pregnancy is likely to be different from the first. There is no normal.
All this variation can be a source of worry. Especially if you’ve heard you should be feeling certain things.
The most important thing is to tell your midwife about any reduction or change in your baby’s usual movements. They’d far rather check you out and reassure you that your baby is healthy than miss something important.
Also remember the movements feel very different to every woman.
Some say the first kicks are like a butterfly fluttering its wings, others say it feels like bubbles, pops, swishing or rolling. It’s so hard to describe as it depends on your body and your baby.
Most women begin to feel their baby move between 13 and 27 weeks. There’s no specific number of movements that’s considered to be normal.
For more information about your baby’s movements click here.
Baby brands are poised to make money from excited first timers.
But really all you need when your baby is very young are babygros, nappies, a safe place to sleep and a means of feeding your baby (whether that’s breast or formula).
When it comes to bigger items like prams, car seats, swing chairs and toys, shop around and always check out your local NCT Nearly New Sale for excellent bargains.
For details of your nearest Nearly New Sale click here.
It’s a time of change for everyone. Keep sharing your thoughts and feelings. And be easy on yourself and each other.
The impending arrival of a baby makes everyone think about their own role.
Your partner, friends, relatives or grandparents-to-be might all be facing emotional challenges too.
Your partner in particular may be on a bit of a rollercoaster. Sometimes your moods might not always match. You’ll probably face different highs and lows over the coming nine months.
Try not to be too hung up on your due date. It can make you feel impatient and fed up if your baby doesn’t get the memo about arriving on this day. Instead see it as a rough window when he or she might make an appearance.
You might even want to give people a date a week or two later to avoid the inevitable ‘any news?’ texts towards the end. This doesn’t help when you’re uncomfortable and feel like the baby will never come.
And many will feel entitled to ask personal questions… Was the pregnancy planned? How are you going to give birth? Are you going to breastfeed?
They might even comment on whether your bump is huge or tiny. And feel the need to stroke it. They might want to share their birth story (in far too much detail).
You may be easygoing about all of the above, or you might find it irritates you.
Most of all trust your instincts and do what feels best for you during your pregnancy
Either way, it’s a good idea to have a think about how you want to handle situations like these.
Whether that’s smiling, nodding and politely ignoring. Or conjuring up a witty one-liner to keep uninvited comments, advice or hands at bay.
There’s no ‘right’ way to be pregnant. You may decide to have plenty of relaxing sofa time, or to run a marathon.
You may want to cut out certain foods from your diet, or continue having the things you love in moderation.
You might choose to find out the sex of your baby, or wait to discover this yourself at the birth.
It’s all completely up to you. So try not to feel pressured or judged in your decisions.
Our support line offers practical and emotional support with feeding your baby and general enquiries for parents, members and volunteers: 0300 330 0700.
We also offer antenatal courses which are a great way to find out more about birth, labour and life with a new baby.
Make friends with other parents-to-be and new parents in your local area for support and friendship by seeing what NCT activities are happening nearby.
