Sara Cyrbja
Pregnancy is as beautiful as tough. All our mom-to-be can agree on this one! The beautiful feeling of growing another human being inside you walks hand to hand with all the physical and mental changes. Hormones, for a starter, keep rapidly changing, causing the symptoms of morning sickness, food cravings, mood swings, etc…
However, other soon-to-be moms find odd experiences during pregnancy a bit absurd and they choose to laugh about it.
Viral Strange has collected pictures of odd experiences pregnant women and/or their partners have shared on their social media.
1. One Of My Coworkers Decided To Mansplain How Many Calories I Should Be Eating So The Rest Of The Staff Gave Him An Award
The physical symptoms during pregnancy can be as weird as annoying. Shanna and Laura of “Big Fat Positive” have shared their journey through their pregnancy. Shanna said: “My nipples felt like they were on fire! It was actually the very first symptom of both my pregnancies and lasted the entire time… I found out it was a condition called Raynaud’s phenomenon, which causes blood vessels to constrict and cause pain. Thank goodness it did go away after giving birth, because I was terrified I would have to breastfeed with fire nipples!”
Laura, on the other hand, said: “When I was pregnant with my first child I almost instantly developed a heightened sense of smell, and it’s never gone away! I can even smell weird things, like if people are hungry or the weather is changing.”
Laura also mentioned that she tried many “unusual things”: “You light cigar-shaped bundles of mugwort leaves on fire and hold them close to certain pressure points, but the smoke was too pungent for me. So I found myself sitting outside in December, barefoot, 9-months pregnant, in a bathrobe and shower cap, holding burning embers to my pinkie toes. (Spoiler alert: it didn’t work.)”
On the other hand, Shanna said: “At about six months pregnant I thought I could ride a bike to my office with my big belly while holding my backpack, lunch, and a full cup of iced tea. It wasn’t my bike, so the seat was way too high, my toes barely reached the pedals, the seat was digging into my crotch, and I could barely control the handlebars.”
2. I’ve Thought Of A Million And One Reasons Why Not To Post This Photo But It’s For That Exact Reason I Am
Laura and Shanna want to remind other moms that pregnancy can be very exhausting. “The first trimester is unbelievably fatiguing, which can be surprising since you don’t have a big baby in you yet,” said Shanna. “The energy it takes to create an entirely new organ (placenta) and a new life is monumental. Be easy on pregnant women and let them rest, rest, rest! Pregnancy is a gauntlet, but even more than the physical demands, society puts unrealistic expectations on pregnant people. We’re supposed to be enjoying every moment while also monitoring everything we eat and drink and limiting activities in case they’re risky for the baby. It’s emotionally exhausting and anxiety-inducing.” said Laura.
3. This Is The Absolute Sweetest
During their pregnancy, many women crave hilarious food combinations. According to a study made by The State University of New York, Albany the most common pregnancy cravings for women in the US are sweets, pizza, chips, fruit, and animal proteins.
4. Being pregnant…
Another thing women experience is “pregnancy brain” or “baby brain”. This refers to the lack of concentration, disorientation, and clumsiness pregnant women feel. Up to 81% of pregnant women experience it somehow, wrote Colleen de Bellefonds for BabyCenter.
Trouble sleeping is also another “gift” coming with pregnancy. “More than half of women report insomnia and other sleep problems during pregnancy. A consistent lack of sleep has been shown to impact cognitive functions and memory,” shared Bellefonds.
5. Five Days From My Due Date Got Me Like. I Like To Call This One “2 AM Hot Flashes”
The discomfort these ladies have from their bodies growing can be crucial for women to feel understood. According to a study published in The Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine, the partner’s role affects the woman’s stress levels. A loving and communicative partner can be a huge help during pregnancy.
6. My Buddy’s Wife Says This Is The Best Part Of Being Pregnant
7. The Size Of This Belly
That “pregnancy glow” comes from a mixture of hormonal changes and increased blood flow. It affects the oil levels and the brightness of women’s looks. Dr. Anna Targonskaya, an OB-GYN and medical advisor, also said that “longer, shinier hair and stronger, faster-growing nails are side effects of pregnancy that many women enjoy. Most women tend to be extra radiant during the second trimester as the changes in their body become more intense”.
8. My Feet Now (Top) vs. My Feet When I Was 8+ Months Pregnant With The Twins (Bottom)
9. Was Looking Everywhere For My Phone. Gave Up And Bought A New One. 2 Days Later I’ve Found It. Thanks, Pregnancy Brain
10. Pictures Are Worth A Thousand Words
11. When You’re Pregnant And Need A Little Midnight Snack
12. When My Pregnant Wife Says There Is Nothing In The Fridge
13. LMAO
Pregnancy is different for each woman. Dr. Robin Elise Weiss, professor, author, and certified doula says: “This is because the uterus and supporting ligaments have stretched before, but also because you are more aware of what you are feeling.”
14. Pregnancy Varicose Veins Are No Fun. Had Them For All Four Pregnancies But They Were The Worst For The Last Pregnancy (With Twins)
15. Wifey Is Too Pregnant To Paint Her Own Toenails
16. It Was The Best Of Times, It Was The Worst Of Times. Today I Celebrate A Crappy Year With The Best Possible Ending
17. Spaghetti And Meatball Grilled Cheese With Spicy Ranch. Pregnancy Craving Satisfied
18. Your Jeans Don’t Fit, No Problem. Use A Rubber Band/ Scrunchies/Hair Tie As An Extensor
19. I’d Been Told My Pregnant Wife Would Have Some Major Cankles During The Final Stretch But Wow! Foot On The Left Is Mine (Non-Bio Mom), Right – Bio Mom’s Foot
Moms-to-be need to remember that they have strong bodies! Terri Huggins Hart wrote in her article “11 Things You Can Do to Better Empower Yourself in Pregnancy, Birth, and the Postpartum Period” about feeling confident and strong when becoming a mother. “Focus on what your body can still do. Consistently being told ‘no’—from what I could eat, how I could travel, and how I could exercise”, said Terri, as she found it as a way to appreciate her body more. When pregnant, Terri participated in Zumba classes, practiced yoga, and went on walks.
20. Expecting Moms to Listen Up! Do Not Forget To Remove Your Rings Before Your 3rd Trimester
21. I Crack Up Every Time I See This In My Doctor Visit Notes
22. If Anyone Wants To Know What 38 Weeks Pregnant With Twins Looks Like
23. Weeks 37 And On Be Like
24. Pregnancy Brain And Autocorrect. I’m So Embarrassed
25. LOL
26. Welcome To Week 39… The Final Week I Am Willing To Be Preg. Any Amount Of Time I Am Pregnant After This Week Is Just Pure Nonsense
27. I Am A Menace To Society. My Dumb Pregnancy Brain Accidentally Ordered My Husband A Burrito With No Tortilla
28. The Reality Of Pregnancy With A Toddler. He Has The Whole Lounge And Chooses To Sit Here
29. When I Tell You I Walked Into My Bathroom 4 Times Before Actually Remembering I Needed To Put Deodorant On, I Mean It
30. First Of All We Are Happy To Be Able To Announce I Am Pregnant With Our Second Child. But What A Ride It Has Been So Far
31. Giving New Meaning To The Word ‘Nesting’
32. This Is What 30 Weeks Pregnant Looks Like. Belly’s Stretched Out With More To Come. Bending Over To Pick Up Things Is No Longer An Option
33. And How Do You Do It? The Struggle Is Real
34. It’s Official. We Are Barely Fitting In The Driver’s Seat Comfortably
35. Here I Am, 7 Months Pregnant And Miserable Because I Couldn’t Get Off The Couch. My Fiance, Bless Him, Found It Endearing
Your bodies need your acceptance, confidence, and thanks. You are strong! What’s an odd experience you have encountered during your pregnancy? Tell us your story in the comments.
How did that one lady that had varicose veins, get them to disappear? Mine Didn’t go away after childbirth.
I can really relate to some of these. With my first pregnancy, I had always been very slim before this, and had never had stretch marks. So when all these red lines appeared on my belly and boobs, I freaked. The doctor told me they were stretch marks. At least, once I’d had the baby, the stretch marks eventually faded. With my second baby, I used olive oil, which faded my existing stretch marks even more, and no new stretch marks appeared. Magic.