Let me just say this—I’m grateful to be pregnant. When I found out through a positive pregnancy test, I was ecstatic. Truly, I am. Growing a human is nothing short of miraculous. But let’s be real for a second: pregnancy is hard. Like, really hard. And as much as I want to bask in the glow that everyone talks about, most days I just feel tired, achy, and weirdly emotional about cheese.
I’m currently waddling my way through pregnancy, and while it’s a beautiful journey in many ways, it’s also full of unexpected (and honestly kind of ridiculous) struggles that no one warned me about.
Let’s start with the nausea. Oh, the nausea. Morning sickness? Whoever coined that term clearly never experienced it 24/7 like I did. I couldn’t even look at toast without gagging. Water tasted weird. Don’t even get me started on meat—I had to ban it from the house for a while. And brushing my teeth? That became a full-on Olympic event.
Then there’s the exhaustion. Not just “I stayed up too late” tired—this is soul-deep, can’t-keep-my-eyes-open-at-2-p.m. exhaustion. My body is literally making a person, and somehow people expect me to still function like a normal adult? Ha. Hilarious.
The mood swings are their own beast. One minute I’m laughing at a dog video, the next I’m crying because I dropped a sock. I’m not sure who I am half the time, and I’m positive my partner is equally confused (and slightly terrified).
Oh, and let’s not forget the bloating, heartburn, back pain, weird skin stuff, and the fact that I pee every 17 minutes. Romantic, right? Pregnancy glow? Nah, this is sweat. Pure, hormonal sweat.
And yet… even through all of this, there are moments that make it all worth it. Like hearing the heartbeat for the first time, or seeing a tiny foot wiggle on the ultrasound screen. Those little flutters in my belly that feel like popcorn popping? Magic.
So yes, pregnancy comes with a long list of woes. It’s messy and emotional and sometimes downright miserable. But it’s also raw and real and powerful. I’m growing a life, and that’s pretty incredible—even if I complain about it daily. And hey, if you’re pregnant and feeling the same way? You’re not alone, mama. We’ve got this.