20 Things I Learned During Pregnancy
1. You can use the health app on your phone to start tracking ovulation!
I started tracking mine a couple months before Tyler and I even started trying. It’s a great tool to know when your prime fertility window is happening!
2. You pee a lot!
This was one of the first hints that I was pregnant. Starting almost immediately, I woke up every night to go to the bathroom. Sometimes 2-3 times a night. And then it stopped completely once I had our babe!
3. You can get out of breath easily.
I’m a pastor, so I speak for a living. It was pretty early on in the pregnancy when I walked out on the stage during a service and found myself barely having enough air to finish my sentences. I was like, “What in the heck is happening??” Turns out babe was taking my breath away!
4. Don’t be afraid to allow yourself to dream about what’s to come.
The morning we found out I spent the day planning out the nursery. I mapped everything out and started planning the design and budget. I envisioned having a little mini me walking around. I thought about the baby snuggles and how great of a dad my husband was going to be. Don’t let worries or fear keep you from dreaming about this next sweet season.
5. Every pregnancy is different.
You can sit there and google everything under the sun, talk to dozens of mamas, or try to predict and prep for what pregnancy will be, but the truth is that every pregnancy is different. Every birth and baby is different! Don’t compare or spend so much time worrying whether or not everything is going according to plan. It probably won’t, and that is okay! You’ve got your own pregnancy journey.
6. Your emotions can be all over the place at random times.
Another hint that I was pregnant was a very emotional moment I had early on. Before I knew I was pregnant, Tyler was looking for me, and he yelled my name. Turns out I was right around the corner from him, so he scared me when he yelled. I started laughing and then started bawling. I couldn’t stop haha. I just sat in our bed and cried and cried.
I also felt pretty low halfway into out trip to Montana that we took three days after we found out we were pregnant. Your hormones are doing all kinds of crazy things, so don’t worry if you have these weird, low, or emotional moments. Talk to someone about them, and know that you will get through them!
7. Start praying for your babe.
Start praying for that babe now, even before you may be trying. It’s powerful to pray forward. Pray over your child or future children. Pray over the whole pregnancy. Pray over the delivery. Pray over the postpartum. Pray over your marriage. Don’t underestimate the power of prayer.
8. Get the extra sleep you need.
Once you have that babe and you’re getting up every couple hours, you’re going to wish you just enjoyed sleep while you had it! Don’t feel guilty if your body is telling you to keep sleeping in or to go to bed early. Don’t feel guilty if you need to take some naps. You’re not lazy. You’re growing a human!! Enjoy the sleep, and let go of the guilt.
9. Your dreams may be weird.
My dreams became a lot more vivid and a lot more weird during pregnancy. One of the dreams I had was having the ugliest child I’ve ever seen hahaha. This kid in my dreams had something growing across their forehead with hair hanging over their whole face. It was so weird. But don’t worry - they will go away!
10. You may have cravings or food aversions.
I think most people know this. I didn’t have any super weird cravings like peanut butter with pickles, but I did have a 48 hour V8 juice craving. I was grocery shopping at Walmart, saw the V8 (I’m talking the big V8 containers), and drank that thing on the 8 minute commute back home. Then I went back to get more… and now that V8 is still sitting in our cupboards. I also wanted Rice Krispies for breakfast the whole first trimester… which is normally not my cereal of choice, but dang, it sounded good during pregnancy.
11. You don’t actually eat for two :(
I remember growing up thinking, “Being pregnant will be so cool! I can eat whatever I want!!” Turns out that’s not the way it works. You don’t eat for two, and you have to be extra cautious about what you’re putting into your body!
12. Babymoons with your spouse are great!
Tyler and I went to Montana, knowing it would be our last big trip with just us as a couple. Don’t be afraid to take a week and go somewhere together before you start trying!! A lot changes fast, so enjoy the time you have with each other now.
13. Download an app that tells you what’s happening inside your belly each week!
I downloaded the “What to Expect” app, and I absolutely loved watching the weekly videos and reading about what was happening to baby and my body that week! Tyler and I would watch them before bed once a week, and it was such a fun thing to look forward to.
14. Comparison will steal your joy.
Don’t compare yourself to other mamas or pregnant ladies. You go through a whole rollercoaster of emotions knowing your world is about to change. Don’t compare a low to someone else’s high. Don’t compare your late night bump pic to someone else’s professionally taken maternity photo. You are the best mom for your baby, and comparing will only steal your joy.
15. Mom guilt is real.
Mom guilt is definitely real… especially with social media. There are so many opinions on hot topics like epidurals, breastfeeding, etc. You know what I have to say? Do what works for you and your family. Yes, I had a lovely epidural. And no, breastfeeding was not good for me. I chose to do the best thing for my family, and that is exactly the right thing to do.
16. Document the small milestones during your pregnancy!
I’m not talking about taking the perfect baby bump picture every month. I’m talking about writing down the sweet, small milestones like when you finally see that bump popping or when baby kicks for the first time or you listen to that little heartbeat at the check-in appointment. It’s fun to look back on and read about.
17. Ask for people to bring diapers to your baby shower.
For one of my showers we invited everyone to bring diapers of all sizes and then whoever brought some was put into a drawing to win prizes. The amazing thing is that you can trade in diapers and get the right size. I don’t think Tyler and I bought a single diaper until we were three or four months in!! It was brilliant.
18. What your body’s doing is beautiful.
I didn’t notice the stretch marks hiding under my belly and on my thighs until way late into the pregnancy. I remember Tyler holding me while I sat and cried on our bed. It can be hard to see the body you once knew look so different, but what your body is doing is so beautiful!! I still have the marks and lines, but I also have a beautiful little girl. Look at them as beauty marks that tell a story about the absolute miracle that happened inside your body.
19. Making a baby registry takes a while.
I spent SO LONG making my baby registry! I don’t think I realized how much research was going to be put into making it. I wanted to make sure I had the right stroller, the right car seat, bottles, etc. The best thing I did was ask around to all my friends who were new mamas to get their opinion on different items. I’ll eventually post a blog of a baby item list I recommend sometime in the near future!
20. It’s so worth it.
Obviously this goes without saying. That little sweet babe is such a precious miracle, and all the waddling, waiting, and expanding goes out the window when you see that baby swaddled and peacefully sleeping next to you.