Pregnancy is no easy feat. With a little one growing inside you for over nine months, discomfort is practically guaranteed. Yet, despite the physical and emotional challenges, I urge expectant mothers to truly embrace their growing bellies!
It’s perfectly natural to vent about the changes happening to your body. Before I became a mom, I was apprehensive about pregnancy. The thought of gaining weight like a beached whale, dealing with swollen feet, and constant aches? No, thank you! However, after experiencing my own pregnancy, it saddens me to see moms-to-be publicly express how “done” they are with their third trimester.
I’m part of a statistic—one of countless women who faced the harsh realities of pregnancy and would do anything to experience a full-term journey. I dreamt for years of becoming a mother, only to confront infertility. When my partner and I finally learned we were expecting triplets, a series of medical hurdles led to my premature labor at just 22 weeks. While we were fortunate to have one beautiful survivor, the heartbreak of losing two of my triplets casts a shadow over my experience. So, when I hear complaints about pregnancy, it hits a nerve.
I recall the weeks spent on bed rest, praying for my triplets to stay put just a little longer. By 20 weeks, I was almost the size of a full-term mom, struggling to move from one side of the bed to the other with three babies using my bladder as a punching bag. On the day I went into labor, I felt a gut-wrenching pain, both physically and emotionally. The thought of losing my children was unbearable. I longed for the carefree days when my pregnancy felt easy, but my reality was far from that.
Many women have faced infertility, premature births, or the heart-wrenching experience of infant loss. I wish more moms could celebrate their growing bellies instead of lamenting them. Sure, I had my moments of frustration, like those awkward weeks when I looked more bloated than pregnant. Even years later, I still joke about my squishy belly—a lasting reminder of my post-pregnancy body. But I keep those gripes off social media.
Pregnancy is a privilege. Despite my bittersweet journey, I recognize the incredible blessing of feeling three babies growing within me—a joy that many women facing infertility will never know. For those like me who delivered prematurely, it can be a painful reminder of what was lost. I never got to experience that magical moment in the delivery room; instead, I held my first triplet only to say goodbye shortly after she was born. The chaos and heartache cloud my memories, overshadowing the beauty of bringing life into the world.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t express your frustrations; pregnancy is undeniably one of life’s toughest challenges. But as you glance down at your swollen feet and deal with heartburn, remember your friends and acquaintances. Many of them are silently hoping for the chance to experience pregnancy, too.
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To sum up, embrace your pregnancy journey, with all its ups and downs. It’s a unique experience that many would give anything to have, so cherish every moment, even the uncomfortable ones.