Pregnancy Reveals a Whole New Dimension of Your Marriage

Before my first pregnancy, I was one of those wives who aimed to maintain an air of mystery in my marriage. I kept every single bodily function a secret. After emerging from the bathroom, I would insist my husband stay out, fearing that even the faintest odor would betray my humanity and the fact that I used a toilet.

I even engaged in silly rituals like sneaking out of bed to brush my teeth while he was still asleep, ensuring that my breath was minty fresh when he greeted me in the morning. I donned cute pajamas, kept my legs groomed, and generally tried to present myself as more of a Disney princess than a swamp creature.

Then, I found out I was pregnant. Oh dear. That’s when everything began to shift.

Pregnancy unveils a whole new side of your union. Let me elaborate.

The Gas. Oh Lord, the Gas.

I can’t explain the biology behind it, but pregnancy often brings an abundance of gas. With a tiny human squirming around in your abdomen, causing chaos and rearranging your insides, flatulence becomes part of the experience. So do loud belches. And when you’re utterly exhausted, it’s impractical to dash to the bathroom every time you feel gas bubbling up. You can either let it out in front of your partner or suffer in silence—don’t choose the latter.

It might be time to familiarize yourself with “Everyone Poops,” as pregnancy can lead to some bizarre bowel situations. From constipation that leaves you pleading for relief to diarrhea that has you begging for it to stop, pregnancy is a literal mess. Even if your partner never sees the aftermath, they’re likely to hear about it. If you’ve kept your bathroom habits private before, pregnancy will quickly remove that veil—perhaps to prepare you for when your child barges in while you’re on the toilet, asking for juice or wanting help with a toy.

Oh, and let’s not forget the potential for enormous, intolerable hemorrhoids. My husband once had to evaluate my situation to determine whether we needed to rush to the ER during my last pregnancy—talk about romance!

You Might Experience Accidental Urination.

Accept this reality. You may get lucky, or you may be like many of us who find themselves leaking a bit when there’s a whole human resting on your bladder, especially when a sneeze or a laugh comes into play. If you’re fortunate, this will be a rare occurrence and turn into a funny story later on. If not, you might find yourself in a rather embarrassing situation—like peeing your pants in the car line while picking up your first grader, trapped between a sleeping toddler and a school that won’t let you in without checking in.

Let’s Discuss Labor, Delivery, and Recovery.

If you somehow navigate through pregnancy without exposing your partner to any bodily functions—congratulations! But don’t get too comfortable; that baby still has to make its entrance, which comes with plenty of opportunities for your partner to witness the realities of childbirth.

You’ll be filled with amniotic fluid, which must eventually escape. If your water breaks, it could be a gentle trickle or a flood. And when it’s time to give birth, your body won’t be on its best behavior. If there’s gas to release, it will happen. Should there be poop in the vicinity… well, that’s probably making its exit too, whether it’s a polite little nugget or the result of a recent taco binge. Either way, you might want to brace yourself for some surprising moments in front of your partner.

Thinking, “Ha! I’m having a C-section!”? Think again. As someone who has undergone three Cesarean sections, I assure you that gross bodily functions are not something you can escape. I still remember the sound of something rather unsightly hitting the bathroom floor post-surgery and the look of shock on my husband’s face when he realized he had to clean it up.

Pregnancy and childbirth—no matter how you approach it—have a unique way of deepening your bond. While it may not always feel enjoyable in the moment, it will certainly provide you with some memorable stories down the line.

For more insights on pregnancy and home insemination, check out this excellent resource at UCSF’s Center. And if you’re considering at-home options, you might find valuable information at Make a Mom, an authority on the subject.

Search Queries:

Summary:

Pregnancy can dramatically alter your marriage, stripping away the veils of privacy and bringing forth a range of bodily functions into the open. From gas and constipation to the realities of labor and delivery, couples may find themselves navigating new challenges together. While these experiences may feel overwhelming at times, they ultimately serve to deepen the bond between partners, creating shared memories that will last a lifetime.