pregnancy memes

An Expecting Mom’s Journey, Told in Pregnancy Memes

The ability to bring new life is one of the joys of being a woman. A lot of mothers would agree that pregnancy is a magical and fulfilling milestone. This elating and incomparable journey may seem profound, but many pregnancy memes capture the myriad of feelings expecting moms feel.

However, before mothers get to experience that great rush of accomplishment, appreciation, and pride, they have to endure nine months of struggle. Expecting and experienced mothers concur that while pregnancy memes are funny, pregnancy is no joke. It is a rollercoaster of emotions, struggles, and challenges to overcome or get over with.

An expecting mother’s journey differs for each woman. Some only experience a pinch of pain while others decide to stop after the first pregnancy. It makes others think, “Is it that traumatic?”

Nonetheless, pregnancy is a momentous and life-changing part of life. Not every woman loves pregnancy, and it’s understandable. Get into the shoes of a preggo mom with this guide, filled with pregnancy memes. on everything you need to know about pregnancy one trimester at a time.

Source: Instagram

To keep both mommy and the fetus healthy, mothers must give up specific food and drinks. Moms should avoid any intake of food or beverages that may affect the growth of their unborn child. It is generally a long list that even pasteurized milk, unwashed vegetables, and soft cheese are on. Experts prohibit moms from eating raw meats, fish, and food with high mercury levels because they may carry listeria bacteria.

Probably the hardest to let go of are the all-time favorites: coffee and alcohol. Caffeine is a diuretic, meaning, it helps expel fluids from the body. Although coffee is allowable at minimal intakes of around 200 milligrams per day, it is best to avoid coffee during the first trimester to prevent miscarriages. On the other hand, alcohol is non-negotiable.

Food avoidance is only the start of what mothers make fun of in pregnancy memes.  

Source: Instagram

The First Trimester Pregnancy Memes

An average pregnancy usually takes 40 weeks after the first missed period. We go by three trimesters to monitor the development of the baby and the health of the mother. The first 12 weeks entail the development of the fetus’s brain, spinal cord, and organs. It is also the timeframe where a baby’s heart starts to beat. At 10–12 weeks of gestation, the outer genital layer is visible.

Morning Sickness

While with a child, mothers will experience a lot of bodily changes and signs. During the first trimester, it is usual for the woman to experience nausea and vomiting. This symptom is popularly known as morning sickness. It’s weird because this feeling of nausea hits a woman any time of the day at the 6–8-week mark. Other women experience sickness during the night time. 

 

Food Cravings and Aversion Pregnancy Memes

Being pregnant involves hormonal changes, making women’s senses sensitive. For one, this trimester is when women start having cravings and food aversions. They also develop a heightened sense of smell. Some food or scents may upset her, while other preferred food combinations are downright strange.

Every woman goes through this phase. The bottom line is to keep your pregnant mom healthy at all costs. She’s eating for two now, but that does not mean giving in to all her cravings. Be mindful of the good and bad food your doctor prescribes. 

Source: Instagram

Hormonal Changes

If you think women are moody even before they have a baby, wait until they get knocked up and their hormones are just out of whack. Mood swings go overboard when you are pregnant. We’ve warned you.

Fatigue, on the other hand, occurs during the early stages of pregnancy. Hormonal changes cause shifts in your body’s functions. For example, hormones relax the valve between the stomach and the esophagus, resulting in heartburn when stomach acid leaks out.

Sleeping Problems

Quality sleep is hard to get by when you are pregnant. However, they do tend to have longer hours of sleep during the early stages of pregnancy. Pregnancy takes an enormous toll on you, and you feel helplessly exhausted all the time. Also, expect that you will experience insomnia. But some moms are never too tired or sleepless to make more pregnancy memes.

Source: Instagram

Health before the pregnancy is not an accurate indicator that a woman will have a healthy pregnancy. Pregnancies are unexpected, and anything may happen. Expecting moms must pay close attention to their bodies, and must be ready for any surprises.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) says the probability of a miscarriage is relatively high during the first trimester. Miscarriages in the first trimester account for 85% of all miscarriages. Notify your doctor immediately if you have shown any symptoms of a miscarriage. 

 

Second Trimester Pregnancy Memes

Marking up the second trimester is your 13th to 27th week with your baby as it continues growing. The skeleton, muscle tissue, skin, blood cells, taste buds, hair, lashes, and eyebrows materialize during this phase.

Healthcare providers would prescribe you an anatomy scan ultrasound to check the baby’s body for any developmental abnormalities. During this test, they can also identify the sex of the baby should you want to do a grand gender reveal. The best time to identify the fetus’s sex is between 16 and 20 weeks.

Source: Instagram

Round Ligament Pain and Cramps

Being pregnant is a confusing time. Some people say the confusion is a heavenly feeling.

Meanwhile, shooting pains contradict the magical air. Women experience round ligament pain typically in the second trimester. Women feel sharp, stabbing sensations on the right lower pelvis or abdomen, which worsen with movement. It often feels like intense cramps.

Often we see women struggling with rolling over or even walking. The truth is every tiny movement a pregnant woman does is painful. It’s sort of like a warm-up for the big finale: childbirth. 

Source: Instagram

More Prominent Bodily Changes

Mothers get their “pregnancy boobs” during the second trimester. Aside from breast growth, other bodily changes are nipple hypersensitivity, the darkening of the areola, and veins around the breast. Found on the surface of your areola are small glands called Montgomery’s tubercles. These glands become more prominent and bumpy during pregnancy.

In handling breast enlargement, look for the right support bra with deep bands under the cups. Avoid using underwired bras as much as possible. It is best to find a bra with wide shoulder straps and an adjustable closure. You will appreciate a great bra that supports you throughout the changing stages of your pregnancy breasts.

Do not be surprised when your breasts start leaking a thick yellow substance. It’s called colostrum, the first form of milk produced by mammary glands. Due to the antibodies present in colostrum, breastfeeding is good for the baby as it protects the newborn from diseases. 

Source: Instagram

Pregnant women are also no stranger to stretch marks. The second trimester is where women start showing stretch marks because of weight gain. Although there are rare cases wherein women lose weight when they are pregnant, the majority gain weight.

It is natural for the body to develop stretch marks with this kind of growth over a short period. Stretch marks appear all over the body, particularly under the breast area, belly, thigh, and buttocks. They start as red or purplish streaks at first but fade to white or grey lines after the pregnancy. Other skin changes an expecting mother experiences are dark spots appearing on her body.

 

Baby Starts Moving

The morning sickness and fatigue go away during the start of the second trimester. However, food cravings and aversions remain. The best part of the second trimester is feeling the baby’s movements. This stage is where the baby starts moving or “quickening.” As the fetus develops regular waking and sleeping patterns, they begin to hear sounds from outside the womb. A lot of couples talk to their unborn offspring so that it may familiarize their voices. 

Third Trimester Pregnancy Memes

False Contractions

Carried over the second trimester are small contractions often assumed by pregnant women as a sign of going into labor. This sensation is called Braxton-Hicks contractions. These contractions grow stronger as the pregnancy extends further into the third trimester.

As the baby grows and becomes more restless, the mother experiences stronger kicking movements in her belly. Regular movement is good for the baby. At this point, the baby starts making breathing motions. 

Frequent Urination

This symptom is also the butt of many pregnancy memes. As the baby grows heavier at an average of 7–8 pounds, moms begin to feel back pain from carrying a massive belly. They will also frequent the restrooms as the baby pushes down on the bladder. Other symptoms include swollen feet and ankles, shortness of breath, leg cramps, and varicose veins.

Source: Instagram

Baby Dropping

Nearing the due date, the baby typically turns its head down to ready itself for the delivery. In some cases, it usually does not happen, and midwives perform emergency C-sections for special and delicate situations. Throughout the pregnancy, expecting couples may experience anxiety about the delivery and parenthood. Parents need to find supportive peers and family at these times. 

Water Breaking

Basing labor on water breaking is a rare case. Influenced by movies, a woman’s water breaking only happens about 15% of the time. Therefore, women must pay close attention to other signs of their bodies.  

A woman attuned to the rhythm and sensations of her body can tell whether she is about to give birth or not. Aside from the infamous water breaking, here are other signs that hint labor is near:

  • Weight gain stops
  • Cervix dilates
  • Diarrhea
  • Nesting instinct. The nesting instinct is an overwhelming desire to clean and organize your home to get ready for the baby’s arrival. Older generations believe that delivery is near after signs of nesting occur.
  • Cramps and back pain increase
  • Loosened joints. Near the baby’s delivery, a pregnant woman’s joints feel less tight and more relaxed as a way of opening your pelvis for the baby to come out.
  • Mucus plug loosens. Loosening of the mucus plug shows in vaginal discharges as they start to differ in color and consistency.

Fourth Trimester Pregnancy Memes

The fourth trimester is an unofficial phase taking place during the first three months of the baby after birth. The things people warn you about through pregnancy memes come during this period. Postpartum can be very difficult for new parents because a child needs constant caring. Imagine what a single mother has to go through! Parents need to get as much rest as possible to energize themselves in taking care of their newborn.

Source: Instagram

Parents need to replicate the environment of the womb to appease the baby. What they can do is hold the baby close, gently rock them, or make shushing or swishing sounds. Breastfeeding is also essential as the child learns how to latch on their mother’s tit.

For mothers, lochia is very common as the vagina bleeds or discharges fluids from the body for 4–6 weeks after giving birth. They also experience “baby blues” or mood swings afterward. In other cases, mothers experience postpartum depression. This sign involves feelings of sadness, fatigue, hopelessness, and anxiety. However, postpartum depression is curable by psychotherapy and antidepressants prescribed by a doctor.

Source: Instagram

As we end this discussion, we would like all the expecting mothers to know that they are not alone in this fulfilling journey. You might not like being pregnant, and that is certainly okay.

Pregnancy is not for everybody, but when you’re already there, best aim to go all the way. The vital things to consider are your child’s health and yours, the people you surround yourself with, and the preparation. Parents need development in mental, physical, and financial aspects. As viral as pregnancy memes get, pregnancy is still no joke, and if it were easy, men would do it too.

 

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Kathy Urbanski

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