Ah, pregnancy! Your skin is glowing (with a constant sweaty flush from the endless morning sickness), your hair is long and lush (because you don’t have time to see your stylist), and you’re overjoyed at the thought of being a mom (okay, that one’s for real). Your BFF was all about her three trimesters: She was big into showing off her baby bump and a 24/7 promoter of being preggo. So you assumed that your mama-to-be days would be the same kind of daily dream… and then they weren’t. Not every mommy is head over heels for pregnancy. Check out these five reasons why it’s entirely okay to not feel bad about not enjoying your pregnancy!
1. Pregnancy is uncomfortable. Your body feels like an odd alien instead of like… well, like you. Between morning sickness, swollen feet, and the constant case of the tireds, you’re uncomfortable. Hey, mama, you aren’t alone. Sure, it may seem like all of those glowy, smiley pregnant women have the aches and pains beat. Maybe they do — or maybe they’re just masking their true feelings. It’s okay to admit that pregnancy is uncomfortable. And you don’t have to like it!
2. There are years of mom guilt to come. The first time your baby won’t stop crying and you can’t help them; when your toddler falls because you turned your back for 0.005 of a second; the day you’ll forget about your preschooler’s bake sale and are the only parent who doesn’t show up with cupcakes: The crystal parenting ball says you have years of guilt in your future. Every parent does. There’s no reason to start now — your kiddo isn’t even here yet. So skip the guilt trip and give yourself a pregnancy pass.
3. Being a little bit selfish is okay. You say you don’t want to spend 23 hours a day Googling what to expect for the week you’re currently in? And you’d rather be searching for “Ryan Gosling shirtless?” There’s no rule that says being a mother equals being entirely selfless. Of course you’ll put your child’s needs first, but that doesn’t mean giving up 100 percent of yourself in the process. It’s okay for you to spend at least some of your pregnancy focusing on yourself instead of each and every symptom. Sometimes being somewhat selfish during your pregnancy is perfectly all right. Okay, maybe more than sometimes.
4. This isn’t a contest. Competitive parenting doesn’t need to start before your baby is even here. Even though all of your mommy friends may be into spotlighting their magical baby-growing time with ethereal pics they post all over IG and FB, this isn’t a contest. It’s not all about who has the “best” pregnancy. It’s about you, your baby, and maybe even your S.O.
5. It’s only nine months. You’ll have a lifetime to enjoy bonding with your kiddo. If the nine months before they get here aren’t exactly perfect, it shouldn’t matter. As long as you and your baby are healthy and safe, not having the time of your life isn’t a major problem. Think of your three trimesters as the preshow: It’s just leading up to the big birth day and all of the precious ones that will follow.
What’s your biggest guilt-getter during pregnancy? Tweet us your suggestions @BritandCo!
(Photos via Getty)