What were your biggest pregnancy surprises and pet peeves?

Linda Ward312 said:I’ve been dealing with this constant fatigue and some pretty gnarly stomach pains, whether I’ve eaten a ton or nothing at all 😢 plus I found myself deep-diving through Facebook looking at people I haven't even spoken to in two decades... honestly, I'm starting to wonder if I might actually be pregnant 🙄

Oh yeah, totally forgot the biggest headache: every single thing I put on my body or even just use, I feel like I have to double-check if it’s actually safe during pregnancy. Honestly, companies don't make it easy at all; you'd think they'd actually label that stuff clearly on the packaging.
😠

Linda Ward312 said:Oh yeah, totally forgot the biggest headache: every single thing I put on my body or even just use, I feel like I have to double-check if it’s actually safe during pregnancy. Honestly, companies don't make it easy at all; you'd think they'd actually label that stuff clearly on the packaging.
😠

Ugh, tell me about it, I totally lose my mind over this too 👎 Like, I'll grab a sandwich with deli ham (since I can't touch raw meat 🙄), cheese, and lettuce... and then later I'm sitting there thinking—wait, what if they didn't even wash the lettuce?? 😲 What about Listeria?? 😲 👎

Edward Rodriguez4 said:Ugh, tell me about it, cleaning absolutely kills me... and I'm only 30...🙄
Everything that used to take me an hour now takes me at least three times as long... I have to take a break every ten minutes because I get so winded and congested it's actually insane!
I just finished a mountain of dishes from yesterday and I HAVE to sit down before I even attempt ironing... scrubbing the bathroom... mopping the floors... 🤣
And the sleeping... the worst part is when I roll onto my back in the middle of the night and wake up panicking, thinking the baby has definitely turned blue because the position wasn't right... and what if I accidentally roll onto my stomach or something... I'm basically having hallucinations all night long. And when I need to go pee, I barely even try to get up because the thought of dragging myself down those stairs is just too much... 😠

Ugh, and then there was this one night... 🤣 oh god... my husband went out with his buddies for a bit, and he comes home smelling like a brewery (and honestly, he rarely drinks, but when he does...) and he's singing, pinching me, rubbing my belly🙄 ... I told him, "Fine, just go to sleep already, for crying out loud," but as soon as he hit the mattress, he started puking... 😱
So I ended up playing nurse to him for half the night... what a total pig! 😬

Oh my god, you have me dying!!!
I am constantly freaking out that if I lie on my side with my belly angled a certain way, I've definitely crushed the baby, so the poor thing has no room left—so naturally, I just keep tossing and turning like a piece of meat on a grill...
My husband was the same way recently; first he was celebrating like crazy when he found out about the baby, then once he realized it was a boy, it was just non-stop partying when the little guy was finally born!!!!
Seriously, how much more celebrating can one person possibly do? 🤷
And that part about the alcohol smell? Like he swallowed half a crate of Coca-Cola? Good grief! 🤮
I don't know about the rest of you ladies, but for me, the smell is like walking into a bakery; the other day I could taste something sweet on a friend's breath, and she looked at me like I'd lost my mind when I told her I could taste two cookies... honestly, I could probably go looking for truffles in California with how much I can sense things lately. 😍

rustyowl52 said:Oh my god, you have me dying!!!
I am constantly freaking out that if I lie on my side with my belly angled a certain way, I've definitely crushed the baby, so the poor thing has no room left—so naturally, I just keep tossing and turning like a piece of meat on a grill...
My husband was the same way recently; first he was celebrating like crazy when he found out about the baby, then once he realized it was a boy, it was just non-stop partying when the little guy was finally born!!!!
Seriously, how much more celebrating can one person possibly do? 🤷
And that part about the alcohol smell? Like he swallowed half a crate of Coca-Cola? Good grief! 🤮
I don't know about the rest of you ladies, but for me, the smell is like walking into a bakery; the other day I could taste something sweet on a friend's breath, and she looked at me like I'd lost my mind when I told her I could taste two cookies... honestly, I could probably go looking for truffles in California with how much I can sense things lately. 😍

Ugh, that celebration when I first found out I was pregnant lasted... pfff... like two whole weeks, I think!
As for the smells, I wasn't really someone who cared much about scents before, but since I got pregnant, I notice EVERYTHING. Just now I actually had to walk out of the living room because my own socks smelled weird to me!! And everything at home is spotless and freshly laundered!! 🙄
Oh, and the alcohol... the other night I just straight up told him, "You're drunk, you idiot!" and he just gives me this goofy look and blows in my face like, "Come on, guess what I drank?!" 😂
Total moron! 😁

Hahaha, well, I guess the guy just wanted to test the limits of your nose!!!!

And speaking of things smelling like dirty socks—man, you just reminded me of something. For the last few days, there’s been this constant, nagging scent of old gym socks wafting around my closet, and even my husband kept asking me what on earth was stinking up the house. I went absolutely ballistic trying to find the source, scrubbing every single inch of the place that was already spotless, but nothing worked! It was totally useless. We finally figured out that the new laundry detergent I picked up was actually causing the issue; apparently, it reacts with certain fabrics and leaves this weird, funky smell behind.
We were both literally sniffing our clothes in disbelief because how is that even possible? I tried using the new stuff on a small load first just to test it out, but honestly, I think I’m just going back to my old reliable brand from Target...

hm...
Honestly, what’s really getting under my skin during this pregnancy is...
all these constant changes....
I can barely get any sleep because this little one is basically a tiny heavyweight boxer in there. During the day they're quiet, but once night hits, they start throwing hands in my stomach 😁 so I'm constantly tossing and turning, trying to find a spot, just fidgeting around like a nervous hen on a nest..but no matter how I shift, nothing feels right. 😳

And then there's the heartburn, which is just brutal—it honestly feels like my esophagus is about to go up in flames.😲
But if I had to pick the absolute worst part, it’s the constant anxiety. It’s like these fears just wash over me nonstop—will the baby be okay? Will everything go smoothly with the delivery and all that? It's just exhausting. 🙂

Lately, the thing that gets under my skin the most is when someone says, "Wow, look how much your belly has grown!" Like, duh... I'm eight months pregnant, I *need* a bump! 😠
The worst part is, I’ve maybe gained about 13 pounds since before I got pregnant, and people just love to shout it out. I guess it makes them feel better or something.

Honestly, the one thing that really got under my skin was how nobody even bothered to acknowledge I was pregnant until I hit my ninth month—mostly because I’m naturally thin and my bump looked more like a tiny little marble than anything else. It didn't matter how much I tried to wear those tight-fitting tees just to get some recognition while I was riding the bus, sitting at the bank, or hanging out on campus; people just didn't notice 🙂 and sometimes, I think I would have actually appreciated the gesture if someone had offered me a seat, since those eight pounds I gained ended up going straight to a belly that's barely even visible 😁

Honestly, I’m losing my mind here—the nausea is brutal, and my stomach and gut are just constantly acting up.
I’ve always dealt with reflux esophagitis and a tiny hiatal hernia 😢 but before I got pregnant, it was pretty manageable; I’d only feel it if I laid down right after eating or if I went too heavy on the greasy stuff.
Now? It’s constant. Whether I’ve just eaten or I’m starving, I feel terrible, though being hungry actually makes the pain worse. No vomiting, just non-stop nausea and aching.🙂
Since I'm pregnant, I can't touch Pepcid or Prilosec—I can only really get by with some Gaviscon (I tried buying Reese, but it didn't do squat). I also took a couple doses of those herbal tinctures 🙄 because some site said they were fine for pregnancy since you only take a tiny teaspoon, and it gave me a moment of relief, but then everything went right back to how it was.
I’m getting a little worried... is this even normal?
Plus, the thought of having to go in for a gastroscopy right now is just totally overwhelming.😢
Is there anyone else out there dealing with the same thing who can tell me I'm not alone?
😢

analognomad59 said:Ugh, tell me about it, I totally lose my mind over this too 👎 Like, I'll grab a sandwich with deli ham (since I can't touch raw meat 🙄), cheese, and lettuce... and then later I'm sitting there thinking—wait, what if they didn't even wash the lettuce?? 😲 What about Listeria?? 😲 👎

Hmm... 🤔 I haven't really had to skip any specific foods because of the pregnancy yet... everything is pretty much business as usual for me... tuna, the occasional Coke, maybe a beer here and there, cheese and cream from the local farmer's market, ham, prosciutto... 🤔

Linda Ward312 said:Honestly, I’m losing my mind here—the nausea is brutal, and my stomach and gut are just constantly acting up.
I’ve always dealt with reflux esophagitis and a tiny hiatal hernia 😢 but before I got pregnant, it was pretty manageable; I’d only feel it if I laid down right after eating or if I went too heavy on the greasy stuff.
Now? It’s constant. Whether I’ve just eaten or I’m starving, I feel terrible, though being hungry actually makes the pain worse. No vomiting, just non-stop nausea and aching.🙂
Since I'm pregnant, I can't touch Pepcid or Prilosec—I can only really get by with some Gaviscon (I tried buying Reese, but it didn't do squat). I also took a couple doses of those herbal tinctures 🙄 because some site said they were fine for pregnancy since you only take a tiny teaspoon, and it gave me a moment of relief, but then everything went right back to how it was.
I’m getting a little worried... is this even normal?
Plus, the thought of having to go in for a gastroscopy right now is just totally overwhelming.😢
Is there anyone else out there dealing with the same thing who can tell me I'm not alone?
😢

Look, during my first trimester, I was nauseous 24/7 every single day, yet I only actually threw up three times. Whatever you do, don't let yourself get hungry because that's when the real nightmare starts. I never had any stomach issues before this, so Reese actually worked for me. I really hope you find something that gives you some relief.

rustyowl52 said:Hahaha, well, I guess the guy just wanted to test the limits of your nose!!!!

And speaking of things smelling like dirty socks—man, you just reminded me of something. For the last few days, there’s been this constant, nagging scent of old gym socks wafting around my closet, and even my husband kept asking me what on earth was stinking up the house. I went absolutely ballistic trying to find the source, scrubbing every single inch of the place that was already spotless, but nothing worked! It was totally useless. We finally figured out that the new laundry detergent I picked up was actually causing the issue; apparently, it reacts with certain fabrics and leaves this weird, funky smell behind.
We were both literally sniffing our clothes in disbelief because how is that even possible? I tried using the new stuff on a small load first just to test it out, but honestly, I think I’m just going back to my old reliable brand from Target...

Yeah, honestly... I catch that too once in a while. It's especially bad during the winter when you're drying laundry indoors. It drives me absolutely crazy. My mom keeps telling me I'm losing it, asking how on earth clean laundry could smell like socks. Well, it can! 😠

Tyler Ruiz502 said:Hmm... 🤔 I haven't really had to skip any specific foods because of the pregnancy yet... everything is pretty much business as usual for me... tuna, the occasional Coke, maybe a beer here and there, cheese and cream from the local farmer's market, ham, prosciutto... 🤔

Yeah, same here. If it doesn't smell weird or if I don't feel like eating it (fish for some reason—not that it stinks, it just makes me crave a sandwich more 😬), everything else is business as usual....👍

ugh 🙄
I honestly don't get why some people feel it's their job to suggest names—not even to help make a decision, really, just to weigh in 🙄
And then, once you actually say, "Yeah, I'm not really feeling that one..."
They have the nerve to look at you like you're being unreasonable and go, "But why? I think it's lovely!"
Look, I'm not your parent; if you want to pick whatever name you want, go ahead and do it 🙄
I can't even remember the last time I actually started a debate about names, considering I've been bombarded with random suggestions from out of nowhere more often than I can count...
But seriously, it's not even the suggestions themselves that get to me... it's this specific part right here
just give it a rest... 🙄
Oh, and there's more ☕
The unsolicited advice regarding the baby and everything else that comes with it...
Like, nobody asked. If I'm not asking for your input, it means I don't need your advice... period. I'm perfectly capable of knowing what I'm doing ☕
And honestly, I have a friend whose little one is only three months old—she's still finding her footing as a new mom—and I don't lecture her, I don't push my opinions on her, and even when I think differently, I keep it to myself
Because doing things differently doesn't mean doing them wrong
Ugh, some people just really know how to get under my skin

placidwalker6 said:Look, during my first trimester, I was nauseous 24/7 every single day, yet I only actually threw up three times. Whatever you do, don't let yourself get hungry because that's when the real nightmare starts. I never had any stomach issues before this, so Reese actually worked for me. I really hope you find something that gives you some relief.

Ugh, thank you so much, you have no idea how much that helps 🙂
I feel a little better now... I'm still eating, but I'm trying to go easy on myself since the nausea is usually hanging around 😉 so I don't end up gaining way too much weight too fast—I'm only 7 weeks along.

Tyler Ruiz502 said:Hmm... 🤔 I haven't really had to skip any specific foods because of the pregnancy yet... everything is pretty much business as usual for me... tuna, the occasional Coke, maybe a beer here and there, cheese and cream from the local farmer's market, ham, prosciutto... 🤔

I personally tossed out everything on that list just out of pure fear 😢 alcohol, coffee, Red Bull, Burn, black tea, Coke, all the carbonated stuff, anything made from cured meats (like prosciutto, bacon, sausage...), meat and dairy products that aren't packaged with a label and an expiration date, tuna, salmon, cod, even shark (not that I’ve ever eaten shark, but man, I wish I had the option 😳 ), and basically any deep-fried food unless I whip it up myself...

I just realized I probably need to ditch mozzarella and gorgonzola and all those soft cheeses too, plus any fresh fruit or veggies in sandwiches or salads bought out since I can't be sure they actually washed them 👎 but look, I am a total germaphobe, and even if there isn't some bacteria lurking around to catch, stressing myself out over "what ifs" isn't exactly great for the baby either.. 👎🙄

analognomad59, I honestly think you’re overreacting just a little bit here. 😁

Look, some of us didn't follow any of those strict rules to a T. We ate whatever we wanted and drank whatever we felt like, and we didn't run into any issues at all.
If you try to keep yourself or your baby under a literal glass bell jar, neither of you is going to develop any actual immunity!!
Besides, these food products are vetted so many times nowadays that there really isn't a health risk involved. I find it hard to believe that any major corporation would ever allow spoiled food to hit their shelves—they wouldn't risk their entire reputation like that!

And yeah, if I can be a bit sarcastic, why don't you just wear a mask whenever you go outside? People out there are consuming the very ingredients you're avoiding and then breathing them in, so you might accidentally pick something up...

I mean... this is just getting to be way too much.

At this rate, it makes it seem like PREGNANCY IS SOME KIND OF DISEASE!!!

(Just as a side note, during my last pregnancy, I cut out cappuccino because people claimed it caused miscarriages, yet the pregnancy still didn't work out. This time around, I've been drinking it whenever I feel like it—along with alcohol, Coke, and energy drinks—and look at me... I can barely walk, and I'm due in about 10 days.)

And honestly, it just bugs me when people act like being pregnant is some kind of illness!

I’ve started to feel a bit irritated lately—though most people don't even know I'm pregnant yet since I'm not showing—by the fact that absolutely everyone who *does* know seems to have some horror story about childbirth ready to go. Or they pivot immediately to how exhausting life with a newborn is, offering those unsolicited "helpful" tips like, "Oh, you better get all the sleep you can now, because you won't see it again," and so on. It’s just constant. 🙂
Not a single soul has thought to share a beautiful story or a positive perspective with me. Honestly, I can't quite wrap my head around why there's such an overwhelming urge to focus on the negatives!

It honestly drives me up the wall when people won't just call a baby a baby—or use their actual name—and instead settle for calling them "that thing" or "it." Not that she’s usually my favorite person anyway...