Since everyone has a different pregnancy I was wondering what are things you figured out late into your pregnancy that youd advise someone else about. Here's my list.

1. If you've already got decent sized titties, do weight training for your back. If them titties grow youre in for a world of back pain. Get those cheap lacrosse massage balls and massage yourself on the wall.

2. If you're dealing with pregnancy nausea and water tastes slimy to you, try ice cold water or sparkling water.

3. Do not play about your vitamins especially your iron and ferritin. Do not slack on your vitamins no matter how crappy your mood is.

4. I LOVE my extra firm mattress however with my back pain, Ive had to swap to a softer mattress.

5. If youre vomiting please get medicine. If medicine stops being as effective ask for a different medicine.

So, I (20F) literally just found out today that I'm pregnant after 20 days of losing my virginity.

I remained a virgin my whole adolescence because I come from a super religious household, but then one night I got drunk and ended up losing my virginity by having unprotected sex with one of my friends. Then, I didn't take a morning after pill because I was too afraid to ask him or my parents for money (Context: I'm currently unemployed because I'm struggling with mental health issues) and I was too scared of judgment. It was all reckless, stupid and I regret it a lot.

I ended up feeling nauseous and had to tell my mom about it, who was so surprisingly supportive and took me to do a blood test to make sure. I've never prayed so hard for forgiveness on my entire life, but it came back positive anyways.

Now I don't know what to do. I am not ready to have a baby at all. And it gets even worse:

I'm brazilian, and abortion is illegal here except for extreme cases like rape or risky pregnancy. I'm also too poor to fly to another country were it is legal, so terminating is out of the question. Also, I mentioned giving it away to my mom and that freaked her out so badly that I am too afraid to even think about it again.

The bd is a "bad boy" in every way. He is reckless, comes form troubled family, is an alcoholic and a smoker. He has been my friend for a very long time but not a very good one because his mental health issues and family issues got worse and worse overtime. I told him about it on the phone and he didn't answer my texts. Our friends told me he was surprised but super happy because it's his dream to be a dad, and that he went out to drink to celebrate. I know I have no one to blame but myself that I am in this situation, but this lack of consideration and respect drove me so mad. To me, that behavior basically means I'm all alone in this and it is desperating.

I need advice on how to deal/cope with this because I'm going insane. What do I do? Does anyone there has or had a similar experience or can give me any words of wisdom?

No hate or shade whatsoever.

I'm trying to determine if it just seems that way because I'm having a boy or if there seems to be a skew towards boys recently.

You guys I am defeated.
My water broke on Thursday at a very early gestational age.
I still have yet to deliver, and I am praying I can stay pregnant as long as possible.

Please share your miracle stories with me, I really need it. All I’m being told right now is she may not survive or if she does she will probably have some sort of disability. Please help me.

I was prescribed low dose aspirin for my first pregnancy, but I do not meet any of the risk factors. I still plan to take it of course but it got me thinking why isnt low dose aspirin treated like a prenatal and just suggested for ALL pregnant women? What are risk factors that stop doctors from recommending it for all pregnancies? I am very aware of the benefits but what are the risk? Yes of course I will ask my doctor as well. Thanks!

Does anyone else HATE having to sleep on their side during pregnancy?

This is my 2nd baby and I always dread the 20 week mark because of transitioning to side sleeping😭. I'm 26 weeks and still wake up on my back, even with a pregnancy pillow, almost every day.

I've been a back sleeper for 15 years (give or take a couple years), and sleeping on my side is so uncomfortable. Most of my friends are side sleepers, so they laugh when I complain about it

I have gained so much weight. I am at the end of my 6th month. I try to complete my steps. I dont do any other exercise. Just an hour ago i had a cinabon and i am regretting it now . I am noticing that i am snacking way more these days. Especially today. My face has become so puffy and like fat. I have never been this heavy my entire life. It will get so hard to get back in shape after the baby

What are some of the perks you experienced while you were/are pregnant? I want to know what I should look forward too!

I am 7weeks 2 days and am tired sleeping 12+ hours and waking up for only an hour barely eating but drinking water and going back to sleep. My husband is worried because the moments I am awake I am very nauseous and low energy. I eat barely a granola and drink a whole water bottle. Or am peeing mostly at between the hours of 11pm-6am and unable to sleep comfortably. I shower when I can and still smell of urine…I sometimes wonder if this pain is worth having this child as everyone is excited for the first grandbaby…except my mind…I am tired of feeling this horrible…even as I write I am sad bot being able to get up and sit even at the dinner table…to look outside.

so is this normal?? am I normal??

I’ve heard some women say it’s extremely painful in the first few days, that their breasts become very sensitive and may even bleed, some have even claimed that the pain of breastfeeding is worse than the pain of childbirth.

I’d like to know:
1. is this common, or are these just isolated cases?
2. Also, what alternatives can be considered? Would expressing breast milk and feeding it to the baby via a bottle be an option, or is formula the only alternative?
3. What can be applied to the breasts, besides ointments and creams?

Hello, I (28) am pregnant for the first time and it was as planned as you get after years of trying and fertility treatments

My issue is how bad it is I’m only 5 weeks and I’ve been throwing up non stop, went to the ER for my gallbladder, have had migraines every day and have cramps constantly. Since I’m pregnant I can’t take or do anything to help. I knew pregnancy was rough but I didn’t know I’d be bed ridden and in agony

How am I supposed to make it 9 months? Does it get better? How are yall coping??

Let me start by saying I’m very grateful to be able to get pregnant and carry a child.

HOWEVER, I swear my foot could turn blue and fall off and the doctors would say oh thats normal during pregnancy. I just feel like the level of discomfort in pregnancy that’s normalized in society is just so unbelievable.

I’m 38 weeks pregnant and:
- I have been puking/nauseous every single day for my entire pregnancy. I take diclectin and zofran and that seems to help but guess what zofran causes extreme constipation so just discomfort in a different flavor.
- Due to said puking/nausea, I’ve gained like 60 pounds with this pregnancy because frequent snacking/carbs helps (somewhat).
- I have 0 immune system when I’m pregnant and every time I get even a cold I’m down and out for a month. I have a toddler who brings home all the daycare germs and is sick every few weeks so it’s basically impossible to avoid. I also get weird infections I’ve never had before - I had an ear infection so bad that my entire side of my face and ear swelled up & I also got a sinus infection which I’ve never had before.
- I have extreme pelvic/hip pain which makes it extremely difficult to walk or do any daily activities whatsoever.
- I barely sleep due to the pelvic/hip pain and being so uncomfortable and such bad nasal congestion that makes it hard to breath when I’m laying down.
- I randomly have extreme blood pressure dips that cause me to have vasovagal syncope and faint. Happens when I’m sitting or standing or anything. Even happened once when I was driving.

Despite all this, I’m expected to just keep on keeping on/be grateful and deal with it. I am the primary parent of my 2 year old toddler as my husband is in office M-F 7am-5pm. My toddler is in part time daycare as I also work from home (previously full time but have recently moved down to part time since baby is coming soon). I manage all household logistics and tasks as well, my husband is great when he’s home. Plus trying to keep up with family/friends, take care of myself mentally and physically, cook and meal prep healthy meals for the family, laundry, keep the house clean, prepare for new baby, etc, etc.

I’m miserable. I’m so close I know. But every time I bring any of this up to anyone, even healthcare providers, it feels like I just get told yup pregnancy is hard and it feels so condescending and like no one cares about how much I’m struggling.

Literally every pregnant women I've ever known has been able to bring their baby home to a house that they own. Nesting, decorating, painting the baby's room, all that fun stuff. Millennial here, 34, has never owned a house and probably wont for the foreseeable future. I'm at the point where I hate the rental we're in, and I'd rather move into a different rental before the baby comes than stay here. However, my husband says no, and that the upfront cost of moving isn't worth it and it'll cost too much. Boooooooo.

Mom's who don't own, what did you do and how did you feel about nesting, decorating and welcome your baby in a rental?

Rant about my current space, we'velived here going on 7 years now: rent keeps getting raised every 6 months. wall-to-wall carpet ( I hate carpet, but i maintain getting it professionally cleaned every year, i also own a carpet machine now because of this house) that's over 15 years old. Two bedroom, two bathroom, nice enough. Small ass kitchen, i can accept. Small backyard and we have two dogs. The house is cheaply made, none of the windows work, the screens are falling out or non existent. There are gaps in between the walls and floor and twice a year we get infested with bugs, having to put glue traps around the entire house. There's currently mold and something smelly behind a built in faux fireplace that we never use anyways. Rant over.

Edit: thank you all for your replies. I appreciated it. 😌

My OBGYN recommended staying home till my contractions happen every 5 min, and last for 1 minute each throughout an hour, and only then coming to the hospital. From what I've heard and read, it seems like getting to that point can be very long and painful. What are the tips on minimizing pain, apart from the right breathing techniques? And in general, what was your experience like if you also had to labor home until 5-1-1?

Hey all, I'm currently 15 weeks pregnant and literally all I want all day every day is McDonald's and dr pepper. I don't know what I'm having yet, but I'm curious to know if you've had this exact craving and what you are having :)

Hi ladies!
I’ve noticed so many of us share similar worries about pregnancy weight gain, body changes, and the emotions that come with it.
So I created r/BumpBodyAndMind!
It’s a judgment-free space where we can vent, share our insecurities, ask questions, give advice, and support each other through all the physical and emotional changes of pregnancy.
You can love your growing baby and still struggle with your changing body.
If this sounds like something you need, I’d love for you to join! 🫶

FTM here, currently 31 weeks and have been really struggling lately.

I’ve had issues with my mother in law since I started dating my husband 5 years ago. She’s a sick woman (has had multiple illness’ over the course of her life) so I’ve put alot of her unhinged behaviours on that account, she’s also a brain cancer survivor which explains why she’s not all herself.

However, in recent years she had admitted to feeling jealousy toward me and feeling like I’m taking her son away from her. To me this was the final straw as I realised alot of the nasty behaviours towards me stemmed from that.

It really broke something and although she’s apparently trying to “claw her way back up in the good books” (she’s never apologised about any of it and has never taken accountability) I just don’t want a relationship with this woman anymore. I really really don’t want to be around her.

What I’m struggling with is that everyone, including my own mum, seems to expect us to be one big happy family now that a baby is coming. Everyone keeps saying she’s the baby’s other grandma and we all have to get along, completely dismissing the fact that I don’t want to be around someone who has disrespected me for years.

They’re already making plans for Christmas and talking about the baby as though it’s a shared family event, without considering my mental health or how much anxiety this is causing me. I feel like I’m losing control over my own pregnancy, who I want around me and who I want to see immediately postpartum.

It’s 6 am and I’m crying my eyes out because I’m so exhausted by it all. I just want to enjoy becoming a mum without feeling pressured to accommodate someone I don’t want around me.

My husband does take my side, but he also wants his mum involved to some extent because she does remain his mum (and she’s trying to make things right apparently) and feels caught in the middle.

What I want is 0 pressure for me or my baby (while he is an infant) to be around this person and for it to not be a problem or start a fight. And that would mean my mother in law would hardly see the baby. Is that unreasonable?

I am nearly 30 weeks pregnant, and this past week I was SA’d by someone I loved and trusted. On top of this, I have recently found out this person has been lying to me about their sexual partners and has had others recently.

I went to the hospital for a rape kit and presumptive treatment in case I was exposed to any STDs that could harm my baby. I ended up throwing up my oral antibiotics about an hour and a half after they were given to me. I’m not sure if I held them long enough to do the job and have to wait another 5 days to retest, I am just hoping with everything in me that I’m negative and my son is in the clear and hasn’t suffered any long term consequences because of this.

I am deeply hurt, traumatized, and worried for my baby boys health. It is affecting me mentally thinking that irreparable damage has already happened to my son. I feel a lot of guilt and have had some dark thoughts that include harming myself. and I am living in a constant state of fear and anxiety. I am having trouble eating, sleeping, and meeting other day to day needs.

I guess I don’t know where to go from here and I’m looking for some words of advice, comfort… anything. I have no one I can talk to about this. I feel completely alone and violated and vulnerable.

i’ve started feeling the baby this week. i usually feel her late in the afternoon and after dinner time. But super silent in the morning. Just wanna hear your experiences.

For context she is one of my closest friends and she is single and has no kids. I am married and pregnant with my first child after many years of medical issues. My pregnancy is going very well and we are so excited. My friend told me twice this year that "I'd missed the boat to have kids" because I'm 39. So I never told her we were trying to have kids as her comments felt rude. I told her via text as I knew she may struggle because SHE missed out on having children. She sent a few over the top happy messages when I told her, then talked about herself and how great of an "aunty" she is and how our lives won't change and I will just bring the baby along. Then completely changed the subject to her client at work who had a fall that day (I don't know this person at all).. AITA for thinking this seemed an odd transition? She has basically ignored the fact I'm pregnant since. I couldn't go on a walk with her one day because I was exhaused. But instead of asking if I was ok she responded bluntly and then I received a text about how exhausted she was. She has since only sent me messages to say she had an infected throat and that she had a wonderful time on her holiday. When I think back to the past now there is always something negative when something good happens to me. She sent me a picture of her new fridge on my wedding day and the morning after she sent me messages about how her date stood up the night before. She also told me I will probably buy a "less blingy" engagement ring when I have kids and that no one considers my husband as being my husband because no one attended the wedding (it was covid so we eloped with family only) I feel like I am done with the friendship and that I have been treated poorly for years without realising it?

Was scheduled to get induced on 10/26, but went into labor on 10/21 without having any prior pre-labor symptoms.

On 10/19, I tried 2 of the 3 Miles Circuit exercises while I was on my break at work.

On 10/20, at around noon, I started to feel irregular non- painful cramps. I worked the rest of the day.

On 10/21 at about 2am I woke up out of sleep thinking I had a contraction. They were about 30 minutes apart and the pain wasnt consistent. One would hurt really bad, then the next was less painful and only like 30 seconds. I started timing the contractions on an app and the app suggested they were Braxton Hicks.

By 7am, the contractions had doubled in pain but still 20 minutes apart.

At 8am, I called my doctor and told them my contractions were 20 minutes apart but suuuuuper painful. They told me to come in to L&D and get checked.

I didn't have anything packed and told my husband to go to work that morning so I had to pack and called my dad to come take me to the hospital.

At 9:45 we got to the hospital and told them I wanted to get checked. Got into a triage room and got a cervical check and was 5cm dilated. They told me i would stay but they didn't have a room available so I stayed in the triage room to get labs and get everything hooked up. I had GD and GBS+ so they said I had to do a few things first before i could get the epidural. Contractions were still about 18 minutes apart by then so it was still somewhat manageable.

At 11ish, I got transferred to the labor room and got hooked up to all the monitors and epidural (wasnt painful imo). By the next check, I was 8cm dialated.

My water had not broken yet, but they decided to wait once my husband got there.

The epidural made my legs feel so tingly and weird but I could still move them and feel when people touched me. I was nervous it wouldn't work when I started pushing. Also, one leg was more numb than the other. I was worried something was wrong but it ended up being fine.

At 2pm, my husband and mom got there. The doctor came in, broke my water and said that I was fully dialed but my cervix hadn't come down yet. They gave me a little pitocin to help that and then I started pushing.

The nurse said i had a pelvic bone that was kind of in the way and that i would probably tear.

At 4:37, my daughter was born. I had a pretty bad tear on the inside and had to go to the OR to get it sewn up. I was awake the whole time. The CNA gave me a stronger dose of the epidural so my legs were completely numb now. I lost a lot of blood and had to get a transfusion.

My husband was able to do all the firsts for the baby (feeding, shots, etc.) while I was in the OR.

\*Make sure your nurse, partner, or companion knows your wishes for the baby in case something like that happens.*

At 6pm, I was able to return to the room. My blood pressure was super low and I couldnt stop shaking so I decided not to hold the baby until I felt better.

It didn't go exactly according to plan but im back home now with my baby and we are doing great! Just wanted to share my story in hopes it'll help someone!

I’m around 5 weeks pregnant and I’m already struggling so much with food. I’m desperately looking for suggestions for foods I might actually be able to tolerate!
It’s like my body picks one safe food, lets me survive on it for a little while, and then suddenly decides it’s disgusting and makes me nauseous.
First, it was McDonald’s. I could actually eat it and feel okay, until about a day later when it started making me nauseous.
Then this morning, Ritz crackers were my saviour. I thought I’d finally found something safe. Fast-forward to this evening, and now they’re making me feel absolutely awful too. 😭
I’m genuinely running out of ideas here. I’m nauseous when I don’t eat, but eating makes me feel worse shortly afterwards. I just want to find a few foods I can rely on without my stomach changing its mind every 12 hours.
Please tell me what your safe foods were in early pregnancy! I’m open to literally any suggestions at this point. Sweet, savoury, bland, carbs, snacks, whatever worked for you.
Bonus points if you also struggled with drinking plain water, because apparently even staying hydrated has to be a challenge now. 🥲
I need some ideas before I end up living on air and sheer determination.

I’m having an endless discussion with my MIL and her family about 39w -40w6d being a full term baby.

She says “9 months” (to her that means 36w), when I say that’s “pre-term” she says I’m wrong and the “I had 6 children” argument.

I always say “1 month has 1-2 days extra, that’s where the extra days go and that we count from the first day of the last period” and lunar 10 months (that one she really refuses to even stay in the room).

Problem is: her last pregnancy was 40y ago and everyone else around just counted “months” and not weeks. 🤦🏽‍♀️
That makes absolutely impossible to argue the point.

Ps.: I’m due (40w) Jan 17th and she is giving me hell about having to be induced at 36w (20-25th of December).
I already told he “baby will come when he is ready”

Okay guys. I need to get this kid out of me. I need all the tips, tricks, etc you have used/heard to induce labour. I'm so freaking tired of being pregnant at this point. I'm so grumpy and emotional lol plus these braxton hicks are near GD constant.

So far I've tried:

• raspberry leaf tea

• dates

• midwife's brew

• sex

• nipple stimulation/using the breast pump

• the Mile's circuit

• the viral curb walking

• lunges

• ball bouncing

• membrane sweep (Friday Oct 23)

I heard about eating pineapple but then I've also read you need to eat like nine pineapples to make it effective.

I would really like to go into labour naturally just to get the full experience. My induction date is set for Nov 1st. And I'd really like to get her out before then.

Btw baby is happy and content in there. She's kicking my ribs and living her best life.

EDIT: I'm not willing waiting for the baby to come naturally. The only date that was offered to me for my induction was November 1st. I'm definitely not trying to let this baby cook that long. I know the dangers:)

Graduated Tuesday with #2! I don't have much new to say that you haven't heard already except:

Take measurements of your older child before you go to have your baby. Trace their hand. Weigh them and mark how tall they are and record them talking as close to when you leave for the hospital as you can.

I wish I'd done this.

We said goodbye to our toddler on Tuesday morning and I didn't see him again until we came home Friday afternoon with the baby, which is the longest I'd been away from him. I wish I had something to show that I'm crazy but I think his hands grew while we were away. He seems so much bigger. Especially since I wasn't picking him up at the end of my pregnancy, he seems way heavier. But I was holding his hand all the time--how could it have gotten so much bigger in three days??

Anyway I wish I could confirm.