Pregnancy Misconceptions
In this article I would like to share some misconceptions that I had about the whole pregnancy thing. All these misconceptions were cleared when I got pregnant last year. What were yours?
The first one..
1.You Become Ugly
As I saw in movies and read on the internet, I thought it was obvious for a pregnant woman to be all cranky and moody due to hormonal changes, morning sickness and other changes which occur in the body during pregnancy. But on experiencing personally, I do admit the sickness stresses you out, and you definitely need time to accept the changes that may be forever in your body, but as the acceptance comes and you foresee the miracle that would happen when your pregnancy is completed, you start to feel happy about your body. Self-love is important and it helps you in the long run. However it does not mean that you have to let your body change as time goes on and not take care of it.
You may have cottage cheese areas in your body, that is high levels of cellulite on the body especially on the hips and thighs. You might have red stretch marks on the belly, love handles, inner thighs as the pregnancy progresses. Sometimes it gets better after pregnancy but the stretch marks and cellulite tend to stay more or less. But you can take care of your body in advance to the changes so that the appearance of stretch marks is minimum and your skin retains its elasticity and good appearance. What you can do about it
A good home remedy suggested by my doctor was to apply coconut oil on my body before taking a bath and preparing an oil concoction to apply after a bath. Here is the method to prepare it. Mix 25 percent olive oil with 25 percent almond oil and finally 50 percent coconut oil in a glass bottle. Apply this mixture 2 times daily on the breasts, arms, thighs, hips, and the belly. Additionally, try to use mild soaps and bathe in lukewarm water.
2.You can not exercise.
Looking at pregnant women scared me a bit and I believed that even normal work might not be good for them let alone exercises. But later I came to know that until and unless you have a high-risk pregnancy, you can start working out in the second trimester, however there are some specific exercises for pregnant women that do not involve carrying heavy weights and other restrictions are also there. So yes, apart from normal walking in the first trimester, women can start exercising under a trained professional on starting the second trimester and can continue till the 7th month of pregnancy. This aids natural delivery and helps you maintain a healthy body weight during pregnancy. The ideal weight gain for pregnant women is between 10-15 kgs.
3. Your sex drive increases.
Due to the increases blood circulation in the pelvic area, sex might feel more pleasurable and it's considered safe in most pregnancies until the doctors advise you to refrain from it. But many women don't feel frisky most of the time. It might be due to morning sickness, general uneasiness with the growing belly and other reasons. So, if you don't feel like doing it it's completely normal.
4. Eat for two!
It is a general hearsay that during pregnancy the mother needs to eat for two people. However that is not advised. Instead you have to consume extra 300 calories per day from your ideal intake according to your bmi and other factors. Make sure you discuss this with your doctor and get help in getting a health chart devised for you. It is highly recommended that you eat a balanced diet and not surrender to pregnancy cravings at all times.
5. You will feel like eating all the time.
I watched in movies and heard from my friends that all that a pregnant woman could think about was food and eating all day. In the movie, 'The backup plan' you can see Jennifer Lopez in her character eating enormously. And yes it happens several times that you have weird and sudden cravings and want to over eat. But in my case I found that even if I over eat I suffered severe heart burn, indigestion and sometimes even had to puke. So they key is to eat in moderation even if it's your favorite food, otherwise you might end up feeling bad and averse to food.
6. It is a beautiful and happy journey of 9 months.
Of course it's beautiful in many ways. You get to be a mother, and that's probably the happiest moment for a woman in her whole life. Happiness? Yes you feel immensely happy when you get that test positive and you get the support from your loved ones throughout those nine months. But every pregnancy is not the same and nor is life always a happy ride. There are some rocky moments, and sometimes you might even feel alone amidst the pain and sickness and the overwhelming changes that you go through, but that will eventually make you strong and will make your bond with the baby even stronger. I wish happy motherhood to all the women who read this article. My wishes are with you always. You are a hero! A creator! XOXO Interested to share some misconceptions that you had about being pregnant? Share them in the comments below.
Also read, My Emergency C-section Birth story