7 Surprising Things Moms Want You To Know About Pregnancy

Fun fact: Morning sickness can actually last all day!

We asked the BuzzFeed Community to share their firsthand pregnancy wisdom to help prepare and support those who are trying to get pregnant, expecting, or just want candid insight. Here's what they want you to know!

1. Take ALL OF THE NAPS before pregnancy fatigue and the arrival of your baby controls your sleep schedule.

"I couldn’t comprehend how completely exhausted I would be during my first trimester. About two hours into my day (every single day), I’d be overwhelmingly tired. I felt like I couldn’t function. I would actually sneak out to my car to take a nap during my breaks at work, and I was in bed for the night no later than 7:30. I finally started feeling human again after 14–15 weeks."

—KimbroSlice

"I wish I would have known to sleep as much as possible! Everyone jokes with you in a kind of condescending way to 'enjoy your rest while you can.' NO, REALLY! Rest as much as possible. It can feel like you have a million things to do before baby comes, and it gets so hard to get comfortable toward the end, but I miss sleep and alone time so much. I wish I would have treasured it a little more!"

—lyndsih

2. Body-shaming can get real, but try not to let it discourage you. That body of yours is accomplishing something truly incredible.

"If you’re already plus-size (and even sometimes if you aren’t), the weight-shaming can be awful. I’ve luckily found a health care provider who doesn’t [shame me] this time around, but in my last pregnancy literally every problem was blamed on weight. I was having awful hip pain, got a second opinion, and it turned out my hip was partially out of socket [due] to baby’s position."
—ElizabethKalyn

"I wish someone would have told me how your body all of a sudden becomes a topic that people want to discuss. Not just the comments of 'Oh, your belly is getting big,' but some of the hurtful and just stupid things people say, like 'You’re waddling' or 'Your nose is getting bigger' (because yes, that can happen). Now it’s, 'Wow, I never thought you’d lose all that baby weight!' Yeah, thanks. It’s important to wake up every day and remind yourself you are creating life, and try as hard as your hormonal self will let you to ignore the comments!"

—GinaBean0816

3. "Morning sickness" is a total misnomer.

"I wish I’d known that your morning sickness can last throughout the entire pregnancy and that it can dehydrate you really quickly. For the first six months of my pregnancy, I threw up five times a day, and during the last trimester, it was three times a day until two weeks before I gave birth. No one ever told me that morning sickness could be that bad."

—rebeccah4c7ea2d38

4. Things won't always be easy between you and your partner, but you'll learn to navigate the ups and downs.

"Honestly, I wish I would’ve known how it could impact your relationship. You get these crazy mood swings and you’re so emotional, and if it’s your first time, you and your partner don’t really know how to deal with it. Obviously you’ll learn as you progress, but there will most likely be some rough days between you two."

—jenniferr43c573c89

5. Health hurdles might temporarily interrupt your plans. Cut yourself some slack — the end result is worth it!

"My blood pressure was high for the majority of my pregnancy, which put me on disability through a lot of it. I planned on working through my entire pregnancy, so that was hard for me. I also ended up getting gestational diabetes. I remember crying in the bathroom at work because I felt like everything that could go wrong during my pregnancy did, and I remember someone saying, "Isn’t pregnancy supposed to be awesome?" And I cried because I felt like I was doing something wrong. It was a lot to process, especially being a first-time mom. But I ended up having a quick labor despite all the issues, and I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl!"

—AlexandriaBG

6. Sometimes, seeking more specialized medical attention could mean everything.

"I wish I would have known that there were health care providers who specialized in problem pregnancies. I wish I would’ve recognized sooner that my pregnancy required that. I lost my baby girl at 22 weeks, and I will never know if, had my pregnancy been managed better, she would be here today. I learned my lesson, found the best perinatal practice in my city, and successfully had my daughter and son. But I still miss that baby every day."

—RonWilliam

7. Don't feel bad for not glowing with excitement during your pregnancy. It's totally normal to be afraid or anxious.

"I wish someone would have told me that it’s okay to be scared. With my first, I didn’t have my mom around because of a falling out, so I was on my own. With my second, even though she was around, I was terrified of a miscarriage because of a medical problem I had at the beginning of pregnancy. He only had a 50% chance at survival, and I was too scared to be excited."

—meganl47c208c6b

"My first pregnancy was a breeze. My second, not so much. The anxiety was ridiculous! Worrying about what I knew were the most irrational things. Still continues to this day, just over three years later. My health care provider informed me that sometimes pregnancy can trigger anxiety, depression, and other disorders that can either last throughout the pregnancy or for years afterward. Do not pass it off. Do not lie to your health care provider. Tell them what you’re experiencing! You’ll be happy you did."
—Aem82

All images via iStock / Getty Images.

Everyone's pregnancy journey is different, but no matter what your journey is like, you don't have to go it alone.

Explore how March for Dimes is fighting for healthier lives for all moms and babies.