When it comes to pregnancy, women usually fall into one of two camps: Those who love the experience (and have the bump photos to prove it) and those who spend every minute counting down the minutes to labour.
There are plenty of reasons to relish pregnancy: Conceiving a child with the person you love, anticipating a future family and marvelling in the fascinating bodily changes that occur. And for many women, being pregnant provides an opportunity to live in stretchy clothes and break from strict beauty routines.
Other reasons are being newly pregnant and feeling like you have a "secret" from the world, being able to wear comfortable shoes and no one thinks twice and being able to take naps without an excuse in the middle of the day. This unfortunately is a benefit of the first pregnancy, because once you have a toddler running around there is no rest for the weary.
Others are having a big, round belly! (Don't forget to take some great photos), hearing the glorious horse galloping heartbeat, the baby moving and it is your little secret, no one else knows and knowing that soon you'll have a little one to cuddle and nurse. Nine months seems like a very long time, but before you know it your baby will be here.
Complications
For others, pregnancy is more complicated. Some eat in between meals, while others detest the scent of some particular foods. Some also suffer nausea and vomiting associated with early morning sickness (hyperemesis gravidarum), and others are unable to keep mood swings in check.
“Some women don’t enjoy pregnancy due to the weight gain, but the issue often runs deeper than vanity,” Bethany Marshall, PhD, a Beverly Hills-based psychotherapist, tells Yahoo Parenting.
“Rounder, fuller bodies go against society’s script for female beauty and some women subconsciously fear that a bigger body means they’re no longer desirable to their partners or the world.”
Science substantiates these fears. One study published by the American Psychological Association found that male infidelity rises during pregnancy (even if he is satisfied with the relationship) due in part to the changes that occur when their partner is expecting.
Chic maternity style
Not every pregnant woman emits a “glow,” has “chic maternity style,” or posts time-lapse videos of her baby bump. Regardless, there’s an expectation for women to fully subscribe to the pregnancy experience and it is easy to feel like an outsider, if you simply view it as a means to an end.
And for women who have had trouble conceiving, suffer from postpartum depression (yes, it can occur during pregnancy), struggle with the transition to impending motherhood, or are otherwise operating on nonstop hormonal highs and lows, it is easy to understand why pregnancy can feel disappointing.
There is also a subset of women who are literally repulsed by pregnant bodies. For these women, who often have history of mental illness or abuse, or have negative associations with childbirth or pregnancy, their fears can be converted into physical disgust, says Marshall.
The good news about pregnancy is that it has a shelf life. And for those who love it that much, they can do it all over again.
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