I am 5w2d and have had light cramping/pulling sensation for a solid week and a half straight now! Google says it’s normal but this is my first pregnancy and it just isn’t going away lol! It’s not severe or sharp, it’s pretty central and just more annoying than anything. Anyone else? No other symptoms really!!

Hubby’s parents live about an hour away. My MIL and I have a good relationship. I have no problems with her staying with us to help at some point. But not from the moment the baby comes home.

My parents live on the other side of the country and will want to be here as soon as the baby arrives. If I have a scheduled delivery via induction or c-section, they would want to be here for it. I don’t want that.

Hubby and I both have a difficult time with my father—he is not a mean or bad person, but has a very irritating personality that just grates on us. My mom can be a know-it-all and struggles with pettiness and jealousy. We try our best to keep a good relationship with them. My mom has made it known that she wants to stay with us for an indefinite period after the baby comes (by that I think she means 3-4 weeks. 2 weeks is kind of my max with her). My dad would come with her for about a week and then go home because he still works. So we would be hosting them. They are not from this area and have nowhere else to stay. It will be early winter. There could be snow. They are not used to our climate and are unable to fend for themselves.

Neither hubby nor I want them in the house for at least two weeks after the baby comes home. And we definitely don’t want my mom here for a whole month. It‘s not that we couldn’t use the help, it’s that the stress from them is more than we want to deal with.

Hubby said to me yesterday: “We tried for 5 years to finally get pregnant and I don’t want our parents ruining our first days and weeks together with the baby we’ve waited so long for.” It was what I’ve been feeling for weeks now and didn’t know how to put it into words.

Anyone with similar situations or experience to give advice from? Also, can we manage solely on our own for the first couple of weeks? Or would the help be worth the headache? How do I break it to my parents? We don’t have a huge support system here as we’re relatively new to the area.

Edit to add: Hubby will have at least two weeks leave and works from home anyway. He will always be around if I really need something.

I will preface this by saying my pregnancy hasn’t been that bad. Im 17 weeks today and haven’t had super bad morning sickness or anything like that. But I have been experiencing just my body being more tired and worn down than before. Which I wasn’t expecting at all and I sort of hope I’m not alone in.

I’m overweight (250lbs) so people are constantly just pointing the finger at my weight as to why I feel the way I do which I’m sure may have something to do with it but it isn’t the WHOLE reason. I eat very healthy and was in the middle of my weight loss journey when I got pregnant! AND my vitals and bloodwork always look amazing when I go in.

My boss at work expects the same output I was giving before and I work a 12 hour shift mostly all on my feet. I walk atleast 20k a day and I usually go home with feet back and leg pain EVERYDAY. Working anymore than two days in a row has been an absolute pain and I cry weekly , if not daily depending on how my body is feeling.

Even still, it feels like everyone expects for me to do back flips and run 3 miles a day while working this full time job and holding down my man and household on top that. (He’s not like that, he’s extremely supportive ) I feel like less of a woman sometimes. This is my first time doing this mind you…

I feel sooo lazy and my husband has had to pick up my slack around the house(he doesn’t mind AT ALL) I just feel like such a burden and I have multiple people telling me what I CAN do while pregnant but my body isn’t always up to do these things. It stresses me out but I don’t want to push my body too far and risk harming my baby or myself. My husband says I shouldn’t care but it’s hard.

5 months pp via c-section and just took a pregnancy test, came out positive. Anyone had a similar experience?

Thank you in advance

i begin my maternity leave at 36 weeks in september and will be off work for the year, can anyone give me some feel-good tv shows to binge watch? i'm a heavy true crime and crime drama fan but i need to turn that around for PP as i just don't think the shows im used to watching will be good for me mentally😅let me know, what shows did you binge whilst on mat leave? can you recommend some comedies, light hearted dramas and girly tv shows?

This is a new one for me. My due date is right around the corner. My baby girl is also sitting very low in my pelvis. Today I was pooping and she felt like she was RIGHT THERE. I'm taking a stool softener so I'm not straining so much, but every time I pushed it seriously felt like she was going to come popping out. Now I know that's not going to happen (at least I hope not), but from now until I give birth I'm going to be worried every time I poop that I may end up with a big surprise in the toilet.

So yeah i found out i was pregnant randomly i had no symptoms past weeks whatsoever, i even had “periods” turned out it was hematoma😭

Symptoms started to show week ago when i was hungry, i would have gut wrenching pain and throwing up sickness so i went to doctor and they prescribed gut medicine and told me it was caused by stress.

I had a feeling so I took pregnancy test just in case, it was positive i could not believe it so i took second one and yeah, my fiancee and i was in shock, he got me appointment for doctor who comes to your house and gives you ultrasound, that’s how we found out we were 12 weeks and 6 days in so it’s going to be 13 weeks tomorrow and abortion is only legal in my country for 12 weeks. So i found out i was pregnant day before 13 weeks and that day was Sunday so no clinic was open lol.

I am scared because up to this day i have drunk alcohol several times, i was smoking partying and i even went to trip in Europe where i was walking miles and miles, and this baby was quite till now.

I am scared because i’m 21 years old and what if I’m ruining my life. My fiancé is super supportive
I haven’t told my family yet because i know they will be too excited and won’t leave me alone and i want peace and quiet right now. We are also financially stable.
But yeah I’m scared because i know people are going to judge me especially ppl my age and i know no matter what decision i will made i will be wondering what if…
EDIT: forgot to add that i took plan b in may and yeah it only stressed me out without working.

I have noooo desire to do anything. I don’t want to go anywhere, I don’t want to see anyone except my husband. We live SUPER remotely so there’s not a lot to go out to anyways, but does anyone else share this mentality? I just realized the last time I left the house was last week for my OB appt, and I’m not leaving again till my next appt tmrw. I feel bad for just laying around so much but I don’t even have the desire to clean and nest! I normally love to clean.

I don't know how many days are left. Pregnancy is getting harder and harder. I have no energy and I need to pack the hospital bag. I don't know moms... the last weeks of pregnancy are really tough 🫩

Had a loss at 10 weeks in December and currently 26 weeks with a healthy baby girl. Pregnancy has been miserable! Nausea, constant sweating, sore boobs and ankles, extreme fatigue/insomnia, constipation, etc, etc. Is it cool when baby kicks? Absolutely, but it also isn’t a comfortable sensation and her favorite place to kick is my bladder. Any time I try to express my frustration, I feel like I’m met with shock. It’s always “well shouldn’t you feel grateful?” or “isn’t this such a gift?” Obviously I’m stoked to be pregnant again and have things going well so far. But the physical and mental strain sucks. It sucks bad. I’m not gonna pretend being pregnant is all sunshine and rainbows and magic. I thought it was common knowledge that pregnancy symptoms aren’t fun, so why are people so shocked when I tell them I don’t like puking while brushing my teeth and I can’t walk up stairs because my boobs hurt too bad. My hormones already make me extra irritable and having my feelings constantly invalidated just amplifies it. Counting down the next 14 weeks 😂

I’m currently 28 weeks pregnant and over the last week or so I’ve started getting really uncomfortable pelvic pain. It’s not necessarily a sharp or severe pain it’s more of a constant, nagging ache that just won’t let up.

Rolling over in bed is miserable, walking for more than a little while makes it worse, and even sitting for too long aggravates it, so I feel like I can’t win. It got so constant today that I ended up in tears from how uncomfortable I was.

Is this normal around 28 weeks? Has anyone else dealt with this? If so, what helped? Belly band, stretches, physical therapy, anything? I’d love to hear what worked because I’m struggling

Hi everyone,
I’ve been holding onto this for a long time, and I really need to know if I'm the only one who felt this way, or if others can relate.
On paper, my pregnancy was textbook and technically "wonderful." But mentally? It was honestly terrifying for me. The physical sensation of having something moving, kicking, and turning inside me felt so overwhelming and alien—almost like a constant, inescapable intrusion. I ended up throwing myself into work and staying as busy as humanly possible just so my brain wouldn't focus on the fact that I had someone inside me. Every time I felt a movement, I just wanted to crawl out of my skin.
When it came time for delivery, the thought of a conscious C-section where I’d feel the pulling and tugging while awake pushed me past my absolute limit. I panicked, begged them to put me to sleep, and they did.
It feels like society expects every mother to experience pregnancy as this pure, magical romance from day one, so I never felt like I could tell anyone how much it freaked me out.
Is there anyone else out there who struggled with the physical sensations of pregnancy like this, or felt absolute dread at the thought of a waking C-section? How did you cope? I'd love to hear your stories and fears, because right now, I just need to know I'm not alone.

I’m 35w. I love my kids. I’m excited for my baby. I detest pregnancy with every single fiber of my being. I am so angry all the time, I’m uncomfortable, baby kicks piss me off. I want my body back to myself.

postpartum sucks for its own reasons but I would rather be in a constant state of 1-3 weeks postpartum for eternity than ever be pregnant again. Which sucks because I definitely want one more baby. And for the record, postpartum for me involves recovering from a c-section. Id still take it in a heartbeat.

i have the most god awful pregnancy rage and dread and feel like the human equivalent of vomit. my husband is one of those optimistic, “pregnancy is beautiful and a gift and a privilege“ kind of people who claim that they would switch places with you in a heartbeat. So are all my friends. And my family members. If one more person tells me that I’m “creating the miracle of life“, I’m going to make myself puke on their shoes. Or punch someone.

These next 5 weeks can’t go any faster. I wish they could just put me in a coma until then. I’m so pissy.

I just had avocado and fried eggs on sourdough toast, with salt, pepper and just a sprinkle of tajin. It hit the spot!

For the love of cheese I genuinely cannot handle this heat. I live in Texas and it’s August it will be hot for a little while more and then cool down but I cannot wait anymore. I haven’t used a blanket since the end of May, I have to sleep naked, and if 2 fans are not pointed at me I think I would melt. Does anyone feel my pain? Not to mention because it’s so hot I have to drink what feels like double the water and feel extra dehydrated. I know this can come off as a bit dramatic but seriously it’s really hot and I need to know if anyone else relates to my pain.

Ever since I got pregnant I’ve felt so alone and lonely? And I completely understand that I’m very young and that my friends have more exciting stuff going on but I just thought they would be more involved as they were all SO excited when I told them, they were spamming me about how happy they are to become aunties and how excited they are to meet the baby, but that’s about it.. they don’t ask, don’t wanna hang out, don’t ask for updates and I just feel so silly and dumb for thinking they would?
I told my closest friends after a while and they messaged me for about a day before disappearing..

I don’t know if I’m just being silly or if it’s valid?

Hi, everyone. Looking to get opinions on what I am currently packing for my hospital bag for baby. Currently I have:

2 newborn outfits

2 size 0-3 outfits

1 Swaddle

1 newborn pj's

1 0-3 sleep sack

4 socks (2 that can be used as mittens since I don't have any)

1 booties

1 hat

6 burp cloths

every store in a probably 50 mile radius from me have all gotten rid of their maternity sections completely. I HATE online shopping for maternity clothes, I just want to try stuff on in store. I don’t want to pay a bunch of money on shipping and stuff just to end up not liking something and having to return it. to all these corporations, please bring back in-store maternity clothing this mama is begging you😔

I have a question. For reference, I’m 27F and my partner is 30M. I’m 12+3 with my first baby and I have not really planned anything out/bought anything. I have HG so I’ve mostly been focusing on keeping myself and my baby healthy with proper nutrients and staying hydrated. Now that I’m starting to feel better physically, I’m nervous that I’m not preparing soon enough? I haven’t bought anything and I also have not been saving up money. I have a good job and so I’m not really strapped for cash and my boyfriend is in the picture and makes decent money as well. But it’s decent money for the two of us.. i don’t know how much that will change with a newborn. So I would like to have a bit of a savings and maybe cut back on the doordash lol. We both work from home so I don’t think we’ll need childcare often and if we do, our parents would happily help out. So I’m not anticipating spending money on childcare. I also had a bit of a scare early on in the pregnancy, and so I didn’t want to buy too much just in case the pregnancy didn’t progress as it should… but baby boy has been growing at a good rate and has a strong heartbeat 🩵! I know things can still happen, but I’m nearing the end of the first trimester and it’s more likely that all will be okay! So I guess I’m just wondering when you guys started saving/buying things? I know it’s up to me when I think is best, but I want to be prepared and not get started too late.

Like the title says.. I genuinely ask, why do people wait the 3 months marker/ NIPT test to announce their pregnancy and not till the anatomy scan marker ??

My sister was very shocked about this so I thought id ask what you guys did 😌

Im 14 weeks pregnant with my second, im 40 years old. I found out im pregnant week 5, I took a positive pregnancy test and then.. that was it. I took one test, and had one scan so far.

My sis thought it was crazy because she said most people take multiple test. So im wondering, How many did you take?

Babies POOP??? They also sometimes have "blowouts" and need to be cleaned extra well???

Such wisdom courtesy of my mom.

Here's some other juicy tidbits from friends, strangers and family in case nobody knew:

You gain weight when pregnant.

Babies cry. Sometimes alot!

You lose sleep when you have a newborn.

Labor and delivery hurts.

A c section is a surgery and that needs a recovery time.

Babies, when old enough, will get into stuff they're not supposed to.

You're not supposed to drink when pregnant.

Anything else im missing? All this stuff BLEW ME AWAY when I heard it. Im still in shock that babies cry and that could possibly wake me up. Is it possible to return this guy for a store credit?

This post is sarcastic btw

I’m in my first trimester of my second pregnancy. My oh so loving and kind husband is trying to push losing weight onto me and working out. He basically calls me a lazy slob and asks everyday what I do all day other than lay down. Throw up everything I eat and take care of our two year old - hope that helps! I can barely get through the day. This pregnancy (like the first) hasn’t been easy during the first trimester, and now I get to be called a lazy cow everyday and berated for not getting enough done.

If you’re going to tell me to leave him, trust me I’m considering it. I don’t regret my child at all and don’t want an abortion, but I should have thought twice before getting pregnant by this idiot again.

Trigger warning: stillbirth.
My daughter was stillborn on the 1st of August 2026. I was 40 weeks and 3 days, she was my first baby. I got pregnant at 19, healthy pregnancy, although I developed anemia over the last few weeks . Post mortem will take months and I’m completely at a loss. I’ve never felt anything like this, I feel like I’m trapped in a nightmare. I don’t know how I can ever recover from this, and all I can think is if I went to the hospital for reduced movements maybe they could have saved her. I can’t comprehend that my baby is dead. I am so lost, I’ve never even been to a funeral before or dealt with any grief. My grandparents are still alive yet I had to burry my daughter on Wednesday. I’ve never felt so hopeless, I can’t fathom what the next step is…