Getting pregnant is pretty cool; I mean think about it… tiny little humans are forming inside of another. It’s pretty incredible when you stop to think about it, but any woman would think twice before saying pregnancy is nothing but rainbows and happiness. Keep reading to find out some things you might not know about pregnancy.
1. It’s harder than you think to conceive.
While movies and T.V. shows lead us to believe otherwise, getting pregnant isn’t as easy as you’d think and is not usually the result of a one night stand. Many couples struggle every year with reaching conception, but treatments such as in vitro fertilization have been proven effective in many cases. IVF is, “the process of fertilization by manually combining an egg and sperm in a laboratory dish, and then transferring the embryo to the uterus.”
2. You will be pregnant for ten months.
Despite popular belief a pregnancy does not last nine months, and whoever started that rumor should be punished. A healthy term lasts forty weeks, and this comes out to roughly ten months. According to WebMD.com, “the first trimester of pregnancy is week 1 through week 12, or about 3 months. The second trimester is week 13 to week 27. And the third trimester of pregnancy spans from week 28 to the birth.”
3. Your sex drive will go through the roof in the second trimester.
The second trimester is nineteen weeks, and during this time your sex drive will be running wild. While having sex during pregnancy is safe for the baby there are certain positions to avoid. While having sex, it is best to stay off of your stomach and avoid anything that makes you feel uncomfortable.
4. Hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoids.
While these don’t need much of an explanation, it can be hard for some women to understand why they get hemorrhoids during pregnancy. Hemorrhoids can be caused due to the excess pressure put on the lower stomach and bowels. Stool softener will help, but be prepared to stick it out as some women have experienced them well after giving birth.
5. Your breasts will never be the same.
Whether you choose to breastfeed or not, your boobs are going to change. If nothing else the rapid weight gain during your pregnancy can cause undesirable stretch marks on the breasts as well as back pain. If you do opt for breast-feeding don’t be shocked by what your boobs are about to go through. Breast feeding is a beautiful thing, and has been proven to be more beneficial to infants when compared with formula. Just be prepared for your boobs to do some weird things like leak, swell, and chap.
6. Your first period will leave you feeling like you’re thirteen all over again.
Cramps, back pain, exhaustion, and mood swings are all coming back full force when you start to get your period again post pregnancy. The good news is just like when you first got your period the pain will subside as you get your period regularly again.
If you and your partner are still struggling with getting pregnant, the most important thing to do is find out when your ovulation cycle is. The female body is only capable of getting pregnant for about five days of each month. If natural conception is not an option for you, remember that there are plenty of alternatives available.
Written by: Maren Burns