Hey Pandas, What Was The Hardest Part Of Your Pregnancy?

All of the self-shaming my wife put herself through about not being able to have a "natural" childbirth. She SO wanted to do it all on her own, but our son was sunny-side up, and his nose and forehead got stuck on her pelvic bone. After several hours of agonizing pushing, she "gave up," and safely delivered him via C-section. To anyone who might say she took the "easy" way out, I say shame on you!

Oof people touching my belly without even asking me! My MIL ( who I love btw) even touched my belly under my t-shirt without asking me... I found it really intrusive.... It was awful

Being very pregnant during an unusually hot summer in a house with no AC and no fly screens on the windows. That was a bit of hell

I had hyperemesis gravidarum which was absolutely horrendous and preeclampsia, also horrible. Six months on bed rest, induced emergency labor, preemie... It was way too much.
But tearing and breaking my hip during delivery leaving me in a wheelchair for three years? That was even worse.

Maternal mortality numbers are no joke, particularly in the US.

If you are a pregnant person, or a person who's medical needs are often ignored by professionals, study up and prepare to be your own best and educated advocate. My use of the right terminology is likely the only reason my daughter and I are alive.

Being diagnosed with TTTS with my identical twins. That's a hell of a diagnosis to go through.

1977. Keeping it a secret from my parents while I (then 17yo) get a completely legal abortion in a hospital. Only 2 other people in the world know.

Getting pregnancy depression (similar to post partum, body can't deal with hormones), that was zero fun. Also everyone thought tjat can only happen with an unwanted pregnancy, which it wasn't!All the great advice like "Have you tried to enjoy pregnancy?" "Nope, I figured being miserable is better!"

To loose pregnancy after pregnancy, not knowing why. To carry my dead children until induction started, not wanting to let go. The feeling on a little body on your chest a few hours before autopsy and the guilt of not being able to give life to them.
I have had live born as well, but always several losses between them.
And people giving you permission to grieve depending on the length of the pregnancy. My lost baby at 8 weeks was as precious to me as the baby I lost after half the pregnancy has passed.
But somehow losses of early pregnancies isnt a cause to be sad.

Every random person asking me about my personal health and unborn child! Nott your business!

just trying to get comfortable! My daughter weighed 11 pounds 11 ounces when she was born!

i’m not the mom, i’m the kid, (never have been pregnant never will lol i am Amab) but I was born five weeks early, in an hour and a half, at 4 pounds and 4 ounces. My mother says that the worst part of being pregnant was having to give birth to me prematurely, and knowing that there was a decent chance I wouldn’t survive. But here I am, 18 years later :D

Finding out I was pregnant 6 weeks before having my daughter. I did not have regular cycles and could easily go a year without a period. Also, I'm built weird. My skeleton wouldn't fit into a size 8. Apparently she was able to grow nicely without me getting a bigger belly. I got a bigger butt in the last 4 weeks, but I can't explain that. I felt movement and thought "Oh, c**p. I think there's someone in there." And I swear she was trying to hide from me. As soon as it was confirmed she became a gymnast. My ex MIL thought I was exaggerating when I said she was practicing standing up. Not only did she freak out the nurses by lifting her head and looking around trying to locate them her first day out, "Nurse: she shouldn't be able to do that! Me: Tell her!" she stood up on Nana's lap. She still at age 18 has strong legs.

First time: Ectopic pregnancy that burst at nine weeks
Second time: Preeclampsia and partial kidney failure, couldn't see my daughter for 2 days bc I was in ICU
Third time: Full eclampsia, seizures, C-section and preemie born at 2lbs 14 oz, Four months in NICU until he reached five pounds.
10 days later: different hospital, incision reopened for tubal ligation of remaining tube, so--equivalent of 2 C-sections within 10 days of each other. (Birth hospital had the NICU but was a Catholic-owned institution that did not allow birth control surgery, so had to transfer to a different hospital that did allow it. This was recommended by the OB/GYN who said my next pregnancy would kill two people.)
No more times.

We lived in the country at the time I was pregnant and if I had a food craving it I was out of luck. The nearest store closed at 9PM. One day I drove past the grocery store and stopped in for just a jar of sauerkraut. Stock up on weird food.

Hands down, food poisoning at 38 weeks .. the absolute worst way to end a pregnancy.

Well I had the perfect pregnancy - first trimester only morning sickness. Whoever named morning sickness that has never been pregnant because that lasted for half a day in my case, for three months. Second trimester - I was profoundly sweating. All. The. Time. And it was winter, not summertime. And I stunk. I showered all the time. Other than that no biggies. Third trimester - the uncomfort. I couldn't sit nicely, driving was hell (I wasn't the one driving), lying down and/or sleeping was majorly uncomfortable. And then the Carpal tunnel syndrome kicked in. Hell, some mornings I'd cry from the pain. I felt as if someone had cut off my hands. Fourth trimester as some call it - I delivered normally, I arrived at the hospital "just for a checkup" because the Braxton Hicks were becoming annoying and 3 hours later here he was. The PPD kicked in soon after, which I'm mostly still working on. The sleepless nights were the worst when the baby was still too small, I hallucinated from the lack of sleep at times. At the end of the day, I was more than luckier than most woman out there and I very much appreciate every experience. End of rant

The heartburn was unworldly. My babies grew backwards, taking up all the space in my abdominal cavity. I never got a big belly. I wore my neighbors castoffs for maternity clothes,they were one size bigger than my normal size. I changed doctors at 35 weeks, and they were preparing for a psych consult until they examined me because they thought I was delusional to believe I was that far along, when to someone who didn't know me, it looked like I wasn't even showing. There was constant pressure on my organs. This meant one bite of anything gave me instant heartburn. I don't know how I managed to keep my babies nourished so that they were born healthy. I did become severely anemic at a level 7. As soon as I delivered, it shot up to a 14, so the babies were taking what they needed to my vast relief.Both my children were born at 37 weeks. My theory is that they had no more room at all to grow, so they came out. I would have had to have one more to prove my theory, so that's all it remains.

Losing our baby at 7 weeks but not finding out until the 12 week scan. This was yesterday.

Oh my gosh… Where to start? Think of any symptom, I had it. 🤣 I was pregnant at 40, so we knew there would be risks - but my beautiful baby boy is 100% worth it!

Pregnancy: One star. Wouldn’t recommend. 😜

Hardest parts were the bloating, constant nausea, headaches, no concentration (couldn’t work at all), bleeding gums, sciatica (lower back pain extends to your bum down the back of your leg), swollen legs, constipation, high blood pressure, daily blood thinner injections, bad skin, dry hair, you name it…

Not for the faint of heart.

Getting pregnant. It took ten years and multiple pregnancies for our five-year-old.