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I have always been disgusted by pregnancy, and I have trouble even looking at pregnant women. I am very active and I don't understand how one functions with a huge ball attached to their abdomen, being nauseous all the time, and always wanting to sleep-- how do you even work? How do you even reach the keyboard! How do you sleep! The idea of feeling the fetus kick inside you freaks me out like you wouldn't believe. I can't look at my friends' sonograms-- I can't stand the thought of that growing inside someone. I hate how pregnant women's belly buttons push out. I don't like that you get so weak during pregnancy and after birth-- like there is so much muscle loss that you can't always get back, how can that be healthy? I don't want hemeroids, incontinence, or hair loss. I don't want huge boobs and breast feeding gives me the heebie-jeebies. I don't understand how anyone makes it through childbirth. I never say "congratulations" to a pregnant woman because I don't understand how being sick, weak, and uncomfortable for 9 months can be a good thing.
Besides all this, I'm afraid of not being able to function both during pregnancy and while trying to get pregnant. I have PCOS and PMDD and have been on the pill for 12 years-- I am terrified of being off it for an extending amount of time--what if I can't work? I also take spironolactone, and I'm afraid of all the facial hair growth, acne, and possible hair loss if I go off it (you have to go off it 3 months prior to going off the pill because it can cause birth defects). If it takes me years to get pregnant, that will be years of not taking the medications I rely on. I also have ADHD and take Adderall, and I know you can't take that while pregnant or breast feeding, but I need it to work!
How do I come to terms with all this? And quickly! I am in the position of having to go from thinking I would never have to get pregnant to having to be stoked about it within a couple years. I know my boyfriend wants me to really want to be pregnant (twice!) and I just can't wrap my head around it. The actual kids aren't even the problem, it's just what I have to do to get them!
Can anyone offer insight into why I feel like this and if I can fix it? I feel like I can't possibly be the only woman to feel this way because it all seems logical, yet I feel pretty alone on it. My boyfriend says I should think about a fetus like it is a baby, but 1) it's not and 2) imagining a full-on baby inside me doesn't help much. I just don't understand how so many women talk themselves into to going through this. I don't want to spend most of my 30s in a sickly state, unable to live my life.
However, you need to keep in mind that many women have perfectly normal pregnancies, continue to work and be physicially active throughout their pregnancy with no issue whatsoever.
Sounds like you need to find a boyfriend who honors your very strong desire NOT to go through a pregnancy. It is unfair to any child to be conceived by a female who feels she will "have to have them in the next few years" simply because their partner wants children.
Find a partner who does not have a strong desire to father children and this issue will then be moot.
Gail
There are physical changes that occur with your body during pregnancy; breasts can grow larger and, of course, the uterus expands as the fetus grows.
Perhaps what concerns you are these very normal changes in body image? If so, please keep in mind that a body will change with age, even if it has not gone through a pregnancy.
Pregnancy is not an illness so there is no reason that it should be considered debilitating as an illness can be.
Gail
And it certainly seems like an illness to me! When it comes down to it, you have a large parasite sapping your strength. You are nauseous and tired all the time, you don't have the muscle strength to get off the couch without help, you can't eat normally, you can't sleep normally, you get gas and hemeroids, and it's not uncommon to have to stay in bed for weeks or months. And it does affect your life: even if you can make it to work you spend most of the day falling asleep or puking in the bathroom. I won't be able to take Adderall so I'll pretty much be useless the whole time. You can't play sports, drink alcohol, travel, etc. Saying that pregnancy doesn't affect your life sounds ridiculous!
I was never nauseous, got off the couch just fine, didn't puke once during the two pregnancies, slept fine, played sports and traveled during pregnancy. I never felt useless.
At any rate, if you believe all of this, then there is no use arguing with you and we're back to the initial suggestion that you find a partner who also is not interested in being a family with children.
Gail
Don't even consider pregnancy without counselling (for as long as it takes) first. Your fears about pregnancy are not only worrying they are obsessional.
Why do you say that my fears are worrying? A lot of my friends are getting pregnant and giving birth these days, and I hear all these awful things. Plus any article, book, movie, or TV show about pregnancy paints the same picture. Haven't you seen the movie Knocked Up when at the end you just see the foot sticking out of that woman's abdomen? How can anyone not be afraid of that?
I would like to go to counseling before I have to go through this, but my main fear is that they will convince me it's not that bad and then it is. More than anything, I am afraid of being unprepared for going through it.
She got pregnant while on the pill. You can continue any exercies that you currently do, as long as you begin early in the pregnancy.
2. I was raised by a woman who did not want kids. She should not have had kids. It was not a happy childhood.
3. If pregnancy is your only problem, there is adoption, surrogates, etc. There are plenty of children who need love out there... you don't have to be pregnant.
I did not spend weeks or months in bed, nor did I fall asleep all of the time. Yes, pregnancy changes you. But if you want the child, a lot of it is great. Feeling your baby grow inside of you is an amazing experience.
BUT if you do not want kids, again, do NOT do it.
Although, you may be surprised. As I said above, my sister did not ever want kids. She has a 1-month old now and is extremely happy. She is a bodybuilder, and has begun to get back in shape.
She doesn't need to switch partners, just tell him how strongly she feels. I agree, though. People who do not want children should never have them.
I think the poster is actually correct. I did feel like I had a horrible illness for 9 months, plus the year of nursing where I abstained from meds and was crazy sleep deprived and depressed. I was pumping in my office on conference calls, leaking through sports bras etc.. At the birth, the doctors and nurses were wonderful. However, my son ended up being 10 pounds 10 oz, which was not known until out he came the old fashioned way. As a result of the long labor and his size (birth and carrying/lifting after birth), I have had chronic hip and back issues for the past 2 years. Very frustrating since I was a competitve athlete had no physical problems whatsoever until the pregnancy and birth.
I lost the pregnancy weight quickly (and was lucky to not gain a ton), but the truth is that my body will never be the same. I loved the bonding of nursing, but developed pretty bad insomnia from nursing 1 or 2 times through the night and sleep training, which has really only started resolving in the past 3-4 months. And my boobs could definately use some help!
So, as a result of all of this, as well a few other issues, I have decided not to have any more kids. My husband is aware, of course, and is very supportive of me.
BUT...even with all of that, I do want to say that my son and husband are without a doubt the most wonderful part of my life and the two best decisions I ever made. I hated pretty much every minute of being pregnant, but I would do it all again to get my son in a heartbeat. Watching my son wrestle with his father, "fix" things, or just walk to the mailbox together holding hands, makes me feel more love then I ever thought possible.
Hope this helps. S
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