If Bollywood were to offer life lessons, heavily-pregnant women would be dancing bhangra on the streets. One cannot forget Preity Zinta’s character in Salaam Namaste dancing to a song titled, “What’s going on?” Wouldn’t you like to ask the same question?
Instead of posing a question to starlets in a prosthetic fat suits, we asked real women about what pregnancy was really like. There was no dancing on the streets, they revealed. There were also no regrets, they admitted. Here’s the good, bad and ugly of those beautiful nine-months from two young women.
Aafrin Khan, 24, home maker
‘I felt sick all the time’
“I must tell you that for whatever it was, it remains the best phase of my life so far. The fact that my 3-year-old daughter makes my world go round, makes me very biased in this measure.
The first three months of pregnancy were horrid. I had early signs of pregnancy. I would feel sick as soon as I woke up, being unable to keep any food down, snapping at the slightest provocation and feeling weak constantly.
This was my first child and no matter how many times my mom and well-meaning relatives told me that it was normal, I felt like my body was revolting. At the time, I didn’t know that everyone’s body reacts differently. The plentiful advice I received couldn’t prepare me enough. I didn’t understand what was happening to my body. In my mind I knew I was pregnant but couldn’t really relate to it. I just knew that I felt sick all the time.”
‘Pampered silly’
“As I got into the fourth month, things started to get better. It began to sink in that I was connected to another human being growing inside me. My nausea disappeared.
I had no early signs of pregnancy at first. And then the crazy food cravings started. I was suddenly extremely choosy about my food. I had to have this one type of ice-cream from this one particular shop. I would like to say that I didn’t notice any hormonal changes, but I wouldn’t be a fair judge. I tested everyone’s patience but at least I was enjoying it. I got pampered silly.
In the fifth month, I would find myself sitting with my hand on my tummy for hours, feeling her every move. It was as if we were having a conversation. I felt so connected to her that all the sickness from earlier didn’t seem to matter.
I had grown into a round ball by the ninth month. Sleeping was difficult and my body would swell from the added weight. I don’t think I was concerned about feeling sexy. My husband treated me like a delicate child; he put me to sleep and woke up at the slightest noise. I could feel the love.”
To read more about widespread myths on pregnancy, click on the picture below!
Jineelia Santos, 27, IT professional
Giving up my profession
“I had to quit my job. I had to sit at home, which may seem like an ideal scenario — paid vacation. But over the years, and another child, I’ve gotten over the guilt of admitting that watching your professional and individualistic life come to a grinding halt does affect your psyche. I had some many early signs of pregnancy. The limitations of being pregnant, the constant litany of instructions to take it easy is difficult for a busy body like me.
The confusion of these paradoxical thoughts was what worried me. There is such a thing as too much information. I read about Brooke Shields and her episodes of postpartum depression. I wondered if I needed to see a counsellor, if I was the only one quietly sulking in the golden days of my youth.
When my plump baby arrived however, those thoughts were the furthest from my mind.”
‘I bonded with my mother’
“The tricky part about pregnancy is that no matter how many books you read or friends-turned-mothers you talk to, the experience is subjective. I was prepared for the worst, but I didn’t experience too much nausea or discomfort.
I had strange early signs of pregnancy. I did crave strange foods in weird pairings but I’ve always been a foodie, so I think that might have been psychological. We will never know.
It may sound like the strangest thing but I think my relationship with my mother really flourished when I was pregnant. We were talking more and more openly about everything. Perhaps, it is the milestone that took me to adulthood in her eyes. But we even talked about my husband and his emotions.
He was a darling, though a petrified one. Our fear bound us. One moment we’d be talking about which summer classes we’d like our kids to take, like it was the most normal thing ever and the next we’d be weeping with anxiety about whether we could handle it all. The sex was good, but then so was our relationship.”
What were the best and worst parts of your pregnancy? What were your early signs of pregnancy? Share your experiences by leaving a comment below or via Facebook.