I don’t consider myself a petty person, but I do love a good-natured “told ya so.” Not in a point-and-laugh kind of way. But in a knowing-smile-paired-with-a-gentle-chuckle-and-a-hug kind of way. And this is never a greater bonding experience than when it has to do with pregnancy and childbirth. How many of us have done this to our past selves as we recall all the “When I have kids I’ll never…” Silly, unknowing, childfree us. And now, TikTok user Jess Tayls (@thejesstayls) has joined the club.
“Can I tell you a secret?” she asks cheekily from her couch. “I used to think that pregnant people were being dramatic when they couldn’t eat healthy and they couldn’t work out. To say that the universe gave it back to me is an understatement. From someone who worked out multiple times a week, every single week for the past 10 years: as soon as that sickness kicked in? The couch. Couch-ridden for three months straight. I couldn’t even walk. If I walked too fast, I would gag. So that is real.”
But as most of us who have been pregnant can tell you: that’s not all.
“Number two: eating,” Tayls continues. “I always ate very healthy. And suddenly the aversions? They’re not just like ‘Oh, I don’t really feel like eating that.’ No. It’s like, if you make me think about that food, I will involuntarily gag and throw up right now. It’s not dramatic at all; it’s so real.”
Look, we’re not going to hold this one against you, dear. We’ve all been there. I was absolutely convinced I was going to be one of those ethereal Earth Mothers who simply glowed while gestating and loved all nine months of the experience. Instead I wound up a constantly queasy, waddling drudge who would randomly moan “Get oooooooout!” for the duration of both my pregnancies.
So in case anyone else needs to know, here are other things pregnant folks aren’t being “dramatic” about that Tayls didn’t cover in her video…
Exhaustion
Growing a human takes so much energy that you don’t have energy for basically anything else. Going to bed at 6 p.m. is not uncommon. Neither is nodding off at your desk at work because the hum of the fluorescent lights is basically a white noise machine for pregnant office drones.
Aches and pains
Literally every part of your body is changing — growing, stretching, expanding. Suddenly your uterus is pressing against your lungs and your pelvis is pinching every nerve in your lower body. And don’t get us started on all the heartburn. It hurts!
Mood swings
No joke: a restaurant server once got my order wrong and I started uncontrollably sobbing. I knew it was totally fine and an easy fix but I was a raw ball of emotion, and my embarrassment over this turn of events did nothing to curb my ugly crying.
Swelling
I’m not going to post a picture of my feet on this, Blue Ivy’s internet, but go ahead and do a Google image search for “two fluffy loaves of bread.” I’ll wait. … Yep. That’s about it.
Literally anything they’re complaining about that you think sounds melodramatic
They’re not exaggerating. Listen to them and give them a hug… and the junk food of their choice because if they don’t get it right now they’ll literally die.
… OK maybe that’s a little dramatic.
