The Phases of Pregnancy

I have realized that I have very clear phases of pregnancy. And it seems, from seeing and talking to other women, that they go through very similar phases.

#1, The "Oh my gosh" I'm really pregnant Phase

This phase is the briefest of all phases. It happens every time I've taken a pregnancy test, and the test was positive. As soon as I see the positive sign, my first thought is something along the lines of "OH my gosh! I'm actually pregnant!!" It happens every time. Even though all of my pregnancies have been planned and hoped for, I still have that brief moment of anxiety. This phase lasts anywhere from 10 seconds to 1 minute, then is immediately followed by Phase 2.

# 2, The Excited Phase

You've just taken a pregnancy test, you are indeed pregnant, and you've gone through Phase 1. You are now feeling all of the joy and excitement in the world. This phase usually lasts a couple of weeks. It's the phase where you look up everything pregnancy related on the internet, and want to soak in everything. It's a fabulous phase.

# 3, The I Am Soooo Pregnant Phase /Am I Really Pregnant Phase

Phase 3 has two different phases, depending on if you are the kind of person that gets sick or not. The I Am Soooo Pregnant Phase person is the person who gets sick and is reminded every single day that they are pregnant because they constantly feel sick or keep getting sick. It is not a fun phase of pregnancy.

The Am I Really Pregnant Phase happens at the same time other people are going through the "I Am Soooo Pregnant Phase." This is the people who don't get sick at all during pregnancy, and feel just like they always feel. They aren't sick and they aren't showing at all, so the pregnancy seems kind of unreal. It's not unusual for these people to forget that they are, indeed, pregnant.

# 4, The Good Phase

This phase typically coincides with the second trimester. Most of us are feeling better by this point. (I'm so sorry for those of you that don't!!) You have energy again (or a little more) (if you lost it) and you're usually starting to show soon after this phase begins. And it's also sometime during this phase that you usually start to feel the baby move, making it feel super real that there is a human life growing inside of you. And it's during this phase you usually get an ultrasound, founding out the gender if you so choose. Which means those that went through the Am I Really Pregnant Phase have proof that they are, in fact, pregnant. This phase is just....good and exciting.

# 5, The I Have to Actually Birth A Baby?!?! Phase

This phase seems to come at the end of the second trimester/beginning of the third trimester. It has finally set in that now that this baby is in there, it also has to come out. You've probably read too much information about the birthing process and are freaking out about all of it and wishing that the baby could magically go from being inside you to outside of you with no birth necessary. Or, if you've already had a baby, any of the scary memories that you have blocked out so well come flooding back to you. You're freaking out.

# 6, The I Want This Baby Out of Me Phase

You go from comfortably pregnant to uncomfortably pregnant. You are huge, you have to pee 10 times in an hour, and just can't seem to figure out how to feel comfortable. You want the baby OUT so you can just feel normal again! And you want it out soon, and by any means possible. Depending on how large and uncomfortable you get and when, this phase can last anywhere from a few weeks to a couple months. (I'm pretty sure this phase started at 6 months during my first pregnancy, but came much later during my second more comfortable pregnancy).

# 7, The Anticipation Phase

You are now full term and the baby can now come "at any time" and be healthy and every day you wonder if it's going to be the day, and every night you go to sleep wondering if you are going to wake up in the middle of the night in labor. Every day feels like the longest day ever, and you do everything you can to fill your day and stay busy because the anticipation is killing you.

# 8, The Reality Phase

You are in labor, and this baby IS coming. There is no turning back now. It is only a matter of time before you will be a mother (again...). It is only a matter of time before this newborn baby that you will be fully responsible for will be in your arms and the constant feeding, sleepless nights, uncontrollabe crying (you and/or the baby) begins. It is only a matter of time before you get to hold that sweet, most perfect little baby in your arms that you have been dreaming of for months. You are going to have to really birth this baby, and you aren't sure if you can, but it's happening, and it's real, and you're scared, and you're excited, and your nervous, and...and...and...and... And even if you've already had a baby, you go through these feelings of excitement and doubt every time.

#9, The Unreal Phase

Your baby is here, your baby is perfect, and it feels like everything is a dream. You can't possibly put into words how you feel or what you are thinking, but nothing feels real, yet it all somehow feels utterly and completely perfect.