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There are dozens and dozens of books on 'what to expect when you're expecting' that prepare mothers-to-be on the ins and outs of being pregnant, but instead of laying it out in a book, Bored Panda put together this hilarious series of comics.

Some of these illustrations highlight the more well-known struggles of being pregnant, such as the wild mood swings that make you cry at the silliest things - but are you prepared for the crazy costs of maternity clothes? Not to mention being prepared for how other people will treat you seeing your growing belly - yes they will ask to touch it. Scroll down below to check out these hilarious pregnancy comics and don't forget to upvote your favs!

#1

Overlay You Will Have The Craziest Cravings

Dr. Jolene Brighten, a naturopathic doctor and author of the book Healing Your Body Naturally After Childbirth, explained that women’s hormones shift during pregnancy. The result, she said, “Sometimes we can see lower dopamine levels, which will cause you to crave everything.”

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nikkid avatar
Nikki D
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This actually doesn't sound so bad... I get weird cravings after midnight and I'm not even pregnant!

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    #2

    Overlay You'll Realize How Many Things You Took For Granted

    In a study by the Department of Anesthesiology, Yale University School of Medicine, 950 pregnant women were surveyed about lower back pain during pregnancy, how it impacts day-to-day life and how their healthcare provider managed the pain. According the Sleep Foundation, the study showed that 645 respondents reported back pain during their pregnancy and a majority claimed that it caused sleep disturbances.

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    Linouchka 99
    Community Member
    5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I never had this struggle : I just used my knees to get near the floor, and my thighs to get back up... As if I had to lift something heavy and being careful not to break my back, you know ?

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    #3

    Overlay Pregnancy Clothes Will Become Luxury Items

    The maternity wear market is a $2 billion industry, cites Vox, with Destination Maternity constituting 18.7% of the industry’s revenue. Fortune estimates that pregnant women, on average, spend almost $500 per pregnancy on maternity clothes. That breaks down to between $50 and $60 spent per month of pregnancy.

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    Vicky Zar
    Community Member
    5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I bought tops for breastfeeding, that fit me before and after birth.

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    #4

    Overlay Every Smell Will Make You Nauseous

    Hormones are once again to blame when it comes to a heightened sense of smell - estrogen in particular. Studies have shown that heightened levels of this hormone can even affect the olfactory senses of non-pregnant women. Scientists aren’t really sure how and if estrogen creates any actual changes in the nose or the brain that would result in the increased sense of smell in pregnant women, but it is clear there is some connection. 

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    charlotteparis1982 avatar
    Charlotte
    Community Member
    5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I remember thinking about the most random disgusting stuff. Like the grease that was probably built up behind my stove. Or how people I talked to must have nasty flakes on their scalp. I tried thinking of puppies and kittens but my brain was like: nope, let's think some more about toe fungus! And then indeed BLUUURRRHHH!

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    #5

    Overlay Fit Moms Will Annoy The Hell Out Of You

    Health expert Jennifer Wider, M.D., told SELF. “These pictures online can be misleading because pregnancy is so individual, and what appropriate weight gain looks like varies from woman to woman,” adding, "Trying to stay ‘thin’ can be dangerous to both the emotional and physical health of the mom and the physical health of the baby.”

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    misteriosa
    Community Member
    5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This annoys me way too much. Of course, one shouldn't let herself go and be the other extreme, but come on...

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    #6

    Overlay You Will Reach Peak Sensitivity

    One of the many hormonal side-effects is crying over the most random things. According to Lucy Puryear, M.D., psychiatrist and author of Understanding Your Moods When You're Expecting, this is a staple of the first trimester in particular. "Estrogen and progesterone are skyrocketing at the beginning of your pregnancy," she explained to Parents magazine, "The changes have big effects on your mood. You can be tearful one minute and happy the next."

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    #7

    Overlay You Will Have Only One Pair Of Shoes That Will Fit

    Live Science says that researchers measured the arch height and foot length of 49 women during their pregnancy and five months after they had given birth. On average, the women's arch height decreased, and in turn, their foot length increased between 2 and 10 millimeters (about 0.1 to 0.4 inches) — during this period.

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    #8

    Overlay There Will Be Only One Thing On Your Mind

    Ottawa OB/GYN Doug Black told Today's Parent that many pregnant women will experience an increased libido, especially late in the first trimester and beyond, when hormones are high. Also, he says that blood flow to the sexual organs, breasts and vulva is increased, heightening sexual pleasure. 

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    #9

    Overlay Exhaustion Will Be Too Goddamn High

    Fatigue during pregnancy is most common during the first trimester. It tends to go away during the second trimester, but will usually return in the third trimester. According to the American Association, this fatigue is caused by hormonal changes. Your body is producing more blood to carry nutrients to your growing baby.

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    #10

    Overlay You Will Get "Pregnancy" Brains

    Ever heard of pregnancy brain? This occurs in the early stages of pregnancy and is the result of sky-high levels of progesterone or the "calming hormone." Dr. Puryear told the outlet, "When I was pregnant with Parker, I once put my older son Peter's Legos in the refrigerator, and then I tried to serve him a cup of keys to drink!" says Caroline, a mom of two who lives in Oklahoma City.

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    Vicky Zar
    Community Member
    5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Nit as extreme like this but during pregnancy and during breastfeeding women tend to be extremely forgetfull. As I was very forgetfull before being pregnant, I feel like I have dementia now (3 pregnancies and two breastfeeding kids later).

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    #11

    Overlay You Will Want To Pee More Than Ever Before

    One of the uncomfortable signs of pregnancy is always having to pee. Hormonal changes increase urine production, combined with an expanding uterus that presses on the bladder. In the second trimester, the uterus continues to expand and will rise higher in the abdomen, away from the bladder so frequent urination will subside. Inconvenient pee breaks return in the third trimester when the baby drops lower in the pelvis in preparation for delivery, 

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    Vicky Zar
    Community Member
    5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Always! Every 5 minutes. And it will always feel like your bladder wants to burst, even if you just were in the bathroom like 2 minutes ago

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    #12

    Overlay Perception About Your Body Will Change Dramatically

    A study on women’s experiences of their pregnancy and postpartum body image concluded that: "Women’s perception of their pregnancy body image is varied and depends on the strategies they use to protect against social constructions of female beauty. Women have unrealistic expectations for their postpartum body, highlighting this as an area where women need better support."

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    #13

    Overlay Everybody Will Start To Think You're Fragile

    Between the hormones, growing belly and aches, and pains, it might be tempting for others to try and jump to the rescue of pregnant women. A study by Cardiff University found there was a common sentiment among many expectant and new moms – "that once they decide to have a child, their lives are no longer free and private."

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    christa-levy47 avatar
    fruit_panda
    Community Member
    5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If I had a dollar for every time I've heard "You shouldn't do that... you're pregnant!" It makes me want to respond rudely. "Wow, thanks! I, being the pregnant one, had done no research on what I should and shouldn't do. Thank you, random stranger, for informing me. My midwife said I'm okay to do this, but you clearly know better."

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    #14

    Overlay Many People Will Have A Piece Of Advice For You

    When it comes to parenting there is no one-size-fits-all approach, but that won't stop unsolicited advice. "There are so many people who want to direct you on how to be a good mom," Debbie Thompson, pediatric nurse practitioner and a neonatal specialist at Children's Medical Center, Dallas told WebMD. "Much of the advice is helpful," she says. "But a parent must remember that each child is unique."

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    Linouchka 99
    Community Member
    5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Walking is pretty much the only thing I can do to move my body anymore, so...

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    #15

    Overlay You Will Get Battlemarks

    A stretch mark is a type of scar that develops when our skin stretches or shrinks quickly - like during pregnancy. The abrupt change causes the collagen and elastin, which support our skin, to rupture. As the skin heals, stretch marks may appear.

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    khairunisaasyikinnoordin avatar
    nanashi
    Community Member
    5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    true story: when I was a kid I thought all babies are born Alien-style after seeing that mark on my mom's belly. I was scared of the process of birth for a long time after that.

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    #16

    Overlay You Will Get Scared

    More than 1 in 10 pregnant women experience anxiety at some point during pregnancy. Hormonal changes during pregnancy may affect the chemicals in your brain, which can result in anxiety. Pregnancy is a time of tremendous change so these feelings are normal. 

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    #17

    Overlay Many People Will Think You're On Vacation

    new study from UNICEF measured the “family friendliness” of countries around the globe across four different categories. These included paid leave available to mothers, paid leave reserved for fathers, childcare enrollment for kids under 3 years old, and childcare enrollment between age 3 and school age. UNICEF measured 41 high- and middle-income countries on these indicators and the U.S came in last against 40 other developed countries.

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    biljanamalesevic avatar
    Biljana Malesevic
    Community Member
    5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Pregnant women usually work until labor, so this would be very stupid of Jessica.

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    #18

    Overlay You''ll Get More Attention Than You Ever Wanted

    Humans are hardwired to touch as a form of communication. Psychologist Matthew Hertenstein conducted a study in 2009 in which he asked participants to communicate an emotion just using touch and found that 78% of people were able to accurately determine “anger, fear, disgust, love, gratitude, sympathy, happiness, and sadness.” So while there is a magnetic urge to reach towards a pregnant belly it doesn't make it any less comforfortable or awkward. 

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    nikkid avatar
    Nikki D
    Community Member
    5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I have heard this before and I still cannot believe that random people actually come up and try to touch your belly. Does this really happen?

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    #19

    Overlay Real Pregnancy Will Be Nothing Like In The Books

    There has been a boom in the 'what to expect' genre for expectant mothers but as Jacqueline Rose writes in Mothers: “A recent study suggests that the mothers who read the most manuals on mothering report the highest level of depressive symptoms (it is not clear whether the depression is the consequence of reading so many manuals or the reason they are reading them in the first place).”

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    sadia-timmermans avatar
    Sadia Timmermans
    Community Member
    5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I completely underestimated being pregnant. The fysical change, the mental change, the restrictions, the confusion, everything.

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    #20

    Overlay Your Inner Glow Will Start To Shine Through

    The pregnancy glow is one of the skin changes that is caused by the changes and increase of hormones during pregnancy, according to the American Pregnancy Association. These hormones cause your glands to produce more oil, which makes your face more shiny - or "glowing."

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    #21

    Overlay You Will Have Problems With Mobility

    During pregnancy, your body makes the hormone relaxin, which is believed to help prepare the pubic area and the cervix for the birth. Relaxin loosens the ligaments in your body, making you less stable and more at risk for injury. It's easy to overstretch or strain yourself, especially the joints in your pelvis, lower back, and knees.

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    crabcrab avatar
    Hans
    Community Member
    5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Again, time to ask the Scandinavians: https://www.besafe.com/product-int/besafe-pregnant-belt/

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