As if the hyper simulation called life wasn’t hard already, if you’re a woman, Mother Nature throws you a real party to check how high your threshold is, and it lasts 9 months straight: with no breaks, no excuses, no emergency exit.

Yep, we’re talking pregnancy. While most people see only the happy side of this miracle, excitement, and anticipation that comes with expecting a baby, moms who’ve been there have experienced the other side of the coin, too.

From swelling up to the point that you no longer recognize your reflection to craving some genuinely weird food combinations, welcome to the mad land of pregnancy brain. Let’s take a look at all the crazy and unfortunate stuff that moms have been going through while pregnant, which surely makes them legit superwomen. Because if they survived this, nothing’s impossible for them.

Discover more in 30 Unfortunate Things That Might Happen When You’re Pregnant

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#1

Stages Of Pregnancy

Tweet highlighting the humorous and unfortunate stages of pregnancy involving crying, peeing, and frequent toilet use.

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To find out more about pregnancy challenges, Bored Panda reached out to Amy Morrison, author, mom of two, and founder of Pregnant Chicken. Amy explained that pregnancy comes with a ton of treats that aren’t so pretty, like “swollen feet, heartburn, constipation, and weird hair growth, just to name a few.”

“Unfortunately, they rarely make for great dinner conversation so people stick to topics like picking names and getting the nursery ready over pregnancy ailments.”

But such an impression makes people mistakenly think the majority of pregnancies are easy, and as a result, “pregnant people think their pregnancy isn’t normal when often, it is.”

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    #2

    While Pregnant With My Second Daughter, I Could Rest My Pregnant Belly On My Countertop. People Thought This Photo Was Fake. It’s Real, And My Back Still Isn’t Right

    Pregnant woman leaning on kitchen counter while talking to a man, illustrating common unfortunate things during pregnancy.

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    Amy said that when she herself was pregnant, her feet grew half a size. “It happened during my first pregnancy and never went back. I had no idea how common this was.”

    To all the pregnant moms to be out there, Amy says that “building a person from scratch with your body is difficult, but some roads are definitely tougher than others. It’s not fair and my heart goes out to anyone who is having a challenging pregnancy.”

    #3

    Hormones

    Tweet from Anecdotal Birthcontrol humorously describing the emotional effects of pregnancy hormones during pregnancy challenges.

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    As we are now living in unprecedented times of worldwide pandemic, being pregnant and delivering a baby now cause so many more challenges than they used to. In addition to all the other unpleasant (to say the least) pregnancy symptoms, women are dealing with even more stress.

    In order to find out whether the risks that worry so many pregnant women currently are justified, the University of Florida College of Medicine’s department of obstetrics and gynecology chair Dr. John Smulian answers a couple of frequently asked questions.

    Dr. Smulian said that even if there’s limited information regarding the link between Covid-19 and pregnancy, reports suggest that pregnant women are not more likely to become infected. Moreover, he confirmed that there’s no evidence that pregnant women who get infected with the virus are more likely to endure a severe course of illness than others.

    #4

    My Pregnancy Feet Versus My Normal Feet

    Swollen foot with red nail polish showing an unfortunate pregnancy symptom of edema and discomfort.

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    #5

    Pretty Disgusting Food Cravings Can Happen

    Jar of kosher dill spears and pickle juice freeze pops in molds, illustrating pregnancy cravings and unusual pregnancy experiences.

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    #6

    Experiencing Heartburn Is Also Very Common

    Tweet about pregnancy discomforts including heartburn, gassiness, and constipation as unfortunate things during pregnancy.

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    When it comes to worrying whether Covid-19 can be passed on to one's baby, Dr. Smulian explained that from several scientific studies that looked at pregnancies affected by the coronavirus, “none of the babies appeared to have been infected, based either on the absence of symptoms or negative tests for the virus.”

    However, Dr. Smulian also said that there has been one case reported in the media of a possible mother-to-baby transmission of coronavirus, but there’s not enough information to draw conclusions.

    And as for visiting moms and their newborns in hospitals, Dr. Smulian believes it’s crucial to limit visitors to one single designated person that bears no symptoms or risks for having and transmitting Covid-19.

    #7

    My Face Broke Out With Hormonal Cystic Acne That Was So Bad. I Also Had Cravings For All The Worst Food...but I Got An Awesome Table I Got To Carry Around With Me For A Few Months!

    Pregnant woman with a large belly balancing a drink on her stomach, illustrating unfortunate things during pregnancy.

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    #8

    Spent My Entire Last Trimester In Old Navy Flip-Flops Because My Feet Didn't Fit Into Anything Else. I Also Got Pregnancy-Induced Carpal Tunnel To The Point Where I Couldn’t Move My Right Thumb And Had To Wear A Brace. My Feet Also Went Up An Entire Size, So I Now Wear A Size 11. Totally Worth It, Though

    Swollen feet during pregnancy showing one of the unfortunate things that might happen when you’re pregnant.

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    #9

    You Need To Pee All The Time

    Pregnant woman describing frequent bathroom trips and preparing toddler, highlighting common unfortunate moments during pregnancy.

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    #10

    Eight Months Pregnant = Motorized Cart At The Store. Note My Swollen Ankles!

    Pregnant woman riding a mobility scooter in casual clothes, illustrating some unfortunate things that might happen during pregnancy.

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    #11

    I Had To Cut The Ring Off Because My Fingers Were So Swollen

    Swollen finger during pregnancy causing a ring to no longer fit, illustrating unfortunate pregnancy symptoms and changes.

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    See Also on Bored Panda
    #12

    Your Hips Actually Get Looser And That's Why We See Pregnant Women Waddling

    Pregnant woman in casual clothes standing and holding a phone, illustrating common pregnancy challenges and discomforts.

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    #13

    Feeling Exhausted Can Hit A New Level

    Tweet about feeling tired and drained during pregnancy, illustrating common unfortunate things when pregnant.

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    #14

    You Become More Forgetful, It's Called Pregnancy Brain

    Tweet about pregnancy brain confusion, highlighting one of the unfortunate things that might happen when you’re pregnant.

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    #15

    Many Women Face Constipation, Which Can Lead To Hemorrhoids

    Text on a gradient background saying mommas ask for help with constipation, a common unfortunate thing during pregnancy.

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    #16

    This Is My Sister At 8 Months. She Woke Up With Her Feet Very Swollen, So We Propped Her Legs Up To See If It Would Help

    Pregnant woman resting on couch with stuffed animals nearby, showing common uncomfortable pregnancy moments.

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    #17

    More Than 50% Of Women Experience Morning Sickness

    Woman in green shirt looking unwell in a bathroom, illustrating unfortunate things that might happen when pregnant.

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