Is our memory of pregnancy really that accurate?

I had a pretty text book type pregnancy, everything went as it should have and I really enjoyed the majority of it. Don’t get me wrong I had times of discomfort, sickness, plenty of tiredness etc. Weeks with the babies head tucked up under my ribs, varicose veins, lower back pain at times, groin pain, and a million pillows in bed to cater for various areas of discomfort.

Does our memory just take the bits it wants? May that be good or bad? Does it remember the whole pregnancy or just parts of it?

I have recently looked back on all the photos and videos of my pregnant belly and think wow I didn’t realise it looked like that at that stage or realise how long it actually took to show before it was noticeable that I was even pregnant. Again, is my memory of pregnancy more the end of pregnancy as it is the more ‘recent’ part and part where I was most obviously pregnant?

I clearly remember the first trimester. Laying around anywhere I could. Taking every opportunity to lay down and rest. I remember helping my partner ‘cook’ dinner at his parents place when I was only 9 weeks pregnant. My contribution was laying on the floor at the doorway to the kitchen reading to recipe. I was just so exhausted and felt sick that I needed to lay down when I could from weeks 6-10. Once I hit around week 11 I began to feel a lot better and could start to gain some normality again.

The majority of my memories are positive, remembering pregnancy as some amazing magical journey. I still to this day can not believe that I created a human, grew her and gave birth to her! Blows my mind that that is even possible.

I look back at pregnancy and remember:

• The day I found out I was pregnant- it had really happened!
• Hearing from the Dr it was true and we were about to start a wonderful journey
• Seeing that little tiny baby at our first scan and hearing a tiny little heart beat.
• Going to the midwife at 12 weeks made the journey so much more real and exciting.
• How magical feeling the baby kick felt (yes don’t get me wrong some were intense and less magical and more “wow that hurt”).
• The 20 weeks scan blew my mind- how can they see so much during an ultrasound? down to bones in the babies forearm! and being able to find all the various parts of the baby while running a metal thing over MY stomach! Amazing!!
• Feeling my babies head during a midwife appointment- the midwife palpated it and let me feel the head in my belly.
• Seeing my babies head when it first started to crown as she was coming out. That was unbelievable. I didn’t look for very long or again after that as I had my eyes closed most of the time but seeing the head was insane as it made it so real- “wow it’s almost here!”.
• Holding her for the first time seconds after she came out. “Wow, I’ve seen you before”- she looked just like me as a baby.

What isn’t as clear in my memory:

• Varicose vein discomfort
• Groin pain- due to varicose veins
• Tiredness and sickness felt during first trimester
• The painful kicks
• The back pains

 

Do you remember pregnancy as a whole or just sections of it?

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Weeks 15-40 I took photos of my belly. I am so glad I did because it is hard to believe it grew like it did. I would have forgotten how it looked or wouldn’t have noticed when it popped or how it changed week by week. Did you take photos throughout your pregnancy? 

 

By Clare at Relaxed Parenting