Pregnancy dreams. 

Many women can attest to the fact that during pregnancy, they will experience the most bizarre dreams they have ever had. It can be hilarious, a little frightening and an overall emotional experience for the new mother involved. 

So what are pregnancy dream? Where do they stem from? What do they mean?

Pregnancy dreams are no different than your regular dreams but a pregnant woman has the ability to remember her dreams more vividly. Another reason so many pregnant women remember their dreams more often is that with the changes of your body and the aches and pains that come with pregnancy, a pregnant women tends to wake up much more often in the night. This interrupts their sleep cycle and causes them to remember the last thing they were dreaming about much more vividly.

Pregnancy dreams start out in the first trimester usually reflecting fertility, water and fertility imagery. The dreams move on to representing the baby in some way, whether that be a dream about small animals or the mothering of something other than a baby.These usually occur during the second trimester when your body is going through very relevant changes and babies are on your mind. The third trimester can bring about very realistic feeling revelation dreams including dreams about the sex of the baby or specific facial characteristics. 

Intermingled in these pleasant pregnancy dreams are anxiety dreams or dreams that may cause fear of the impending labor and motherhood. One study found that women who have these anxiety or nightmarish dreams are affected emotionally throughout pregnancy and postpartum. We suggest starting a dream journal if these dreams persist and discussing them with your doctor or a therapist.

Dreams often help prepare us for things to come or bring out things that we may not have even realized were on our minds. These things could be important to explore further in preparation for birth and postpartum.

I remember in my second trimester I had a very vivid dream that I was nursing two baby bears and they kept trying to bite my nipples! It was extremely unpleasant but when I woke up and discussed it with my doctor, he assured me that it was normal and that I may be having some fears associated with nursing. After thinking about it more, I realized he was right! I found a good friend who was a "nursing expert" and unloaded my fears to her. She was so helpful in calming me and helping me come to terms with my anxieties about the postpartum experiences. 

As your doula in the Kansas City Metro, The Doula Girls is equipped to help you through these dreams. Whether funny, anxiety ridden or beyond, sharing these experiences with a trusted source can help you prepare for the new life ahead of you!