When you’re pregnant, your body transforms and goes through so many changes that you feel like this body no longer belongs to you. Although I had a healthy pregnancy, there were a few downsides that you may also have if you are pregnant or plan to be.

The most annoying downside was my swollen feet. Only two pairs of Uggs and flip flops fit me (I was pregnant from summer through winter). I am a shoe-lover so it sucked to not be able to wear my cute shoes and match them to my outfit. I was scared my feet would stay like that but after pregnancy they went back to their normal size.

The most painful part of my pregnancy was having sciatica pain. It was this sharp pain from the right side of my lower back all the way down my right leg. I could barely walk and at night as I was sleeping, the pain was so horrible it woke me up. My doctor told me to take magnesium vitamins and it sorta helped. Mostly, I tried to walk off the pain and tried not to sit for too long.

Let’s talk about the growing belly getting in the way. It’s so exciting to watch that belly grow week by week but that belly wouldn’t let me sleep at night. I would toss and turn, use pregnancy pillows but nothing would help. Most nights I did not sleep but I realized it was a foreshadow of what was to come. Sadly, theres nothing you can do about the lack of sleep. Welcome to motherhood!

The never-ending nausea. Some women have severe nausea and some can barely eat. Some women experience it during the first trimester and others have to live with it for the entire pregnancy. Some women will constantly vomit, which is a major inconvenience. I didn’t vomit and my nausea went away in the second trimester. I’ve never liked apples and for some reason during my pregnancy, I craved apples. I would eat up to 3 a day and that made my nausea go away.

You might spend the day in the bathroom. Whether it’s because of the nausea and vomiting or probably because the baby is pushing on your bladder, you will live in the bathroom. You must drink lots of water and stay hydrated; so even though it’s annoying, don’t avoid fluids. At night you might be all snuggled in bed but unfortunately it’s something you cannot avoid. I would go to the bathroom and by the time I made it back to my office, I had to go again.

But the major downside to my pregnancy was the anxiety I felt at the doctor’s visits. Each time I went in nervous and hoped that the baby was fine. I worried about the heartbeat, the baby’s position, the baby’s development etc. As I got my blood taken out, I was scarred that the tests would be bad news. Thank God nothing major happened but the anxiety during my appointments never went away.

Some women have a much harder time than others. And although pregnancy is exciting, it also causes problems. Not only does it physically change you, it affects all aspects of your life. It won’t be smooth sailing but it won’t be completely horrible either. Make sure to always consult your doctors and just know that it’s temporary and you’re close to meeting that new love of your life.