Pregnancy is an exciting time, full of new experiences for new moms and veterans alike. Some experiences are particularly memorable. They are the treasured moments, the events that are recorded and remembered. And for those who are not a huge fan of being pregnant, these milestones can help make the time go by faster. I’ve made up a list of the top ten most exciting pregnancy milestones. Here are the first five:
10. Reaching twenty weeks
The halfway point of pregnancy is exciting for many reasons. From that point on, it’s all downhill. The weeks until delivery are finally less than the number of weeks endured, and if a woman has had a particularly uncomfortable pregnancy, that’s music to her ears.
9. Your water breaking
The only reason this wasn’t higher on the list was because I felt like this event could be equally terrifying as it is exciting. Yes, it means the baby is coming, but it also means… the baby is coming! Delivery fears and last minute worries settle in. (“Did we install the car seat? Did I remember to wash the newborn onesies? Where’s my overnight bag?”)
8. First contraction
This one ties right in with #8 because you never know which event will happen first. Some women rupture their bag of waters and then begin labor, and some women end up having their water broken by the doctor after hours of labor. Both events seem to trigger similar responses, however.
7. First time a stranger notices you are pregnant
Obviously this is only exciting if you truly are pregnant. Many people will not ask a woman when she is expecting unless it’s completely obvious, so if a person asks, you know you really look pregnant (and not just overweight or bloated).
6. Gender scan
Not everyone chooses to find out the gender ahead of time, but for those that do; this is a very exciting moment. As soon as the words “it’s a girl/boy” leave the technicians mouth, thoughts of pink or blue outfits, nurseries and the perfect name begin consuming the pregnant woman’s day to day life. That may be a reason to not find out, at least for those that cannot resist the urge to shop.