How pregnancy makes you like a superhero

August 21, 2014

Here’s how pregnancy makes you like a superhero…

Here’s how pregnancy makes you like a superhero…During your first pregnancy, everything is new, exciting and different, isn’t it? Last time I dutifully listed all the unexpected symptoms (all I can say is thank goodness the awful ad with the gravy cow isn’t on any more). But basically, there are hundreds. Twinge in your back, dry nose, can’t sleep? Yep, yep, perfectly normal, let’s blame the baby. Some of them are fine, some are vaguely annoying, some are worse.

How pregnancy makes you like a superhero

But if you think about it in a different way, pregnancy side effects are a lot like magical super powers  I’m not talking about growing a baby giving you the ability to fly, read minds or move things just by thinking about them – although how amazing would that be? – but the more subtle and everyday things. There’s the superhero effort of putting up with it all for all that time, Then there’s the heightened extremes of senses and freaky abilities that have been granted to you just for nine months. 

So forget Superman, Batman, Ironman, Spiderman (why are they all men?) pregnancy powers are where it’s at.

How pregnancy makes you like a superhero:

How pregnancy makes you like a superhero - from the strange #pregnancy symptoms of each trimester to the really funny things NO-ONE tells you about - make sure you read this post!

  • Super-human sense of smell
    The ability to sniff out the abandoned carrot in the back of the fridge from halfway across the kitchen. Or identifying a nappy change two minutes before it happens (on the minus side, not so great when it’s other people’s children…or bins on a warm day). Things that smell good also smell REALLY good, too. Like walking past bread shops.
  • A magical book of ready-made excuses
    Although second time round you just have to get on with everything – last time I wouldn’t lift a laptop bag, this time I regularly cart a toddler, pram and nappy bag up and down steps without blinking an eyelid – there are still certain things you don’t have to do. My husband is currently mid-way through painting the house. I’d love to help, but you know, toxic paint fumes. Normally lame to go to bed at 9pm? I’m just going upstairs to read…really.
  • No hangovers, granted for nine months minimum
    Although it can be miserable sticking to just a tiny half glass of wine every so often while everyone else Instagrams cocktails and Facebooks from the fun haze of ‘just one more’ bottle of Prosecco, at least you’re not struck down with cold hard remorse and the 5am pit-of-your-stomach-fear and dread of ‘what have I done?’ the next morning. Although morning sickness is pretty much like a hangover without the fun pre-amble, if you think about it. Oh…
  • Making things disappear
    Food. Packets of biscuits. My new speciality, punnets of cherries in minutes. Then there’s all those receipts to the new maternity clothes you just had to buy.
  • Cloak of invisibility
    It’s funny how a massive bump renders you near-invisible to London commuters sitting in the priority seat. Add a toddler into the mix? It means people see you but see right through you (I’m not bitter after recently standing for 20 minutes, no).
  • Aura of mystery
    When I’m pregnant, I can’t imagine anything else. Then once I’m not, I can’t ever really imagine it. People are captivated by pregnant women (me included). Growing another life? What’s it like? It’s just endlessly fascinating.
  • Powers of replication
    Think about it, you’re making another version of yourself. Tiring, nauseating, sometimes strange, but mostly amazing.
  • Ability to freak people out, again and again
    “I can feel a foot!” “Look, my stomach is moving!” Never gets old.

More posts…weekly pregnancy updates with baby one and baby two, how to keep your early pregnancy a secret and early pregnancy symptoms – and follow me on Instagram

11 Comments

  • Kim Carberry

    August 21, 2014 at 6:56 pm

    hahaha! Brilliant and so very true!! I had the Super-human sense of smell….It was unreal! lol

  • Heather B

    August 22, 2014 at 3:36 am

    Very funny. I love it! You are so right. I had a recurring dream as a child that I was Batgirl, but that was long before my pregnancy powers. I never stop being amazed by what happens to our bodies and growing baby during pregnancy. Even the unpleasant stuff. Just amazing.

  • Slummy single mummy

    August 22, 2014 at 12:03 pm

    Oh God, that super human sense of smell was a nightmare! I used to be able to get in the car with someone and tell if they had eaten garlic within the last week. I could barely go anywhere without throwing up!

  • Alison Perry

    August 22, 2014 at 6:31 pm

    Love this! So true. I hated my increased sense of smell. I remember sitting on the train to work and being able to smell the person next to me chewing gum! *vom*

  • Emma

    August 22, 2014 at 7:17 pm

    This is fab, as always. I tried not to think too hard about the fact I was growing another human (especially as it was a boy … with a WILLY) it freaked me right out!

  • laura redburn

    August 23, 2014 at 1:34 pm

    ha, this is awesome! with the smell thing i am curious if i would get that if i ever decided to have a child. my sinuses/nose are not good and i can barely smell at the best of times ..maybe my sense of smell would just be like normal!

  • Claire

    August 25, 2014 at 1:08 am

    Haha! All so true. Hated that heightened sense of smell. Also hated being ignored on train by drunk rugby supporters. Three hours of standing up crying and dizzy. Yuck. Oh yes the funny shapes when they stick a foot out etc. Wish I’d thought of myself as a superhero at the time! 🙂

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  • Globalmouse

    August 25, 2014 at 3:10 pm

    This is brilliant and really made me smile, especially the foot, I remember that, it can really freak people out. So bad that people don’t stand up on the underground though…shocking really that people can be that selfish.

  • Leyla

    August 26, 2014 at 11:20 am

    ‘Cloak of invisibility’ … so funny and yet so true. I often think, when I’m trying to cart my buggy up a full flight of stairs with a four-year-old in tow, that I’m still wearing one. Hello? Hello?!

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