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Pregnancy Diaries: 'I thought it was going to be really hard, but pregnancy isn't insufferable for everyone'

By As told to Maddison Leach|

Ever wonder if other women experience pregnancy the same way you do? Now is your chance to find out.

Our new series, Pregnancy Diaries, is all about sharing real women's true pregnancy stories จC the highs, the lows, the hilarious and the shocking from conception all the way to birth.

In this diary entry, mum Amy Springhall admits she went into pregnancy expecting the worst, only to discover she was 'one of the lucky ones'.

Want to share your own pregnancy story? Email it to mleach@nine.com.au?

Amy Springhall can't wait to be a mum for a second time.
Amy Springhall can't wait to be a mum for a second time. (Supplied)

"Before I fell pregnant the first time, I thought it was going to be really hard on my body. I thought by the third trimester I'd be struggling to be on my feet all day, I'd be so exhausted I could barely function.?

But (and I should acknowledge I'm one of the lucky ones) that wasn't the case for me.?

Writing this at nine months pregnant for the second time, my prominent belly button nudging at the desk, I feel completely normal and I haven't noticed any major shift in my energy levels.?

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I love what I do for work and the first time around I was concerned that I'd feel exhausted and wouldn't be able to do all the things I wanted to do. I kept thinking I'd hit a point and then it would all be downhill from there, but that didn't happen.?

Even with our current pregnancy, I had internalised the idea it would be harder with a toddler running around, but it really hasn't been. Again, acknowledging that I must be pretty lucky!?

Don't get me wrong, the first trimester was no walk in the park and there were a couple of weeks in there where I felt pretty rubbish.

Amy Springhall poses with her partner and her son.
Amy Springhall poses with her partner and her son. (Supplied)

And in my last pregnancy I had a few weeks of evening sickness in the first trimester. It would hit around 4pm each day, so I want a refund from whoever called it 'morning sickness'.

But on the whole it's not been as bad as I'd anticipated; it's not all morning sickness, back aches and cankles!?

In the past few years, we've seen women opening up about pregnancy and sharing their 'warts and all' experiences, which is a good thing in terms of making women feel less alone and more confident about what to expect.?

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But I think an inevitable by-product of this is that it paints a pretty grim picture of what to expect for first-time mums. I was talking to a midwife recently and she said women who enjoy pregnancy don't often talk about it because we're the lucky ones and others aren't having such a good time.?

While I don't want to ignore the reality that pregnancy can be tough for some and I appreciate that I've been incredibly lucky, it would have been nice to know going into it that pregnancy isn't insufferable for everyone.?

Amy Springhall shows off her baby bump.
Amy Springhall shows off her baby bump. (Supplied)

Even now at 38 weeks, people come up to me and their assumption is I must be tired, but I'm actually feeling really good.?

I'm still working because I enjoy it and feel up to it. Yes, I'm pretty swollen and my day is punctuated by the zealous kicks of a baby intent on making his or her presence known, but overall I feel great. Like my normal self, just with a baby on board.?

Now, childbirth is a different story. This is my second time around and I know that it's definitely no walk in the park but it can be an equally enjoyable and empowering experience for some. Here's hoping it's the latter this time around!

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Pregnancy is different for everyone. For me, I found that my expectations didn't quite match up with reality.?

Even though I like to think I'm a pretty positive person, I had internalised the idea it was going to be hard and expected the worst. It's amazing the stories we let seep in and take root without even realising.

Amy Springhall shares a laugh with her young son.
Amy Springhall shares a laugh with her young son. (Supplied)

Thankfully, I had a much more positive experience throughout both pregnancies. Sure, there were some tough moments (spoiler: the posterior birth!) but on the whole, it was a really great experience.?

My advice to other women would be to go in with an open mind because you might be pleasantly surprised.

Women who enjoy pregnancy don't often talk about it for fear of sounding like they're bragging, but I think it would be nice for first-time mums to know it's not all bad.?

Growing a human is an amazing feat and it's not always easy, but it can be a really enjoyable time too."

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