The last month of pregnancy is so hard. And when you know that you will likely go past your due date, that last month of pregnancy sucks even more.
The last month of pregnancy is hard for just about every woman I have ever talked to. Even if they have a fairly good or easy pregnancy, the last month is still killer for so many reasons.
With the extra weight, the extra stretched skin, baby pushing their head and stronger limbs into sensitive areas, the endless waiting, the difficult time sleeping during pregnancy, the weekly doctor appointments, the stress of the impending birth and then actually raising a child all means that LIFE is hard when you are nine months pregnant, even if it’s your first pregnancy, even if you don’t have a demanding job.
Pregnancy sucks when you are in the last month of pregnancy.
Just for fun, I polled some women as to why this is in order to validate this statement. The following is a compilation of their comments and my own experiences.

Physical Reasons the Last Month of Pregnancy Sucks
There are so many things that happen to your body during the last month of pregnancy, and none of them are very fun. Here’s the main reasons the last month of pregnancy sucks.
- Stretched belly with taut skin that may or may not itch or hurt like crazy
- Low sex drive, even though the prostaglandins and contractions can help induce labor
- Indigestion and hearing your intestines gurgling from the sides of your abdomen
- Lack of sleep or poor sleep because you can’t get comfortable and once you did get comfortable you have to get up and pee
- Heartburn and acid reflux
- Constipation perhaps along with hemorrhoids
- The extra pressure in your abdomen
- Being uncomfortable in any position and place
- Walking without waddling like a duck or having baby pinch your nerves against your pubic bones
- Getting out of breath doing anything
- Eating more than a few bites of food without feeling full or uncomfortable
- Constant exhaustion
- Frequent urination and trips to the bathroom
- Climbing stairs, especially after a long day
- Getting off the couch with any amount of grace
- Nausea
- Pain and pressure in your crotch and pelvic area
- Swollen feet, fingers, vagina, and face
- Squirmy babies who think they have more room to kick and punch than your body feels it does
- Back pain
- Not being able to stand up without getting dizzy or blacking out slightly
If you are experiencing a summer pregnancy – Here are 16 Reasons a Summer Pregnancy Sucks
Emotional Reasons the Last Month of Pregnancy Sucks
Now that you know why it sucks physically, let’s look at the emotional side of pregnancy.
These are the emotional reasons the last month of pregnancy sucks.
- It seems to last forever and you question if this baby will ever come out
- Super moody
- The anticipation to meet your little one
- Crying frequently over nothing or having simple things set you off
- Waiting. And waiting some more. The waiting game sucks.
Stressful Reasons the Last Month of Pregnancy Sucks
Finally, pregnancy is super stressful! Here are the main things that stress out pregnant women.
- Worrying about kick counts and how often you feel the baby move
- Wondering about how the delivery will go and if your birth plan will happen
- Second guessing if every bladder leak is actually your water breaking
- Getting your house ready and clean
- Making sure other children will have childcare while you deliver your baby
- Weekly doctor appointments
- Zero or no dilation or signs your body will ever release this baby even though your due date is a week away
Pregnancy Nutrition – So Important
Another big concern many nine months pregnant women have is if they are giving their baby enough of what they need or if something they do will negatively affect the baby or themselves. Not enough iron, Vitamin D, folic acid, iodine, or calcium is this often a culprit in why the last month of pregnancy is so rough.

How much calcium do you need when you are pregnant?
Let’s take calcium for example. If your body is not getting enough dietary calcium (1000 mg daily) it begins to take it from your bones, even when you are not pregnant, decreasing bone mineral density which can eventually lead to osteoporosis. Your growing baby needs calcium for their bones, teeth, heart, nerves, and muscles, and they will get what they need from you, but unfortunately, that means you may not have enough for yourself.
Most prenatal vitamins (which you may or may not remember to take every day) only contain 200-300 milligrams of calcium. Because calcium isn’t made in our bodies, we have to get it from diet or supplements.
My suggestion? Do something good for you and baby – pick up some Viactiv Calcium Soft Chews, the #1 doctor-recommended calcium supplement chew, from CVS, Target, Walmart, RiteAid, or Amazon and treat yourself to a good tasting calcium supplement.

I prefer the Caramel flavor to the chocolate one, but both are good. Take one in the morning after breakfast and one in the evening and you’ve got 100% of your calcium needs met for the day. As they are individually wrapped, you put on in your purse to chew when you remember while waiting at your weekly doctor appointments.
You can learn more about Viactiv on their website and Facebook page.
You can try to cherish your alone time before baby comes, and all the sleep you are actually getting, but many first time moms don’t want to be alone anymore. They have been alone long enough and just want to meet and care for their baby!
Maybe a little something good for you and baby will help the last month of pregnancy go by quicker. Maybe.
What was the worst thing about the last month of pregnancy for you? I’d love to know!
This is a product-provided, sponsored conversation on behalf of Viactiv that contains affiliate links. I received Viactiv products for my own personal use. This post is not intended to address or diagnose any medical conditions. All opinions, text and experiences are my own. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Please speak with your healthcare provider regarding any medical concerns.
Becca says
I was 19 days over with my first pregnancy. I had a friend who was due 2 weeks after me, who gave birth before me. I remember visiting her in hospital and having to leave the room because I was that upset, I was crying about it. In retrospect it seems silly and petty and pretty darned embarrassing – but those pregnancy hormones! They just screw you up a thousand different ways. Multi-vitamins are awesome but what they really need to come up with is some pill that keeps your hormones from going crazy!
Katelyn Fagan says
YES! It is sooo hard when other people have their babies before you do and you go past that due date. My son was 13 days overdue. Going to church for two Sundays past my due date was so hard with people saying things like “Oh, you haven’t given birth yet?” or “I was hoping I wouldn’t see you today because you would have had your baby.” I came home and cried. And yes, those hormones. Oy! I’m not usually too hormonal and crazy, but pregnancy doesn’t help. I’m usually the most emotional right after giving birth. I think it’s the sleep exhaustion and hormones combined that make my sob randomly. Every time it’s happened in those first few days.
Becca says
Oh, don’t you hate the “I thought you would’ve had the baby by now” comments? I always felt like saying, “Of course I’ve had the baby, I just decided to cram a basketball down the front of my shirt for fun.” But even worse if when you’ve had the baby and nobody notices – My mom tells the story of, the day she had my older sister, she was down at the grocery store and someone came up to her and said, “Oh, I thought you uould’ve had that baby by now.” I’m kind of surprised that person was allowed to live – although surely it would’ve been grounds for justifiable homicide!
Katelyn Fagan says
Your mom went to the grocery store the DAY she had a baby?? Wow! But, yes. That comment sucks. I didn’t even want to go out past my due date after that because I was so sad about not having that baby yet.
Chelsea @ Life With My Littles says
Oh my goodness yes! I agree with all of these! Pregnancy is so brutal at the end, but it’s also so worth it!
Ros Emely@stressfreemommies says
I love this! The last month of pregnancy was the worst for me. I couldn’t sleep or walk, I was not in the mood most of the time and I just had it being pregnant, lol. It definitely takes a toll on you, specially if you had a toddler to take care of, like I did! For my twin pregnancy the last month sucked way more than with my singleton pregnancy.
Grace strahan says
You know what sucks worst than the last month of your normal pregnancy? Giving birth at 25 weeks. Spending 6 1/2 months in the nicu. Waiting 4 months to hold your baby! Going back to work two weeks after you give birth because you want to save your days when your child comes home. Sleeping in the nicu waiting room on Christmas Eve for your child’s first Christmas because he may not make it through the night! Seriously? Get a real problem!
Katelyn Fagan says
This post wasn’t meant to be a “my problems are worse than yours” but a post that commiserates with those who do suffer 9+ long months of pregnancy. I can tell that this experience was hard for you. I am so sorry. I always admire women like you who go through so much doubt, pain, and fear with a child in the NICU. I actually just partnered with March of Dimes in a recent post – http://homecleaningfamily.com/2016/10/cant-believe-im-pregnant/. I have known women who suffer PTSD because their child was in the NICU for so long and it was so stressful. Many hugs and prayers for you Grace. I hope your child is doing well now!
Niah says
I placed my son for adoption so the last month was all the exhaustion amd prepimg to put my baby in someone elses arms… Pregnancy is hard enough with out the added stress… I was ovet being pregnant because I was miserable but I never wanted my pregnancy to end because then I couldn’t be as close to my baby
Jackie says
I may be of the 1% but I’m in my last month of pregnancy and while some of the aches and pains are mild it’s not getting me down or is terrible at all. I fall asleep so deep at night and wake up to pee 2-3 times but for the most part I’m just soaking up and enjoying the end of this pregnancy. Everyone is shocked by my positivity but I truly don’t feel like it’s as bad as it’s made out to be. I have gestational diabetes and I’m more done with poking my finger 4 times a day than being pregnant.
Jackie says
Oh but I also use a belly band which I highly recommend and it keeps me pretty pain free so I do have a little help. 🙂