What Does Dreaming of Being Pregnant Mean?
Have you been dreaming of being pregnant?
For some women, dreaming about pregnancy can be a fantasy come true, and for others, pregnancy dreams can be an absolute nightmare.
Interestingly, having pregnancy dreams typically have nothing to do with actual pregnancy or motherhood. Rather, popular pregnancy dream causes are tied to feelings of anxiety, longing, or thoughts about unfulfilled or unfinished portions of our real lives.
If you find yourself having pregnancy dreams all the time, we’ve compiled common dream interpretations to explain why you’re dreaming of being pregnant and decipher what your subconscious is trying to say!
Related: Dream Symbols and Names
Why People Dream of Being Pregnant
Scientists believe that “dreams help regulate traffic on that fragile bridge which connects our experiences with our emotions and memories.” This means that our dreams can provide a fascinating insight into both our most obvious thoughts and the more subconscious elements of our lives that we are having trouble processing.
Dream experts note that dreaming of being pregnant happens more frequently than you would think. The reason why this type of dream seems to be so common amongst dreamers is that most people perceive pregnancy as a new and exciting time.
But pregnancy dreams can cause anxiety and worry. Many people who dream of pregnancy and childbirth are confronted with the different stages of life. From birth, all of our lives have a beginning, a middle, and an end. This makes the pregnancy theme in dreams the perfect symbol for the many triumphs, hurdles, and hopes that people experience every day.
Dreams are What You Make of Them
Lauri Loewenberg, Certified Dream Analyst to the Stars, seems to lean towards the views of Dr. Sigmund Freud who believed that vivid dreams were a way to peek into your repressed thoughts and desires through symbolism.
She notes that the main message behind both pregnancy and birth-related dreams is that “there is a new development in your life or a wonderful idea has been conceived and you are now in the process of bringing it to life. How far along you are in the dream is connected to how far along you are with this growing and developing issue.”
What this means is that how you interpret your dreams will be specific to your individual beliefs and life experiences. If you have this type of dream and are seeking a possible interpretation, we break down the different types of pregnancy dreams and their dream meanings.
Common Pregnancy Dream Interpretations
There are many theories surrounding the meaning behind our dreams. The Ancient Greeks believed that dreams were “an instrument for predicting the future.” The Chinese believe that dreams are a reflection of a person’s life and health, noting that “when Yin and Yang are unbalanced, dreams come into being,” signaling that a person should engage in self-care.
Current dream researchers state that in many cultures, dreams can also have a spiritual meaning or they can serve as a “means for communication with other people or with the supernatural.” So what do pregnancy-related dreams really mean?
1. Dreaming of Giving Birth or Being in Labor
Dreaming of giving birth usually means that there are big changes on the horizon in your life. Maybe you have a big idea brewing, a new job on the horizon, or a new project that you can’t wait to start. In this case, giving birth represents something positive coming your way or a new phase in your life to look forward to very soon.
Similarly, for those folks who dream that they are in their third trimester, it is a sign that your hard work is about to pay off or that a goal is about to be achieved. The bottom line is these types of dreams signal something is about the beginning or end. This could be bringing excitement or stress to your life, which is why the dream is manifesting.
2. Dreaming of Being Pregnant with a Boy or Girl
According to most traditional Chinese dream interpretation theory, dreaming of having a girl means that you will have good fortune in your future. Conversely, dreaming of having a boy means that you are about to start a new phase of your life.
3. Dreaming of Being Pregnant with Twins or Triplets
For those who have twins or triplets in the family, you may be having this dream because you are hoping that you carry this gene and will one day have two new family members. However, the most obvious interpretation of such dreams is that you currently have a lot on your plate that you have to juggle.
Conversely, Chinese theory states that dreaming of twins “usually represent[s] your love, job, career, family, etc. goals. So for people who are pursuing a goal, twin pregnancy dreams show the goal and its achievement.” In other words, the beginning and the end of something big in your life.
4. Dreaming of Finding Out You Are Pregnant
Of course, there is always a tiny chance that a dream about being pregnant means that somewhere deep down you know that you are pregnant in real life. Most likely though, this is not the case. Dreaming of pregnancy can be a signal that you are about to experience a new beginning in your life. This could be in the form of a new creative project happening at work or a new relationship.
If you dream of getting a positive pregnancy test, it symbolizes that something life-changing is about to happen. This can be both good or bad. This dream could also be a message that you are sending to yourself that it is a good time for a change in your life.
5. Dreaming of Having Morning Sickness
A dream about morning sickness can be directly proportional to a worry or concern about something negative brewing in your waking life. You might be feeling emotionally uneasy about something that is new in your life like a relationship, job, or endeavor.
The connection between the symbolism of pregnancy and newness is an important one. When pregnancy enters your dreams as a vivid theme, consider the new projects, ideas, and relationships that are impacting your day-to-day. Spending a bit of time confronting these thoughts and themes can help both your sleep and personal growth.
6. Dreaming of Being Pregnant by Your Ex
This is an interesting dream scenario that simply means that you have learned or developed as a person since being in that relationship and that you are now ready to give birth or embrace a new aspect of your life. This can include being a more well-rounded person or living life with some added insight.
7. Dreaming About Not Being Able to Get Pregnant
If you are trying to get pregnant and are having trouble conceiving, this could be a literal dream. If this is not the case, it could mean you are feeling blocked in your progress in an important area of your life.
8. Dreaming Someone You Know Is Pregnant
Dreaming that a loved one, friend, or even acquaintance is pregnant can be related to feeling like you are blocked in the areas of creativity or abundance.
If the pregnant person in your dream plays a specific role in your waking life, you may be able to make further connections with this theme by comparing the ways in which you and this person are both similar and different. This can help you pinpoint the type of change you are hoping to see within yourself.
9. Dreaming About Holding a Baby
Having a dream about holding a baby can mean that wealth of abundance is coming your way. It can also symbolize a new development in a romantic relationship in your life.
10. Dreaming About Having an Evil Baby
Although this sounds like a plot from a scary movie, this dream can simply mean that you are worried about something bad happening in your life.
This fear can be completely unfounded, but the dream is reflecting your anxiety. If you experience dreams of giving birth to an evil or dangerous baby, consider focusing on your mental health and finding ways to lower your stress levels.
11. Dreaming of Being Pregnant When You Are Pregnant
According to a 2013 study about maternal representations in dreams, “as pregnancy is an important period of mental reorganization about feelings, cognitions and relationships relating to the self and the unborn baby, pregnant women might well be expected to express these feelings, cognitions, and relationships in their dreams.”
Another study conducted in 1993 discovered that “the frequency of dreams increased with advancing gestational age” and that the most common theme was the conflict with the baby’s father. This type of dream suggests that you may be having some inner turmoil surrounding your pregnancy.
These pregnancy dreams might be related to how you think you will be as a mother, your finances, your need to change jobs when the baby arrives, or just the general stresses that come with raising a baby.
If you have a dream like this, it is important to talk to your significant other about your concerns. Gestation is a time when a woman’s thoughts and feelings develop as she embraces the future of her body, her baby, and her life.
By being open and honest about anxieties and expectations for parenthood, you and your partner can better plan for your baby and you can diminish your stress levels, which can help you lessen your chances of postpartum depression.
Pregnancy Dreams Provide a Glimpse Into Our Hopes and Fears
Our waking life is often reflected in our dreams through symbolism. Analyzing our dreams and understanding these messages can seem complex, but they are actually rather simple analogies when you take the time to break them down.
Keeping a dream journal is a great way to delve into the meaning of your dreams as you look for patterns and symbolism. The act of simply writing down your dreams and getting thoughts and feelings off your chest can also help you to get a good night’s sleep.
Finally, once you put all of your thoughts to paper, think about your life.
- What stresses do you have in your personal and professional life?
- Are there new endeavors that you have recently taken on or hope to engage in?
- Is there a current aspect of your life that is coming to an end?
Asking yourself these simple questions can help you draw conclusions about what your subconscious is trying to tell you.
