What Do Dreams of Being Pregnant Mean?

What does it mean to dream of being pregnant?

Dreams of pregnancy are typically related to a change in circumstance. This could be the anticipation of a significant life change. It could also be your mind preparing itself for a fresh start or a new creative project. Additionally, these dreams may be symbolic of personal growth and transformation.

However, it’s important to recognise that dreams about being pregnant may have more specific meanings – particularly as new research has identified dreams of pregnancy are the most common for adults in the UK. So, let’s explore the different types in more detail:

Common meanings behind pregnancy dreams

Dreams about pregnancy can take many forms. Below, we explore the potential meanings of the most common variations.

1. Dreaming of being pregnant when you're not

If you ever dream about taking a pregnancy test this could signify a shift is coming in your life, an event which could range from something relatively minor to one that’s completely life changing, so if you wake up from this dream – brace yourself!

It could also be a sign from your subconscious telling you you’re ready for motherhood. Such a dream can also symbolise new beginnings for someone longing to become a mother. Dreams of being pregnant can also represent anxiety about starting another life and the responsibility that comes with it.

2. Dreaming of someone else being pregnant

Dreaming about someone else being pregnant can be interpreted as a sign meaning that you miss the person from your dreams and might want to talk to them again after a long time. Dream interpreters believe this dream might also mean you’re about to get good news from your close friend or family member.

3. Positive pregnancy tests

Dreams can be a window showing us our deepest desires, fears, and worries. If you dream about a positive pregnancy test, it could be a metaphor. Perhaps you may want to get pregnant but are too afraid or have some fear preventing you from doing so.

Alternatively, you might wish to be pregnant and are dreaming about it as your subconscious feels it would be the ideal solution to your current problems.

4. Negative pregnancy tests

What a negative pregnancy test in a dream could mean to your waking life depends on how you feel in the dream. Generally, a negative result means you’re frightened of losing someone or something. Mostly though, the dream reflects your fear of losing the baby if you’re indeed pregnant.

If you feel relieved during your dream of having a negative pregnancy test, it means you are not yet ready to take a huge step and change your life. Even if the adjustments are for the better, you still think you’re not yet confident enough to take the role and the responsibility. An unhappy feeling in the dream indicates that you haven’t fully realised your personal goals yet.

5. Dreams during pregnancy

Pregnancy dreams are really common for expectant mothers. The reason for this is that the hormonal and physical changes that happen during pregnancy can make the environment in your body feel different. According to The Sleep Foundation, vivid dreams are common during pregnancy, as are nightmares.

Researchers believe that dreams may be a way for our subconscious to work through issues that are currently on our minds. Unsurprisingly, many pregnant women report pregnancy-related dreams. You may dream about being pregnant or dream that you are meeting your baby for the first time and many mothers even dream about the sex of the baby.

What about dreams when you are pregnant?

During pregnancy, you might find it easier for you to recall some of your dreams.

Before pregnancy, you may have had difficulty remembering your dreams in the morning. You might have even been convinced that you didn’t dream at all. According to Healthline, this can all change during pregnancy when you experience greater dream recall upon waking up.

If indeed you are pregnant, you may be dreaming more due to increased sleep time due to pregnancy-related fatigue. A study showed that the further along you are in your pregnancy, the more prominent your dreams may become.

If your pregnancy dreams are bothering you, or if you’re having sleep disturbances, consider speaking to a GP or talking to a therapist to work through them. Healthline says they could be a sign that you need to talk to someone to work through deep emotional thoughts.

Religious and cultural connotations of the dream

Pregnancy has some significant religious meanings. According to ReligionCheck, the biblical meaning of dreams is positive in that when you dream of expecting a baby it means blessings are coming your way and you should be prepared.

In other takes, the biblical interpretation of pregnancy dreams is that you are about to get married or God is about to use you as a vessel to deliver blessings into other people’s lives.

On a wider scale, many world cultures view dreams about pregnancy as a positive sign – a symbol of change, growth and prosperity. Some cultures even believe it’s an indication of getting pregnant in real life, but it’s definitely still worth taking a pregnancy test before announcing the good news to the world!

Notable appearances in popular culture:

Cultural beliefs about pregnancy strongly influence women’s expectations regarding what it’s like to be pregnant, according to a University of Cincinnati study. A group of expectant mothers were asked why they held certain expectations.

They often said they thought they had developed their expectations based on the media or family stories. Study leader Danielle Bessett explains, “In a lot of cases, women in the study brought all these expectations from a lifetime of exposure to stories and other advice and family tales to their pregnancies.”

Asked what cultural symbolism can be found in dreams about being pregnant dream analyst Ally Mead told the Huffington Post that because pregnancy is universal, this dream isn’t confined by culture or ethnicity.

She explained that pregnancy dream symbols can include the lotus flower, normally associated with Asian cultures, and the Celtic knot; associated with the cycle of birth and death. “It’s amazing how often these come up and then eventually result in a literal pregnancy.”