Dreams...

I have been experiencing some crazy dreams! I dream of people drowning, being locked inside a ship in the middle of the ocean with no one there to help, and these dreams scare the shit out of me! I've been told the first trimester you will have crazy dreams! Mine are more scary than anything. Almost every dream water is involved. Large bodies of water at that. So I decided to google "Dreams and Pregnancy."

Here's what I found: (notice the section I highlighted in red below)

Are Pregnancy Dreams Normal?

Though these vivid dreams can often be confusing and even frightening, it is entirely normal to experience a large number of dreams during pregnancy. There are a variety of reasons that can help explain this dramatic increase in dreams:

Pregnancy Hormones: Throughout your pregnancy, your body pumps out a variety of different hormones, including progesterone and estrogen. It is thought that these hormones affect the way we sleep at night, causing us to experience longer periods of REM sleep. It is during REM sleep that our minds begin to dream.

Increased Waking: Pregnant women are much more likely to wake up during the night than women who aren’t pregnant. Whether you have a leg cramp or a backache, you may find that you wake up several times every night. When your body wakes up from a deep sleep, it has better dream recall than it would had you slept through the night. This means that you may be experiencing more vivid dreams simply because your body is better at recalling them.

Pregnancy Anxiety: Pregnancy is a time of distinct changes, many of which are scary and overwhelming. You probably have a number of anxieties over becoming a parent: for instance, you may worry how you will handle having a baby and if you will be a capable mother. Our subconscious mind often works through these anxieties while we are sleeping, in the form of dreams.

Common Pregnancy Dreams

Many pregnant women experience dreams that are similar in content or theme. Some commonly-reported pregnancy dreams include:

• dreams of falling
• dreams of running
• dreams of being trapped
• dreams of baby’s gender
• dreams of baby’s appearance
• dreams of labor and delivery

Don’t be surprised if many of these are unpleasant in nature. Because of all the anxiety and stress that pregnant women experience, dreams often take on a frightening tone. But this is simply your mind’s way of working out your worries and fears. You will also find that much of your excitement about pregnancy also translates into your dreams.

Dream Development by Trimester

Many dream studies have shown that dreams tend to change from trimester to trimester of pregnancy. During the first trimester, women have reported dreaming of water and water symbols. This may be because of the increased amniotic fluid inside of your womb. During the second trimester, women report an increase in dreams about animals. This could be triggered by the your baby’s increased development and movement inside of your body. And during the third trimester, dreams are much more likely to be about baby himself, and may focus on giving birth or caring for baby after he is born.