My man moaned of terrible morning sickness, insatiable cravings and vivid dreams when I was pregnant with our baby
TERRIBLE morning sickness, insatiable cravings and vivid dreams are just some of the pregnancy symptoms experienced by one expectant mum - and her partner too.
Georgia Guest, 23, has claimed her partner, Aaron Smith, 24, endured weeks of nausea, heartburn, cravings and vivid dreams while she was carrying their second child.
Aaron, a self-employed gardener, experienced Couvade syndrome - also known as sympathetic pregnancy - where a partner's symptoms and behaviour mirror those of the expectant mother, including minor weight gain, altered hormone levels, morning sickness and disturbed sleep patterns.
This meant that rather than Georgia curled around the loo with nausea or making late-night visits to the shops to satisfy her cravings, it was her boyfriend instead.
The full time mum-of-two, from Croydon in London, said: "Aaron had such strong pregnancy symptoms - it was like we were both expecting.
"Not only did he have morning sickness and intense cravings, but he suffered from heart burn, vivid dreams and night terrors.
"He found it all very strange and was in disbelief at first but his symptoms continued and he found it quite funny.
"It made him very sympathetic and understanding of what I was going through.
"I would say it was worse for him because he had never experienced anything like it - the constant nausea, the urge to eat something sweet and feeling rather grumpy at times if he couldn't.
"Aaron would devour packets of fizzy sweets and took plenty of trips downstairs for a midnight snack - usually a New York cheesecake.
"Then the heartburn started - it was quite horrendous and we would sit in bed cuddling each other and feeling a bit sorry for ourselves.
"We'd share cake and sweets and a bottle of Gaviscon.
"Aaron would be all over the place and would ask: 'What's happening to me?' but we both found the whole thing such a laugh."
Aaron revealed: "As the months passed I had a sudden craving for fizzy sweets, cheesecake and I loved slush puppies - anything sugary.
"Before Georgia fell pregnant I hated anything sweet.
"Georgia was excited when I came home with a big goody bag and then was surprised when I said it was for me - she thought I was winding her up."
Georgia's pregnancy was far from smooth-sailing.
She explained: "It was very up and down and emotional.
"We had a scare at 28 weeks. I was heavily bleeding and the hospital had to give me two steroid injections in case baby came early.
"It was very frightening but we supported each other and kept spirits high.
"I was monitored a lot and at the 36 week check up we were told they needed to get her out in a weeks' time as she looked to be around 4lb and they said my placenta might have stopped working.
"It was very upsetting, but Aaron stayed strong for me.
"I went to the hospital to be induced and a couple of days later had our beautiful daughter, Emmi, on the 12th of September 2018 at 12.58pm. She weighed 6lbs 8oz.
"Thankfully when Emmi arrived Aaron's symptoms disappeared and now we're pretty much back to normal."
The couple have been best friends from the age of eleven, and Aaron believes their shared pregnancy symptoms are down to their close bond.
He said: "I loved it, I felt like I got to really enjoy the pregnancy with my girlfriend and got to share the same sort of experience she was going through and it really helped me be sympathetic of how she was feeling especially when she felt very ill.
"Most nights I had the strangest of dreams and night terrors or I would find that I just couldn't get comfortable.
"I had worse heartburn then my girlfriend, nothing would shake it.
"When Georgia went shopping while I was at work it was me asking her to pick up Gaviscon and telling her not to forget cheesecake, sweets and a chocolate bar.
"It was honestly a great experience - it really brought us closer together and we had something to have a good giggle about.
"Georgia looked after me as much as I was looking after her.
"Once she gave birth to our daughter, Emmi, the sickness stopped, but the heart burn and the sweet tooth remained - I still get up for midnight cheesecake."
In other parenting news, we told you how experts believe kids should start doing household chores from 18 months.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
We also revealed a mum has washed her children's playmat for the first time in 25 years and has shown off the filthy results.
And Stacey Solomon has explained how to create the perfect animal-shaped sandwiches for lunchtimes.